Autobiography of Sir George Biddell AiryAiry, George Biddell
Science
Autobiography of Sir George Biddell Airy
Airy, George Biddell
Airy, George Biddell, 1801-1892; Astronomers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Autobiographies; Royal Greenwich Observatory
"In the course of 1843 I had put in hand the engraving of the drawings
of the Northumberland Telescope at Cambridge Observatory, and wrote
the description for letterpress. In the course of 1844 the work was
completed, and the books were bound and distributed.
"The building to receive the Altazimuth Instrument was erected in the
course of the year; during the construction a foreman fell into the
foundation pit and broke his leg, of which accident he died. This is
the only accident that I have known at the Observatory.--The
Electrometer Mast and sliding frame were erected near the Magnetic
Observatory.--The six-year Catalogue of 1439 stars was finished; this
work had been in progress during the last few years.--In May I went to
Woolwich to correct the compasses of the 'Dover,' a small iron steamer
carrying mails between Dover and Ostend: this I believe was the first
iron ship possessed by the Admiralty.--The Lunar Reductions were
making good progress; 16 computers were employed upon them. I made
application for printing them and the required sum (_£1000_) was
granted by the Treasury.--In this year commenced that remarkable
movement which led to the discovery of Neptune. On Feb. 13th
Prof. Challis introduced Mr Adams to me by letter. On Feb. 15th I sent
my observed places of Uranus, which were wanted. On June 19th I also
sent places to Mr E. Bouvard.--As regards the National Standards, Mr
Baily (who undertook the comparisons relating to standards of length)
died soon, and Mr Sheepshanks then undertook the work.--I attended the
meeting of the British Association held at York (principally in
compliment to the President, Dr Peacock), and gave an oral account of
my work on Irish Tides.--At the Oxford Commemoration in June, the
honorary degree of D.C.L. was conferred on M. Struve and on me, and
then a demand was made on each of us for _£6. 6s._ for fees. We were
much disgusted and refused to pay it, and I wrote angrily to Dr
Wynter, the Vice-Chancellor. The fees were ultimately paid out of the
University Chest.
"In this year the longitude of Altona was determined by M. Struve for
the Russian Government. For this purpose it was essential that
facilities should be given for landing chronometers at Greenwich. But
the consent of the customhouse authorities had first to be obtained,
and this required a good deal of negotiation. Ultimately the
determination was completed in the most satisfactory manner. The
chronometers, forty-two in number, crossed the German Sea sixteen
times. The transit observers were twice interchanged, in order to
eliminate not only their Personal Equation, but also the gradual
change of Personal Equation. On Sept. 30th Otto Struve formally wrote
his thanks for assistance rendered.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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