tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42056174847672150272024-02-23T07:43:07.024+00:00Cosmic Diary: Greenwich 1894Joining the 2009 International Year of Astronomy's <a href="http://www.cosmicdiary.org/">Cosmic Diary</a> project, this blog transcribes 19th-century working journals kept by the Astronomer Royal and Chief Assistant of the <a href="http://www.rog.nmm.ac.uk/">Royal Observatory in Greenwich</a>. Transcription and comments are provided by a 21st-century curator working on the same site.Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.comBlogger202125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-82210556668353540332010-01-01T17:40:00.004+00:002010-01-01T17:59:23.688+00:00Monday December 31, 1894<span style="color:#666666;"></span><br /><div><a href="http://www.phys-astro.sonoma.edu/brucemedalists/Turner/" target="blank">Prof. Turner</a> here. Talked over with him question of measurement of astrographic plates, also publication of <acronym title="William Grassett Thackeray, first class assistant in charge of miscellaneous astronomical computations and meridian zenith-distance reductions."><u>M<sup>r</sup> Thackeray's</u></acronym> paper on <acronym title="Right Ascensions, i.e. one of the two co-ordinates used to plot the positions of celestial objects."><u>R.A.'s</u></acronym> of Polaris in Memoirs R.A.S. <br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal<br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... It's nice to see Turner, the Royal Observatory's Chief Assistant at the start of 1894, put in an appearance on the last day of the year - because, of course, this is the last post for this blog as we say bye-bye to IYA 2009. I hope those of you who have been following it have enjoyed these glimpses into the past of the ROG. It's been interesting and useful for me, at least. My energies are now being diverted into the Cambridge/NMM <a href="http://www.nmm.ac.uk/researchers/research-areas-and-projects/board-of-longitude/" target="blank">Longitude Project</a>: look out for a new blog there starting later in the year. And please note, Sobel enthusiasts, Longitude means more than Harrison!</span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">Happy new year - 1895 and 2010!</span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421831859309349554" border="0" alt="D7130 A detail from Hogarth's Rake's Progress (Plate 8), showing Longitude lunatics in Bedlam. Copyright NMM." src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjje8NzMhc_sd_FJnLVvqJIoWR-1n0MDeNyY-bBxu13SGGTAXYyPXXkaaz7pv1O01CnQTV01COmF4SBS8b3miGEO8Dw4lj-k8DW0GV3P_hnvMRwjmJs8prEalIH9fafZa0SIZX49d9P2MI/s400/D7130_crop.jpg" /></span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"></div></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-67077519790178757382010-01-01T17:34:00.003+00:002010-01-01T17:40:30.018+00:00Saturday December 28, 1894<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcweeu7idt1GXLQuBPd-zGjPGuRJi-qiWuxa5a1gJoIOp5mByyPv13fq9FiCZE7YMixGu79Qez93viM4jueOnBCNFHYkMaHIloVyiHy2LiPaEmHcDHKQSAaWUH7Fy485XKe-VTayNcuZY/s1600-h/Thompson+26-inch+and+photoheliograph+-+my+scan.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 246px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421827336080039426" border="0" alt="The Thompson 26-inch Photo-equatorial with photoheliograph mounted, in dome of the Physical Observatory, copyright NMM." src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcweeu7idt1GXLQuBPd-zGjPGuRJi-qiWuxa5a1gJoIOp5mByyPv13fq9FiCZE7YMixGu79Qez93viM4jueOnBCNFHYkMaHIloVyiHy2LiPaEmHcDHKQSAaWUH7Fy485XKe-VTayNcuZY/s320/Thompson+26-inch+and+photoheliograph+-+my+scan.jpg" /></a><br /><div><div>Discussed with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Grubb" target="blank">Sir H. Grubb</a>'s draughtsman arrangements for new shutter to <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2008/12/astrographic-dome.html" target="blank">Astrographic Dome</a>, new <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2009/02/altazimuth-pavilion.html" target="blank">Altaz. Dome</a> & base of <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2009/01/sir-henry-thompson.html" target="blank">26in Photo-Telescope</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div></div></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-10015749514351741972010-01-01T17:28:00.003+00:002010-01-01T17:34:15.630+00:00Friday December 28, 1894Returned to the Observatory in the afternoon and saw <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Grubb" target="blank">Sir H. Grubb</a>'s draughtsman about shutter of <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2008/12/astrographic-dome.html" target="blank">Astrographic Dome</a>, blown off in gale of Dec. 22. Gave M<sup>r</sup> Jordan Super<sup>t</sup> of the Park two <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06KKeIc9Pq8tLCBSgyyzdQinFw4CVe2YGydYpNMsdtKwBSlHcbZKp9hQiQyAhyYjcrKFPjfZjY4s_wlktlEn-sSOHCADUyASpwHHAW9r1TeCENYDBeKHI64NkRfiWI8wM1JDpwH5lmWk/s1600-h/Plan+c.1900.jpg" target="blank">litho' plans</a> of Obs<sup>y</sup> showing new <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-physical-observatory.html" target="blank">Physical Obs<sup>y</sup></a>.<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-68746302767007654732009-12-23T15:32:00.006+00:002009-12-23T16:23:09.599+00:00Saturday December 22, 1894<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtpJZKPMg9ZOzsJmJmb_4KVnjGjot-5CVUwmDYYE9d7chl7X6gbe7-ixLmWSJa-J0aKcxap3gpN-JUSVnmS1Lz_Q2VjERhS0fMyBGQievBJtkdfrrUcXlmqikg80f1KFwYVyQWMoA7H8/s1600-h/Pg.154-Broken_Dome_Section.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 283px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418466818480265778" border="0" alt="The broken Astrographic Dome in the courtyard of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. RGO 7/29 Chief Assistant's Journal, reproduced by kind permission of the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Syndics of Cambridge University Library." src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtpJZKPMg9ZOzsJmJmb_4KVnjGjot-5CVUwmDYYE9d7chl7X6gbe7-ixLmWSJa-J0aKcxap3gpN-JUSVnmS1Lz_Q2VjERhS0fMyBGQievBJtkdfrrUcXlmqikg80f1KFwYVyQWMoA7H8/s400/Pg.154-Broken_Dome_Section.jpg" /></a><br /><div>The shutter of the <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2008/12/astrographic-dome.html" target="blank">Astrographic Dome</a> was blown off into the court at 11<sup>h</sup> 32<sup>m</sup>/ The wind was blowing 50 miles per hr, the pressure was 30 lbs per sq. ft. The head-piece of the dome fell inside, just missing <acronym title="Charles Rundle Davidson (1875-1970), at this date a Computer at the Observatory."><u>M<sup>r</sup> Davidson</u></acronym>, who was printing <acronym title="A net of fine lines or fibers in the eyepiece of a sighting device."><u>reticles</u></acronym>. The falling shutter struck the roof of the <acronym title="Transit Circle, in this case the instrument designed by George Airy and installed in 1850."><u>T.C.</u></acronym> room breaking a few tiles and coping of the N.W. of the roof. It then fell on to the porch leading into the T.C. room, breaking one pane; it bent the corrugated iron covering in the front court & fell into the court. <acronym title="Gordon E. Niblett, a skilled mechanic and permanent and long-term member of the Observatory's staff."><u>Niblett</u></acronym> & <acronym title="W.V. Woodman, Foreman of Works from 1892 to 1935."><u>Woodman</u></acronym> at once covered the instrument with light tarpaulin, while Simmons procured some heavy tarpaulin from Mess<sup>rs</sup> Mowlem & Co. Six of their men, who were engaged on the building of the <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2009/02/altazimuth-pavilion.html" target="blank">New Altazimuth</a> with Cross & Barnard firmly lashed this over the opening.<br /><div><br /><div align="right">Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant</div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... Oh dear, disaster strikes again just as Christie has left for his holidays. What is great about this is that not only do we have a photograph recording the incident, but that Dyson tells us that the falling piece of shutter nearly hit Davidson, one of the Observatory's human computers. It's just as well that it missed as this is the very same <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/769705" target="blank">Davidson</a> who went on to become an Assistant and to head the famous eclipse expedition to <a href="http://www.nmm.ac.uk/explore/astronomy-and-time/astronomy-facts/history/eclipses-and-greenwich#sobral" target="blank">Sobral in 1919</a> at the same time as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Stanley_Eddington" target="blank">Arthur Eddington</a> was in Principe, in an attempt to provide observational proof of Einstein's theory of relativity. Eddington, who had been a vocal supporter of Einstein, and Dyson, who had suggested the idea and organised the whole, generally get the credit for this work, but it was the photographs taken in Sobral under Davidson that provided the usable data. Davidson, Eddington and Dyson were co-authors of the 1920 paper on their results.</span></div></div></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-33466116301685102292009-12-22T11:16:00.004+00:002009-12-22T11:45:49.206+00:00Friday December 21, 1894Went to Wightwick, Wolverhampton for Xmas.<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... Merry Christmas Will! I'm not sure what the Wolverhampton connection was, although Wikipedia describes it as "an extremely pleasant part of the more traditionally affluent western side of Wolverhampton". Wightwick is known for both <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wightwick_Manor">Wightwick Manor</a>, built 1887 and extended 1893, and Wightwick Hall. The former was owned by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mander_family">Mander family</a>, central to the industrial and business expansion of Wolverhampton. I can't find any obvious link between Christie and Theodore Mander (1853–1900), or his cousin Sir Charles Tertius Mander (1852-1929), who would seem to be his nearest contemporaries. </span></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-44002903923275966882009-12-21T10:26:00.005+00:002009-12-21T10:42:09.556+00:00Wednesday December 19, 1894<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixf5RHkLb19ekjJOh7rk45OB7JZqlGf18k4xFCRjimb5RZVAF68txDArh7qVXRK4ooHDaL1Td9QPGj_36OgbV1TD-XCfWdsBicwi4sk6OaFCyFqFTF72eS2KNPqKN_7Zr4bTUNZMM71Es/s1600-h/F6911-029.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417636209019912114" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixf5RHkLb19ekjJOh7rk45OB7JZqlGf18k4xFCRjimb5RZVAF68txDArh7qVXRK4ooHDaL1Td9QPGj_36OgbV1TD-XCfWdsBicwi4sk6OaFCyFqFTF72eS2KNPqKN_7Zr4bTUNZMM71Es/s320/F6911-029.jpg" border="0" /></a><acronym title="William Crisp, a civil engineer in the Admiralty's Department of Works and the main architect of the new buildings of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich."><u>M<sup>r</sup> Crisp</u> called to discuss new <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2009/02/altazimuth-pavilion.html" target="blank">Altaz dome</a> </acronym><br /><br /><div align="right"><acronym title="William Crisp, a civil engineer in the Admiralty's Department of Works and the main architect of the new buildings of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich."></acronym></div><br /><br /><div align="right"><acronym title="William Crisp, a civil engineer in the Admiralty's Department of Works and the main architect of the new buildings of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</acronym></div><div align="left"><acronym title="William Crisp, a civil engineer in the Admiralty's Department of Works and the main architect of the new buildings of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich."><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></acronym></div><div align="left"><acronym title="William Crisp, a civil engineer in the Admiralty's Department of Works and the main architect of the new buildings of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich."><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></acronym></div><div align="left"><acronym title="William Crisp, a civil engineer in the Admiralty's Department of Works and the main architect of the new buildings of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich."><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></acronym></div><div align="left"><acronym title="William Crisp, a civil engineer in the Admiralty's Department of Works and the main architect of the new buildings of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich."><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... This image shows the dome of the Altazimuth Pavilion today, although it no longer contains Christie's altazimuth telescope, the Universal Transit Circle. The building wasn't completed until 1899 and the weathervane was only put up in 1901. It shows Halley's Comet as depicated in the Bayeux Tapestry, in rememberance of Edmond Halley, the second astronomer royal, and in anticipation of the 1909/10 return of the comet.</span></div></acronym>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-84736163424693016572009-12-16T10:05:00.004+00:002009-12-16T10:34:56.024+00:00Saturday December 15, 1894<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06KKeIc9Pq8tLCBSgyyzdQinFw4CVe2YGydYpNMsdtKwBSlHcbZKp9hQiQyAhyYjcrKFPjfZjY4s_wlktlEn-sSOHCADUyASpwHHAW9r1TeCENYDBeKHI64NkRfiWI8wM1JDpwH5lmWk/s1600-h/Plan+c.1900.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415777314056131634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 196px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="Plan of the Observatory in the Present Day, in E. Walter Maunder, 'The Royal Observatory, Greenwich: a Glance at its History and Work' (1900), based on ADmiralty lithographic plan." src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06KKeIc9Pq8tLCBSgyyzdQinFw4CVe2YGydYpNMsdtKwBSlHcbZKp9hQiQyAhyYjcrKFPjfZjY4s_wlktlEn-sSOHCADUyASpwHHAW9r1TeCENYDBeKHI64NkRfiWI8wM1JDpwH5lmWk/s320/Plan+c.1900.jpg" border="0" /></a>M<sup>r</sup> Jordan Super<sup>t</sup> of Greenwich Park came down about proposed modification to <acronym title="The Royal Observatory, Greenwich."><u>R.O.</u></acronym> Boundary. Gave him a litho. plan of R.O. showing modifications proposed including enclosure for Magnetic Pavilion E. side of Blackheath Avenue.<br /><div></div><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... Liographic plans of the Observatory's site seem to have been produced from time to time, on behalf of the Admiralty's Department of Works. The proposed new enclosure is what became the Christie Enclosure, about 320 meters east of Flamsteed House, which was initially home to the Magnet Pavillion but in the 1930s had buildings containing the reversible transit circle, Cookson zenith telescope and Yapp 36-inch telescope.</span></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-14312133226055930192009-12-15T10:54:00.006+00:002009-12-15T11:22:15.677+00:00Friday December 14, 1894<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQ0Iy82_8OtS0G-6oYzyWNA2GmfbJI-6mx25uf73f-z_-VVV7h8RakRkSeZmqt8NjPPfzoicE_SpdFNJTxpdp8beMlODb8L_kqrPHx-93HYoxeQSf7TALpZCp1g_S4CdOUP-1cQ-vDOE/s1600-h/L1150-015+Typical+sunspot+(Langley)+c.+1880s.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415418526166188962" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 230px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="L1150-015 Lantern Slide, showing the form of a 'typical sunspot' by Langley, c.1880s © NMM" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQ0Iy82_8OtS0G-6oYzyWNA2GmfbJI-6mx25uf73f-z_-VVV7h8RakRkSeZmqt8NjPPfzoicE_SpdFNJTxpdp8beMlODb8L_kqrPHx-93HYoxeQSf7TALpZCp1g_S4CdOUP-1cQ-vDOE/s320/L1150-015+Typical+sunspot+(Langley)+c.+1880s.jpg" border="0" /></a><acronym title="Royal Astronomical Society"><u>R.A.S.</acronym></u> meeting. Eclipse Com<sup>ee</sup> 2.30, Photo. Com<sup>ee</sup> 3.15, <a href="http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?1895Obs....18...35.&data_type=PDF_HIGH&whole_paper=YES&type=PRINTER&filetype=.pdf" target="blank">Council</a> 4-6.15.<br /><acronym title="">M<sup>r</sup> Crisp</u></acronym> came down to arrange about roof & dome of <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2009/02/altazimuth-pavilion.html" target="blank">Altaz. building</a>.<br /><br /><div><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal </div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... The <a href="http://www.ras.org.uk/" target="blank">RAS</a> council meeting included a contribution by <a href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1909MNRAS..69..247." target="blank">Frederick Howlett</a>, a rector and astronomer dedicated to the study of sunspots. This caught my eye as I have recently been looking at the history of solar observation for a display called 'Solar Story' opening at the <a href="http://www.nmm.ac.uk/places/royal-observatory/" target="blank">ROG</a> in January. This will coincide with a new <a href="http://www.nmm.ac.uk/places/royal-observatory/planetarium/" target="blank">planetarium</a> show, <em>Secrets of the Sun</em>, and the ROG's contribution to a citizen science project working with the data of the <a href="http://stereo.jhuapl.edu/" target="blank">STEREO</a> mission. It is a good opportunity to highlight the work of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Walter_Maunder" target="blank">Maunder</a> and the observatory's magnetic department.</div></span></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-63770072165721014692009-12-14T11:19:00.001+00:002009-12-14T11:21:17.448+00:00Wednesday December 11, 1894<acronym title="William Crisp a civil engineer based at the Admiralty's Department of Works, chief architect of the new buildings at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich."><u>M<sup>r</sup> Crisp</u></acronym> came down to discuss <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-physical-observatory.html" target="blank">new buildings</a>.<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-34311798614636888582009-12-09T09:45:00.002+00:002009-12-09T10:07:24.934+00:00Monday December 9, 1894Went to <a href="http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~ipswich/History/Troughton_and_Simms.htm" target="blank">Troughton & Simms</a> about <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2008/12/astrographic-dome.html" target="blank">Astrographic</a> micrometer, Pos<sup>n</sup> <acronym title="Micrometer: a device for measuring small angles."><u>mic.</u></acronym> of <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2009/01/28-inch-telescope.html" target="blank">28in telescope</a>, new <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2009/02/altazimuth-pavilion.html" target="blank">Altazimuth</a> &c. <acronym title="Probably William Simms (1817-1907).">M<sup>r</sup> Simms</u></acronym> gave me a specimen of Mantics’[?] ordinary dense <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint_glass" target="blank">flint</a> (very transparent) for new photo-spectroscope.<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-71086571650813165742009-12-05T14:15:00.006+00:002009-12-05T14:47:55.792+00:00Friday November 30, 1894<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsD96v03XMwFICupD5P1fsCNcxJo0DAk9JGst2JePVzIqnRAONGNMLeESDHIMqDN_JdS9DYDhhLS_ki9R5V-UbqJtKShoyAqqw9WzlQm3qIHxwnvoxjOTDyAUglMknIqYvUV0Bvg3aGo/s1600-h/FH+from+west.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411763086817407986" border="0" alt="Flamseted House, Royal Observatory, Greenwich, from the west after 1910 © NMM" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsD96v03XMwFICupD5P1fsCNcxJo0DAk9JGst2JePVzIqnRAONGNMLeESDHIMqDN_JdS9DYDhhLS_ki9R5V-UbqJtKShoyAqqw9WzlQm3qIHxwnvoxjOTDyAUglMknIqYvUV0Bvg3aGo/s320/FH+from+west.jpg" /></a>Col. Wheatley (Bailiff of Parks) called with M<sup>r</sup> Jordan (Super<sup>t</sup> Greenwich Park) with reference to improvement of west boundary of Obs<sup>y</sup> from point of view of Park. He proposed to access[?] portion of garden between existing fence & west wall of Lawn & west side of garden house. I told him that questions of modification of boundary should be considered as a whole & explained to him the modification I should propose round <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-physical-observatory.html" target="blank">Physical Obs<sup>y</sup></a> and on east side. It was understood that he would raise the question of the alteration of west fence.<br /><br /><a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2009/01/sir-henry-thompson.html" target="blank">Sir H. Thompson</a> dined with me at <acronym title="Royal Society of London"><u>R.S.</u></acronym> anniversary dinner.<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span><br /></div><div align="left"></div><br />D<sup>r</sup> Dyson made an observation of the Sun’s Transit across two plumb lines to determine the Meridian line of the <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2009/02/altazimuth-pavilion.html" target="blank">New Altazimuth</a>. The result agreed closely with the line obtained by <acronym title="William Carpenter Nash, head of magnetic and meteorological department."><u>M<sup>r</sup> Nash</sup></acronym></u> by Magnetic Observations. The two plumb lines were 37<sup>ft</sup> apart. The Centre of the Sun & the second limb crossed the line 5<sup><u>s</u></sup> too soon: giving an error of 2<sup>s</sup>. M<sup>r</sup> Nash’s line was compared with <acronym title="George Lyon Tupman (1838-1922), a naval officer, amateur astronomer and Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, who had been in charge of the Royal Observatory's 1874 transit of Venus expedition to the Sandwich Islands."><u>Col: Tupman’s</u></acronym> & agreed well.<br /><br /><div align="right">Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant</div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*]</span><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... Christie's plans for the Physical Observatory had always required that a small parcel of land from the Royal Park be brought within the Royal Observatory's boundary. His tagging of this issue onto the question of improving the western boundary around Flamsteed House is decidedly sneaky.</span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">30 November, St Andrew's Day, is the anniversary of the Royal Society's foundation in 1660: 2010 (or technically 1 December 2009 to 30 November 2010) will be a celebration of the Society's <a href="http://royalsociety.org/seefurther/" target="blank">350th anniversary</a>.</span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><span style="color:#666666;">Lieutenant Colonel Tupman, mentioned by Dyson, had had a connection with the Royal Observatory in 1874, having organised one of the <a href="http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConGalleryCollection.15/chapterId/81/The-transit-of-Venus.html" target="blank">transit of Venus</a> observing expeditions, but <a href="http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0180%2FRGO%2059" target="blank">archives</a> from the Observatory in Cambridge show that he continued observing at Hillfoot Observatory in Harrow.</span><br /><br /><br /><u></u>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-71026024489339474952009-12-04T10:05:00.005+00:002009-12-04T10:18:03.564+00:00Thursday November 29, 1894Meeting of Ratcliffe Trustees[?] at 9 a.m.<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*]</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">]</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... This entry is rather illegible, but my reading suggests that this relates to a meeting of the managers of the Oxford <a href="http://www.gtc.ox.ac.uk/about-gtc/history-and-architecture/the-radcliffe-observatory.html" target="blank">Radcliffe Observatory</a>.</span></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-10999500798066533942009-12-04T09:55:00.002+00:002009-12-04T10:04:53.393+00:00Wednesday November 28, 1894Meeting of Blue Coat Trustees at 5.30<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">]*</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... The Blue Coat charity was founded to provide schooling to poor children, who would wear the eponymous blue coats to school. The meeting that Christie attended probably related to the Greenwich Blue Coat School, now incorporated into the <a href="http://www.bluecoathistory.co.uk/" target="blank">Blackheath Bluecoat School</a>.</span></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-35421725799486092902009-11-26T13:11:00.003+00:002009-11-26T13:14:38.127+00:00Monday November 26, 1894<acronym title="William Crisp, a civil engineer from the Admiralty's Department of Works, and architect of the new buildings at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich."><u>M<sup>r</sup> Crisp</u></acronym> came down & discussed various questions about the <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-physical-observatory.html" target="blank">new buildings</a>.<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-2519401139189310282009-11-22T12:17:00.004+00:002009-11-22T12:27:07.097+00:00Tuesday November 20, 1894<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFT6JDusoQhn2M5J-M0zS522VzAR3ara23xV1ZG3Qt1e-KJWcUT82NR1xERWWa7w_8H6RkdPACgmx6cuiJMeAK0Mr8KW7Zr0I4SdZJNnAuMsPkX22-CJh5UO-2tZTsN9AfSptXKnlOPKQ/s1600/Airy's+altazimuth.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 311px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406902292979050546" border="0" alt="ALtazimuth, designed by George Airy, from Leisure Hour 1898." src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFT6JDusoQhn2M5J-M0zS522VzAR3ara23xV1ZG3Qt1e-KJWcUT82NR1xERWWa7w_8H6RkdPACgmx6cuiJMeAK0Mr8KW7Zr0I4SdZJNnAuMsPkX22-CJh5UO-2tZTsN9AfSptXKnlOPKQ/s320/Airy's+altazimuth.jpg" /></a>Three wires of <acronym title="The altazimuth telescope designed by George Airy, former Astronomer Royal, now in the Science Museum, London."><u>Altazimuth</u></acronym> reported broken by <acronym title="Walter William Bryant, second-class assistant responsible for transit-reductions and time-determinations."><u>M<sup>r</sup> Bryant</u></acronym>. The plate holding them was sent to Mess<sup>rs</sup> <a href="http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~ipswich/History/Troughton_and_Simms.htm" target="blank">Troughton & Simms</a>.<br /><br />The position wires of the <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2009/01/28-inch-telescope.html" target="blank">28<sup>in</sup></a> Micrometer reported broken, by <acronym title="Thomas Lewis, first-class assistant responsible for time-signals and chronometer."><u>M<sup>r</sup> Lewis</u></acronym>. <acronym title="Gordon E Niblett, a skilled mechanic and permanent member of the Observatory staff."><u>M<sup>r</sup> Niblett</u></acronym> told to repair them.<br /><br /><br /><div align="right">Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant</div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-50928265423023466552009-11-22T12:15:00.001+00:002009-11-22T12:17:23.660+00:00Monday November 19, 1894Meeting of Sub Com<sup>ee</sup> for Photographic Exhib<sup>n</sup> at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Institute" target="blank">Imperial Institute</a> 3.30.<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-16230310623161325632009-11-22T12:12:00.001+00:002009-11-22T12:15:18.113+00:00Sunday November 18, 1894A gentleman named M<sup>r</sup> Holmes fell down in a fit just outside the Observatory at 10 [o]’clock. He was carried into the Chief Assistant’s room, and attended to by his wife & sister. As the Astronomer Royal was away, M<sup>r</sup> Dyson obtained what help he could from the Astronomer Royal’s house. M<sup>r</sup> Johns was sent for D<sup>r</sup> <span style="color:#ffffff;">_______</span>who stayed with the man till be could be moved at 3 o’clock.<br /><br /><div align="right">Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant</div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-39343337782061497012009-11-18T14:55:00.000+00:002009-11-18T14:56:56.397+00:00Friday November 16, 1894Went to Sandwich in the evening returning Monday morning Nov 19<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-67337343465776135032009-11-18T12:05:00.004+00:002009-11-18T12:27:27.173+00:00Thursday November 15, 1894<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHJ1HI3-hFVe-9GqDAKfqP4s6udOlplye_KLwdBECjvgjrmsUvsBuPRJ1-wciFaosiCEcKdd5G9vHoqSrhzrDlubGob5eScZUgRQJebBDEoCSHLQuItiXS3JT617Yh9iBvCgOpum4FfM/s1600/South+ground,+c.1895.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405417544419958370" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 322px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHJ1HI3-hFVe-9GqDAKfqP4s6udOlplye_KLwdBECjvgjrmsUvsBuPRJ1-wciFaosiCEcKdd5G9vHoqSrhzrDlubGob5eScZUgRQJebBDEoCSHLQuItiXS3JT617Yh9iBvCgOpum4FfM/s400/South+ground,+c.1895.jpg" border="0" /></a><acronym title="William Doberck (1852-1941), first director of Hong Kong Observatory."><u>D<sup>r</sup> Doberck</u></acronym> here computing some old comet obs<sup>ns</sup> in library.<br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span><br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*]</span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... This was the Dr Doberck who had called on <a href="http://cosmicdiary1894.blogspot.com/2009/10/wednesday-october-3-1894.html" target="blank">3 October</a> to complain about his colleague in Hong Kong. He was best known as a double-star observer but this work on comets may have helped satisfy his frustrated desire to do research. He was, presumably, working in the 'New Library', designed at the end of George Airy's tenure as Astronomer Royal and completed under Christie. This photograph, taken before the <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-physical-observatory.html" target="blank">Physical Observatory</a> was completed and before work on the <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2009/02/altazimuth-pavilion.html" target="blank">Altazimuth Pavilion</a> started, shows the library on the right-hand side, with Flamsteed House and the dome of the 28-inch telescope in the background and</span><span style="color:#666666;"> the hut, offices and equipment of the Magnetic and Meteorological department and the top of the <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2009/01/lassell-dome-and-lassell-telescope.html" target="blank">Lassell Dome</a> in the foreground.</span></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-51966537678978665852009-11-13T20:57:00.001+00:002009-11-13T21:27:24.288+00:00Wednesday November 14, 1894Annual Meeting of Charity Organisation Soc<sup>y</sup> in Octagon Room at 4.30. About 70 present. Very wet day, keeping many people away.<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... This clearly demonstrates how the Octagon Room - Flamsteed's Great Star Chamber - was so often used in the 19th century. 70 people seems a fair amount to fit into this room (these days public talks there are limited to 50-60) so it must have been a real squeeze at an event like this on a fine day. I can certainly vouch for the fact that a wet day in Greenwich Park keeps a large proportion of potential visitors to the <a href="http://www.nmm.ac.uk/places/royal-observatory/">ROG</a> at home.</span></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-78061814357106056382009-11-09T14:51:00.004+00:002009-11-09T15:56:39.903+00:00Friday November 9, 1894<a href="http://www.ras.org.uk/" target="blank">R.A.S.</a> Com<sup>ee</sup> & Council meeting beginning at 2.<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;"></span> </div><div align="left">Mr Swasey called – Gas failed. Mr Simmonds turned it off in the Chronometer room.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="right">Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... The report of the RAS Council meeting can be found <a href="http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?1894Obs....17..379.&data_type=PDF_HIGH&whole_paper=YES&type=PRINTER&filetype=.pdf" target="blank">here</a>. The meeting included a paper by <a href="http://www.mikeoates.org/astro-history/sidgreaves.htm" target="blank">Rev W. Sidgreaves</a> on 'Solar Observations at Stonyhurst College Observatory', prompting a discussion on spectroscopic observations of sunspots and a long response from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Walter_Maunder" target="blank">E. Walter Maunder</a>, the head of the Royal Observatory's solar observation programme. There is also mention of <acronym title="First Class Assistant, in charge of time signals and chronometers."><u>Thomas Lewis's</u></acronym> observations of a binary star with the <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2009/01/28-inch-telescope.html" target="blank">28-inch telescope</a>. Responding to this, Maunder said that Lewis's observation was "a testimony to his skill and keenness of sight as a double-star observer; and it may also be regarded as satisfactory as showing the defining-power of the new refractor at Greenwich." In support of this point he added that on the previous Monday night he had observed Mars's satellites with it: "There was not the smallest difficulty in seeing and measuring" them.</span></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-9764696067426746342009-11-08T14:05:00.003+00:002009-11-08T14:12:53.016+00:00Thursday November 8, 1894<div>Meeting of Com<sup>ee</sup> of Advice for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Institute">Imperial Institute</a> <acronym title="Special Exposition of Photography Arts and Sciences, 1895."><u>Photographic Exhibition</u></acronym>.<br /><br /></div><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div><br /><div align="right"></div><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... I came across this image on the internet the other day: I'm not sure if this is how Christie travelled to Sandwich on his holidays, but it would certainly be handy for him.</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;"></span></div><br /><div align="left"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 248px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401735026146388690" border="0" alt="Sandwich train at Greenwich Station, c.1910." src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeExmAAqjw2I65WNFgfiSeZ8PDcEpvMwW22SLitxnZOZk7vF0-OAa6Q5D0CM7Kpm3iNFsI2o8jLk_kOOvRO4KS2YooOrQAIaRUa_1z_TF1dXWOGPgzuPuRCl4Kb8Db5HQIoH8Gljg6NQ0/s400/Sandwich+train+at+Greenwich.jpg" /></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-33287591901723420972009-11-05T09:44:00.005+00:002009-11-05T10:56:06.682+00:00Monday November 5, 1894<div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BDfSmjoF6ZL6pjoNbsh8IRRjTG6Q6vRx7Yyo6zQn_XvACrJX1mws212-BpJfuDe6VOlzXYm4OSWxn9k32ZgCEueUrHyJwXqvP3XEt3DHz8ARNHY7oziwEe0-Dfd9kWXt9gxHjOHatiE/s1600-h/H0632+Flamsteed+compressed.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400569001610881682" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 264px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="H0632 Ivory medallion of Flamsteed by Le Marchand, copyright National Maritime Museum." src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BDfSmjoF6ZL6pjoNbsh8IRRjTG6Q6vRx7Yyo6zQn_XvACrJX1mws212-BpJfuDe6VOlzXYm4OSWxn9k32ZgCEueUrHyJwXqvP3XEt3DHz8ARNHY7oziwEe0-Dfd9kWXt9gxHjOHatiE/s320/H0632+Flamsteed+compressed.jpg" border="0" /></a>Mr J. Raymond Smith Sculptor called to arrange about bust of Flamsteed for N. wing of <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-physical-observatory.html" target="blank">Physical Observatory </a>and took away ivory medallion & engraved portrait of Flamsteed on loan.<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div align="left">Rate of S.S. altered.<br />Reversion-Prism eyepiece, which had been broken sent to Mess<sup>rs</sup> <a href="http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~ipswich/History/Troughton_and_Simms.htm" target="blank">Troughton & Simms</a>.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="right">Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant</div><br /><br /><div align="right"></div><div align="left"><br /><br /> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... This image shows the medallion of Flamsteed that Christie sent the sculptor for reference, although the scultpure on the Physical Observatory probably owes more to the engraving, which can be see in <a href="http://cosmicdiary1894.blogspot.com/2009/03/sunday-march-4-1894.html" target="blank">this post</a>. The completed bust can still be seen above the entrance of the Observatory's South Building today.</span></div><br /><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;"></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXkudCUQ3zdrAmJXIdFJHty_oS43LGE-620x3xD5WodIc2GWpXG0F0nVs5c7MKzCRVxRxKF1SopqXZml5ekqXUmSsy9pEXqwJVBMs0KiuvelZo3SlPQMJvU0hKDCuiguGoKjG037xGR0U/s1600-h/P39986+detail.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400571449705773778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 298px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXkudCUQ3zdrAmJXIdFJHty_oS43LGE-620x3xD5WodIc2GWpXG0F0nVs5c7MKzCRVxRxKF1SopqXZml5ekqXUmSsy9pEXqwJVBMs0KiuvelZo3SlPQMJvU0hKDCuiguGoKjG037xGR0U/s400/P39986+detail.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div align="left"></div></div></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-53763969337071738242009-11-02T16:01:00.003+00:002009-11-02T16:09:15.026+00:00Wednesday October 31, 1894<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdflFq7bKYHSlvmBosIQR97fuSij5_ZnsxsDRixB19h3GtAJcnvQwzTG8AbCgzyOVdthDkaq_WAkyWCcjAKEp4LVUlx42Cyx4jC-IBWQJwsGqRwIiC0HCmoFZF3PHYmpGlfNtYb4PoPQ/s1600-h/442px-George_Darwin_sepia_tone.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399538230163971442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 148px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="George Darwin: astronomer, mathematician and son of Charles Darwin (1845-1912)" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLdflFq7bKYHSlvmBosIQR97fuSij5_ZnsxsDRixB19h3GtAJcnvQwzTG8AbCgzyOVdthDkaq_WAkyWCcjAKEp4LVUlx42Cyx4jC-IBWQJwsGqRwIiC0HCmoFZF3PHYmpGlfNtYb4PoPQ/s200/442px-George_Darwin_sepia_tone.jpg" border="0" /></a>Meeting of <acronym title="One of the Royal Society committees formed to prepare the International Catalogue of Scientific Literature."><u>Index Catalogue Com<sup>ee</sup> (Astronomy)</u></acronym>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Darwin" target="blank">Prof. G. H. Darwin</a> & I attended & we drew up a brief Report.<br /><br /><br /><div><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal</div></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4205617484767215027.post-31091733277651398142009-10-30T09:02:00.006+00:002009-10-30T09:17:48.895+00:00Tuesday October 30, 1894Discussed with M<sup>r</sup> Skinner (from Mess<sup>rs</sup> <a href="http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~ipswich/History/Troughton_and_Simms.htm" target="blank">Troughton & Simms)</a> plans for new <a href="http://rog1894notes.blogspot.com/2008/12/astrographic-dome.html" target="blank">Astrographic</a> micrometer and for Photographic spectroscope.<br /><br /><div align="right">William Christie, Astronomer Royal<br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><br /><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span><br /></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;">RH says..... On another topic, Graham Dolan has kindly send me an image of the Great Equatorial Building's balcony under construction - see entry for <a href="http://cosmicdiary1894.blogspot.com/2009/10/friday-october-19-1894.html" target="blank">19 October</a>. He tells me that this picture can be dated to the summer of 1898, so it seems that it took some time to do the work. It is always interesting to see in these old images that, although the Observatory was closed to the public, it was still a sight for visitors to Greenwich Park - even if they were chiefly there for the view down to the river that the people on the benches at the right of the picture are enjoying.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffff;">*</span></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#666666;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398317499478066066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="The balcony of the Great Equatorial Building of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, under construction, 1898, copyright Graham Dolan." src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbS9gxm5DbR7GJ5JEKa2ZN7Zyu-hec0sby87X6qdhySBXF4ww99K2g8YR_mqRT2h1MgdxuVA1tfDKgiMP-BUrSXiQv1keN4Z69EEN0j0nCcEfzUm5OdZFjCFnXwDQvjNHr3am8oop3m8/s400/GEB+balcony+PC0160GD_640.jpg" border="0" /></span></div>Rebekah Higgitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16872915215008730635noreply@blogger.com0