Scope and Contents

Personal and business cards of visitors to the Royal Observatory, including M.F. Maury, C.H.F. Peters, W.H. Smyth, H.C.G. Rümker, C. Pritchard, L.A. Quetelet, G.B. Donati, C.E. Delaunay, R.W. Bunsen, E.J. Stone, G.P. Bond, F. Galton, C.F. Varley, G.H. Richards, J. Yates and C. Abbe. A large proportion of the cards belonged to foreign visitors.

Scope and Contents Correspondence on geodesy with related papers. The correspondents include H. James, W. De La Rue, C. Pritchard, B.A. Gould, O. Struve, F.A.T. Winnecke, C.F. Varley, W.G. Armstrong, J.T. Chance, W. Smyth, A.R. Clarke, R.L.J. Ellery, J.J.V. Littrow, A. d'Abbadie and C.V. Walker. There is material concerning experiments to find the Earth's density; a paper on a geological survey of Britain; drawings of two portable transit instruments and a zenith sector; departmental orders for a...

Scope and Contents Correspondence concerning improved instruments, new techniques and inventions, and a proposed planetarium and cometarium. The new inventions include improved sextants and sea horizons; a micrometer; a paper on finding Greenwich Time, complete with a drawing; achromatic eyepieces; an improved quadrant; drawings of eye pieces; a heliotrope; and an illuminating process for telescopes. The correspondents include Sir B. Donkin, Sir C. Wood, Sir H.G. Ward, Sir W. Denison, J. Challis, C.B....

Scope and Contents Correspondence and plans for new telescopes, new inventions and improved techniques. There are numerous plans for a new transit circle at Greenwich and arrangements for the zenith sector; a drawing of W. Lassell's polishing machine; J. Locke's paper on his electro-chronograph; O.M. Mitchel's new method of observing transits; the Earl of Rosse's reflecting telescope; a plan for an equatorial telescope; trials of Barlow's Telescope by W.H. Smyth; clock trials; a double image micrometer; and...

Scope and Contents Miscellaneous correspondence regarding the Royal Astronomical Society, concerning the medals for 1837, 1842, 1844, 1845 and 1847; Mr Baily's death; a memoir of Mr Baily by Sir John Herschel; the election of a President in 1845; the Anniversary Dinner of 1845; the appointment of assistant secretaries; the grant of the interest of the Lee Fund to Mrs Pond in 1837; a booklet of the Charter and byelaws, 1844; De Vico's maps; Madame Witte's model of the Moon; Bessel's researches on Uranus; and...

Scope and Contents Correspondence on the establishment of a 'Southern Telescope', including a resolution for establishing a large southern telescope; the foundation of the Southern Telescope Committee; printed correspondence with the Southern Telescope Committee, including drawings, mounting of the telescope and posts for observers; and letters from W. Cubitt, Sir W. Denison, T. Maclear, J. Nasmyth, the Earl of Rosse, E. Sabine, W.H. Smyth, C.P. Smyth (with his report for the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh) and...

Scope and Contents Correspondence regarding admissions to visit the Royal Observatory. The volume is divided broadly into requests from the Admiralty to visit the Royal Observatory, introductions on behalf of visitors, personal requests to visit the Observatory, and instructions to assistants to receive guests. The correspondents include C. Wood, F. Beaufort, J. Barrow, S.H. Herbert, H.T.C. Corry, H.G. Ward, R.S. Dundas, J.G. Children, C.W. Pasley, H.C. Schumacher, J.F. Encke, J.W. Lubbock, T. Henderson, W.R....

Scope and Contents Correspondence regarding admissions to visit the Royal Observatory. The volume is divided broadly into requests from the Admiralty to visit the Royal Observatory, introductions on behalf of visitors, personal requests to visit the Observatory, questionnaires for visitors, and instructions to assistants to receive visitors. The correspondents include J. Washington, J. Field, W.H. Sykes, J.W. Lubbock, B.A. Gould, J.C. Adams, J.R. Hind, J.E. Grey, J.A. Brown, J.D. Forbes, R. Fitzroy, J....

Scope and Contents General correspondence, letters J-Y, on proposals to reform or decimalise the standards of weights and measures. The correspondence takes the form of answers to questionnaires to respected parties and asks opinions on proposed improvements and on systems used abroad. There is also a pamphlet called 'The Mechanic and Chemist' and a poster on the 1845 law of weights and measures as applicable to Ireland. The correspondents include J.V. Lamont, the Earl of Liverpool, W.H. Miller, C.W. Pasley,...

Scope and Contents Correspondence with various scientific societies, with related papers. The papers include notices, agendas, minutes and proceedings for the British Association and the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society; H. Lloyd's presidential address to the British Association; reports on magnetism and meteorological observatories and the Kew Committee; R. Owen's address to the British Association; Airy's lecture and demonstrations on astronomy to the Bury St Edmunds Athenaeum, with a poster and...

Scope and Contents

Correspondence on the positions of stars, with their errors, new discoveries, comparisons of star places (i.e. with the Tabula Regiomontana) and the motion of variable stars. The correspondents include F. Baily, Sir F. Beaufort, J.F.W. Herschel, J. Glaisher, R. Sheepshanks, W.H. Smyth, T. Galloway, W.S. Stratford, J.R. Hind, W.R. Dawes, Sir G. Everest and W. Lassell. The papers also include various parts of star catalogues.

Scope and Contents Correspondence on the position and identity of stars; requests for star catalogues; parts of star catalogues, including Maskelyne's star ledgers, 1755-1816; and some computations. There are brief papers by R.C. Carrington on 20 circumpolar stars; works on variable stars by N.R. Pogson; drawings of the ring and dumb-bell nebulae by W. Lassell; and treatments of the Great Nebula in Orion by G.P. Bond and O. Struve. There is also a piece on variable stars from the 'Aberdeen Free Press' and a...

Scope and Contents Correspondence and papers on pure mathematics and other subjects, including A. de Morgan's thoughts on equations, area and probability; quadratic equations and the quadrature of a circle; J.W. Woollgar's use of the slide rule; J.D. Forbes on the probability of double stars, with an account in the 'Philosophical Magazine'; pendulum experiments by G.G. Stokes; Airy's report on sound navigation signals; a calculating machine; the properties of a circle; W.H. Smyth on the origin of the word...

Scope and Contents

Airy's miscellaneous personal correspondence for 1848, including requests for clocks and nautical almanacs and an extract from a book by J.F.W. Herschel called 'Outlines of Astronomy'. The correspondents include J.B. Biot, J.D. Forbes, W.R. Hamilton, J.F.W. Herschel, O.M. Mitchel, G.A.A. Plana, L.A. Quetelet, H.C. Schumacher, H. Lloyd, W.H. Smyth, F.G.W. Struve and J.R. Young.

Scope and Contents

Airy's miscellaneous correspondence with, among others, J.C. Adams, D.F.J. Arago, J.B. Biot, P.H.L. von Boguslowski, J. Challis, W. Cubitt, A. d'Abbadie, J.D. Forbes, J.S. Henslow, J.F.W. Herschel, M.J. Johnson, W. Lassell, U.J.J. Le Verrier, W.H. Miller, J.P. Nichol, G.A.A. Plana, J.C. Ross, the Earl of Rosse, H.C. Schumacher, G.G. Stokes, W.H. Smyth, C.P. Smyth, R. Sheepshanks, F.E.W.V. Struve and W. Whewell.

Scope and Contents Airy's miscellaneous correspondence with, among others, D.F.J. Arago, C. Babbage, G.P. Bond, J. Challis, A.R. Clarke, W. Cubitt, A. de Morgan, W. Denison, J.F. Encke, J.D. Forbes, J.G. Forchhammer, E. Gautier, B.A. Gould, P.A. Hansen, J.F.W. Herschel, G.B.I.T. Libri, G. Peacock, C. Pritchard, L.A. Quetelet, H.V. Regnault, the Earl of Rosse, G.S.G. Santini, H.C. Schumacher, P.A. Secchi, A. Sedgwick, R. Sheepshanks, W.H. Smyth, R. Stephenson, G.G. Stokes, W.S. Stratford, F.G.W. Struve, J....

Scope and Contents

Airy's miscellaneous correspondence with, among others, D.F.J. Arago, F. Beaufort, J. Challis, E.J. Cooper, W.R. Dawes, A. de Morgan, W. Denison, J.F. Encke, J.D. Forbes, R. Grant, J.F.W. Herschel, the Earl of Rosse, E. Sabine, A. Sedgwick, R. Sheepshanks, W.H. Smyth, R. Stephenson, W.S. Stratford, F.E.W.V. Struve, W. Whewell and Lord Wrottesley.

Scope and Contents Airy's personal correspondence on scientific and non-scientific matters with, among others, J.C. Adams, F. Beaufort, J.B. Biot, E.M. Brayley, R.C. Carrington, A. de Morgan, W. Denison, J.F. Encke, H.A.E.A. Fayé, J.D. Forbes, B.A. Gould, P.A. Hansen, J.F.W. Herschel, J.R. Hind, U.J.J. Le Verrier, J.S. Bowerbank, E. Loomis, O.M. Mitchel, R.I. Murchison, C.H.F. Peters, C. Pritchard, L.A. Quetelet, J. Richardson, G.S.G. Santini, P.A. Secchi, W.H. Smyth, C.P. Smyth, J. Sopwith, O. Struve, J....

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 Airy's miscellaneous personal correspondence on scientific and non-scientific topics, including a great number of obituaries and memoirs of fellow scientists. The correspondents include C. Abbe, J.C. Adams, A.V. Auwers, G.P. Bond, A. Caswell, W.H.M. Christie, A. d'Abbadie, A. de Morgan, W. De La Rue, H.A.E.A. Fay, J.D. Forbes, W.J. Foerster, J.G. Galle, B.A. Gould, W. Huggins, W.R. Hamilton, P.A. Hansen, A.S. Herschel, J.F.W. Herschel, J.R. Hind, A.W.V. Hofmann, U.J.J. Le Verrier, J.H.V....

Scope and Contents Airy's miscellaneous personal correspondence, discussing, among other matters, minor planets, the health of friends, the distribution of scientific papers, and the Great Northern steamship. There is also a paper on progressive educational studies, an anti-German lampoon, and a whimsical engraving of people flying near Greenwich, c. 1840. The correspondents include J.H.V. Madler, O.M. Mitchel, W.H. Miller, A.C. Peterson, G.A.A. Plana, L.A. Quetelet, J.T.R. Robinson, the Earl of Rosse, K.L.C....

Scope and Contents Airy's miscellaneous correspondence with, among others, F. Beaufort, J.B. Biot, G. Bishop, P.H.L. von Boguslowski, S.H. Christie, T.F. Colby, W. Cubitt, A. d'Abbadie, A. de Morgan, W. Denison, J.D. Forbes, C.L. Gerling, B.A. Gould, J.S. Henslow, J.F.W. Herschel, M.J. Johnson, P. Kelland, J. Lee, U.J.J. Le Verrier, Mr Manners, G. Peacock, C. Pritchard, L.A. Quetelet, the Earl of Rosse, E. Sabine, E.S.C. Santini, H.C. Schumacher, A. Sedgwick, R. Sheepshanks, W.H. Smyth, C.P. Smyth, R....

Scope and Contents Airy's miscellaneous correspondence, letters L-W. The correspondents include, among others, J. Lee, U.J.J. Le Verrier, T. Maclear, F. Maxwell, C. May, W.H. Miller, O.M. Mitchel, J.P. Nichol, G. Peacock, C.H.F. Peters, F. Petit, Mr Plarr, C. Pritchard, L.A. Quetelet, W. De La Rue, E. Sabine, G.S.G. Santini, P.A. Secchi, Miss Sheepshanks, W.H. Smyth, C.P. Smyth, F.G.W. Struve, J. Tyndall and W. Whewell. The papers include a printed circular on Madame Quetelet's death; circulars advertising...

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 Works of scientific and academic interest, including papers on ancient eclipses of 776, 770 and 763 BC, and the 1521 AD eclipse; a printed appendix by the Revd John Chalmers on the 'Astronomy of the Ancient Chinese'; the path of the Thales eclipse; ancient dates derived from solstices and full moons; dates associated with Christ; 'Astronomical observations in the 15th century before Christ', from 'The Chronicle'; a piece on the landing of Caesar, from 'The Doncaster Gazette'; Airy's papers...