Scope and Contents

Computations by R. Main in order to find the constant of refraction. The papers include a catalogue of stars from 1836-1854 suitable for determining refractions; corrections; errors in the constants of refraction; and comparisons of T. Maclear's Cape of Good Hope observations with those undertaken at Greenwich. There is one letter from C.P. Smyth.

Scope and Contents

Correspondence with Professor M. Faraday, Dr Gladstone, the Revd R. Main, Herbert Airy and others on the Lighthouse Commission. The volume includes a pamphlet on lighthouse lenses; a model 'to illustrate the effect of the Rotating Prisms at the Calais Light House', with two photographs of the model; a questionnaire from the Royal Commission on Light-Houses; and a proof report from the said commission.

Scope and Contents

Correspondence with the superintendents of computations on the progress and problems of planetary and lunar reductions. There is a report on the state of planetary computations, and a report on the state of lunar computations and the amount of work performed by individual computers. The superintendents are J.W. Thomas, R. Main and H. Breen. There are letters by J. Glaisher and G. Fisher.

Scope and Contents

Correspondence regarding H. Breen's reductions of the observations made by James Bradley at the Royal Observatory during the years 1743-1750. The volume includes H. Breen's wage receipts; reports on the state of the calculations; and 'Work Book (2)' of G W. Farrcourt, assistant to H. Breen. There is also related correspondence with the Admiralty, J.C. Adams and R. Main.

Scope and Contents Correspondence relating to the transit of Venus, 1874. The correspondents include J.C. Adams, W. De La Rue (with a photograph), R.L.J. Ellery, B.A. Gould, R. Grant, Sir W. Huggins, Lord Lindsay, Sir D. Gill, Sir J.N. Lockyer, Sir T. Maclear, Dr R. Copeland, R. Main, E.J. Stone, C. Meldrum, N.R. Pogson, R.A. Proctor, H.C. Russel, C. Todd, Major Tennant, Dr Oppolzer, J.C. Houzeau, J.A.C. Oudemans, P.A.E. Laugier, A. d'Abbadie, C.E. Delaunay, U.J.J. Le Verrier, O. Struve, Dr P.J.E. Janssen, G....

Scope and Contents Correspondence with various scientific societies, with related papers. There are notices and council minutes for the British Association; reports of the Kew Committee; the report of the committee wishing to publish K.L.C. Rümker's stellar observations; papers relating to W.R. Birt's lunar committee; W. Thomson's report on tidal observations; W.R. Grove's address to the 1866 convention; and J.D. Forbes' address to the 1867 convention. Other articles include a description of the Kew...

Scope and Contents

Correspondence with the First Assistant concerning chronometers, star catalogues and other subjects, including R. Main's notebook for 22 December 1847 - 4 January 1851, regarding the receiving of and sending of letters and parcels.

Scope and Contents Miscellaneous papers concerning astronomical matters, including letters from U.J.J. Le Verrier, W. De La Rue, R.C. Carrington, J.R. Hind, A. de Morgan and Dr C. Bruhns. The subjects covered include U.J.J. Le Verrier's solar theory; letters from the Paris Imperial Observatory on the intensity of the light of the Sun; a paper from H.A.E.A. Fayé on the proper motion of the Solar System; a printed letter from J. Davidson on the Moon's rotatory motion; observations of projections of stars on the...

Scope and Contents

Airy's miscellaneous correspondence with, among others, J.B. Biot. C. Brooke, J. Challis, A. d'Abbadie, A. de Morgan, W. Denison, J.D. Forbes, J.P. Gassiot, B.A. Gould, J.F.W. Herschel, J. Hartnup, W. Lassell, J. Lee, U.J.J. Le Verrier, J.W. Lubbock, R. Main, Mr Manners, F. Maxwell, C. Pritchard, L.A. Quetelet, J.D. Runkle, P.A. Secchi, W.H. Smyth, F. Struve, C.B. Vignoles, G.H. Wiedemann, W. Whewell and Mr Whitbread. The papers include a notice of the death of L.A. Quetelet's wife.

Scope and Contents Airy's miscellaneous correspondence with, among others, J.C. Adams, W.C. Armstrong, J.B. Biot, G. Bishop, Mr Bloxam, A. Caswell, J. Challis, J. Cockle, A. d'Abbadie, W. Dension, A.A. De La Rive, W. De La Rue, A. de Morgan, R.L.J. Ellery, J.D. Everett, W. Fairbairn, J.D. Forbes, J.G. Forchhammer, A. Gautier, J.M. Gillis, B.A. Gould, R. Grant, J.F.W. Herschel, J.R. Hind, J. Lee, G.B.I.T. Libri, J.T. Littrow, E. Loomis, R. Main, W.H. Miller, O.M. Mitchel, F.N.M. Moigno, R. Murchison, G.E....

Scope and Contents

Drawings of the Sun for 4 October 1851 - 10 April 1860, showing sunspots, with positions of axis and equator, and usually also the Earth's longitude and position of ecliptic. The drawings of 1860 are delineated 'with a view to detecting Lescarbault's planet', with a note that nothing unusual was visible on the Sun's disc on 2 April 1860. There is a letter at the beginning from Airy to Robert Main, 29 January 1852, on procedure for observations.

Scope and Contents 14. 'The General Catalogue and General History of Double Stars' (continued).14/2. 'General History of Double Stars', a series of individual 'synoptical histories' of double stars on printed forms, arranged by right ascension (continued from RGO 35/171/10).14/3. 'MS Notes and Memoranda for General History of Double Stars', including a letter to Herschel from G.B. Airy, 25 July 1840; an invitation from J. Lee to visit Hartwell House; a letter to Herschel from R. Main, 28...

Scope and Contents Papers regarding T.G. Taylor.Papers regarding C. Mason, 1851.Letters concerning the lack of the Minutes of the Board of Visitors at the Royal Society, 1852.Statement by J. Henry on the salubrity of the air at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 1852.Letter from Airy to R. Main, 1852, requesting copies of the letters he wrote to Main from Keswick in 1835.Instructions in reference to J. Glaisher's proposed superintendence of external meteorological...

Scope and Contents Note on the history of Hardy's Clock, with a few words from J. Henry, 1854.Extract from 'Notes and Queries' about the publication of John Flamsteed's 'Historia Coelestis', 1856, and a letter to Airy regarding Flamsteed's works.List of assistants of Dr Nevil Maskelyne, sent to U.J.J. Le Verrier, 1858.Correspondence with Dr P.M. Roget, 1859, concerning the missing Minutes of the Board of Visitors preceding 1830.Extracts from 'Notes and Queries', 1860, relating...

Scope and Contents Correspondence and papers regarding meteorology and meteorological instruments. The correspondents include R. Fitzroy, T.J. Main, M. Faraday, G. Fisher, C.V. Walker, A.S. Herschel, Lord Wrottesley, W.H. Sykes, J.V. Lamont, U.J.J. Le Verrier, J.F.W. Herschel, F. Galton, W.H. Miller, H. James, W. Farr, J.D. Forbes and N. Beardmore. The volume includes an extract from 'The Standard', 24 March 1865, on an 'Extraordinary Meteoric Arch'; printed circulars concerning the observation of meteors; a...

Scope and Contents Correspondence of G.B. Airy (including many copy letters) and related papers concerning planets, including circulars, ephemerides, observations, announcements of discoveries, discussion of names and requests for information. The papers are in English unless otherwise indicated. They are divided into seven sections, comprised of the following items:Fo. 1r: List of contents.Fo. 2: Blank.Fo. 3r: Short note regarding the binding of the papers.Section 1: Papers...

Scope and Contents Papers and correspondence with various individuals concerning pure mathematics, 1880-1890, including J.C. Adams on the resolutions of the function xn + 1/xn - 2 na into factors; E. Lowey on tables of sines; R. Lehfeldt on geometrical bisection; J. Nye on the trisection of an angle of 60°; a note by Sir George Airy on a model showing the relation between a prism and a pyramid; R. Main on the trisection of a plane acute angle; a paper on the use of arithmometers in public offices; W. Hayden on...

Scope and Contents Correspondence between Sir George Airy and the Admiralty on the difficulty of obtaining a sufficient number of suitable applicants for the post of Second Class Assistant to the Astronomer Royal, 1880. The correspondence covers discussion of the postponement of the examination of applicants, the suitability of the existing examination requirements, and the possibility of revising them. The correspondents are Sir George Airy, S. Butler, W.H.M. Christie, A. Fowler, R. Hall, E. Headlam, M....

Scope and Contents Letters concerning Airy's proposal to reduce the number of impressions of the Greenwich Observations, 1868.Letters relating to the Visitation of the Royal Observatory by the Board of Visitors, 6 June 1868.Preparatory notes for the report of 8 June 1868, including some calculations.Report of the Astronomer Royal to the Board of Visitors, 6 June 1868.Preparatory notes for the report of 5 June 1869, including some calculations.Report of the Astronomer...

Scope and Contents Correspondence, 1877, concerning the Minutes of the Board of Visitors, 1875-1877.Correspondence concerning the preparations for Visitations, 1876 and 1877; the increase in the number of separate copies of the 'Numerical Lunar Theory' printed; and the official papers on the Visitation of 1 June 1878.Correspondence with Dr Hooker, Chairman of the Board of Visitors, 1877, on the recommendations made at the meetings of 1876 and 1877.Correspondence concerning the...