Saturday December 22, 1894

The shutter of the Astrographic Dome was blown off into the court at 11^h 32^m/ 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 M^r Davidson, who was printing reticles. The falling shutter struck the roof of the T.C. 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. Niblett & Woodman at once covered the instrument with light tarpaulin, while Simmons procured some heavy tarpaulin from Mess^rs Mowlem & Co. Six of their men, who were engaged on the building of the New Altazimuth with Cross & Barnard firmly lashed this over the opening.

Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant

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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 Davidson who went on to become an Assistant and to head the famous eclipse expedition to Sobral in 1919 at the same time as Arthur Eddington 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.

Friday December 14, 1894

R.A.S. meeting. Eclipse Com^ee 2.30, Photo. Com^ee 3.15, Council 4-6.15.
M^r Crisp came down to arrange about roof & dome of Altaz. building.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... The RAS council meeting included a contribution by Frederick Howlett, 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 ROG in January. This will coincide with a new planetarium show, Secrets of the Sun, and the ROG's contribution to a citizen science project working with the data of the STEREO mission. It is a good opportunity to highlight the work of Maunder and the observatory's magnetic department.

Wednesday August 1, 1894

M^r Deslandres & Comte de la Baume Pluvinel came to see the Observatory and M. Deslandres showed some of his photographs of solar chromosphere (faculæ). M. Pluvinel left two positives of the Eclipse of 1893 at Joal.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... Deslandres and the Comte de la Baume Pluvinel were well-known figures in French astronomy, working on spectroscopy and photography. In previous decades it was felt that there was little place for these novelties in established national observatories such as Greenwich and Paris and alternative sites were set up, including the Solar Physics Observatory in South Kensington (1878) and Meudon Observatory outside Paris (1875). But it's clear that these were areas in which Christie hope to enhance the reputation of Greenwich, as his New Physical Observatory attests.

Sunday May 13 & Monday May 14, 1894

Whitsunday. M^r Common came in afternoon staying till Tuesday, discussing eclipse of 1896, stars photo’s, 28ⁱⁿ O.G., new altaz., dome & building &c. On Monday night examined 13ⁱⁿ Merz telescope on Moon & stars, also photo’s taken with 28ⁱⁿ O.G. We agreed that for the publication of the star map, it would be advisable to begin by having prints from transparencies, which could be purchased singly or by the dozen by any person applying for them, the prints being taken by a photographer at an agreed rate as required, and sold at a price to cover expenses.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... Andrew Common was an amateur astronomer with a particular interest in photography. He also designed his own innovative instruments and was experienced in making large telescope mirrors. Because of this he supurvised the making of the 30-inch mirror for the ROG's Thompson Photographic Reflector (mounted in 1896). He was an important member of the British scientific community and was a member of the Board of Visitors to the ROG.

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Common was not directly involved with the Carte du ciel mapping project, which Christie refers to here, but because of his innovations in photography had been invited to the original international conference and advised various participants.

Thursday May 10, 1894

M^r Hughes from Director of Stores Depart^t made out his list of Office furniture required for new building South Wing. M^r Simms Jun^r commenced mounting Simms & Cooke Equatorials & Water Telescope in South Wing Basement. Mr McGilicuddy[?] from Doching[?] & Son called about a mistake in no of copies of Astr. Results 1891, the 180 separate copies not having been struck off. I complained to him of the slow rate of printing. Settled [illegible] details of mounting of Spectroscope on 28 inch telescope. Went to meeting of R.S. (Papers on Eclipse of 1893 April 16) & to dinner of R.S. Club.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... E.Walter Maunder had this to say about the Water Telescope:

"An ingenious telescope was set up by Sir George Airy in order to ascertain if the speed of light were different when passing through water than when passing through air. Or, in other words, if the aberration of light would give the same value as at present if we observed through water. The water telescope, as it was called, is kept on the ground floor of the central octagon of the new observatory. The observations obtained with it were hardly quite satisfactory, but gave on the whole a negative result."

The Royal Society Club was a dining club, for the inner circles of the Royal Society. See Archibald Geikie's 1917 Annals of the Royal Society Club; the record of a London dining-club in the eighteenth & nineteenth centuries for background.

Friday May 4, 1894

Discussed with Prof. Turner arrangements for Eclipse expedition to Japan in 1896 Aug.Went to R.A. private view in afternoon.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... For one perspective on the 1896 eclipse expedition see this link. The paintings at the 1894 Royal Academy exhibition were a rather different kettle of fish - as this engraving of Sir Frederick Leighton's 'The Spirit of the Summit' from the Illustrated London News shows. More engravings from the 1894 exhibition can currently be seen here. Probably not my favourite style of art....

Wednesday May 2, 1894

M^r Plummer left, having completed his obs^ns for personal equation with the portable Transit in the Transit Pavilion.
Meting of Solar Eclipse Com^ee at the R.A.S. at 3 & 4. Royal Society Soiree.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

RH says..... This event at the Royal Society - one of their regular soirees or conversazione - was reported in the journal Nature on 10 May 1894 (which, unfortunately, you can only see if you or your institution subscribes - which mine does not). This fantastic image illustrating a Royal Society 'gentleman's conversazione' is from the Daily Graphic in 1890. See more here.

Friday 12 January, 1894

Saw M^r Awdry at the Adm^y.

R.A.S. Eclipse Com^ee & Council. Went with M^r Crisp to see mantelpieces at Steel & Garland’s (Cork S^t.) & Cooper’s in interval between meetings in afternoon.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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Rebekah Higgitt says.....
Christie attended the same Royal Astronomical Society Council and Committee meetings as his Chief Assistant Turner (see previous post). The 'Eclipse Committee' was the Joint Permanent Eclipse Committee of the Royal Society and the Royal Astronomical Society, which was then planning an expedition to view the solar eclipse of 9 August 1896 in Japan. Christie and Turner were heavily involved with the planning and execution of this an several other eclipse expeditions.