astronomy

[Yerkes Observatory, Wisconsin.] Original group photograph, including the astronomers Alice Hall Farnsworth, Otto Struve and Nicholas Bobrovnikoff, and staff including 'computers'. With caption by the astronomer Mary Proctor.

Author: 
[Yerkes Observatory, Wisconsin; Mary Proctor (1862-1957), Anglo-American astronomer; Alice Hall Farnsworth (1893-1960); Otto Struve (1897-1963); Nicholas Theodore Bobrovnikoff (1896-1988)
Publication details: 
[Yerkes Observatory, Williams Bay, Wisconsin.] Dated 10 December 1925.
£220.00

6 x 8 cm black and white photograph. In fair condition, lightly faded, with crease to one corner. Proctor's caption, in pencil on the reverse, reads; 'A group at Yerkes Obsy, Dec. 10, 1925. | Left to right | Otto Struve (Dr.) | N. T. Bobrovnikoff (student) | E. Zabler (janitor) | Mis Elizabeth Struve (Computer) | Alice Farnsworth (Dr); Margrethe Jorgensen (Computer) | Mrs. Sullivan (asst. in photo. dept.) | Mrs. Lee (Office Secretary) | Lela Cable (Computer) | This photo was made on a day when Messrs.

[Offprint.] The British Astronomical Association. Work of the Radio-Electronics Section.

Author: 
J. Heywood [John Heywood, pioneering radio astronomer] [British Astronomical Association; Sputnik 1 and 2, Russian earth satellites]
Publication details: 
Reprinted from Nature, Vol. 188, No. 4754, pp. 900-901, December 10, 1960. [Printed in Great Britain by Fisher, Knight & Co., Ltd., St. Albans.]
£80.00

4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Begins: 'In January 1957 the British Astronomical Association formed a Radio-Electronics Section. [...] The great stimulus to the Section's activities was the launching of the first Soviet Earth satellite. Its members made both visual and radio observations of Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2 which have been reported elsewhere.

Mimeographed printed notice to Fellows of the British Interplanetary Society by Arthur C. Clarke, as 'A.C. CLARKE, Chairman of the Council', regarding a reorganization of the Society's finances at a 'vital period in the development of astronautics'.

Author: 
Sir Arthur C. Clarke, science fiction writer and Chairman of the British Interplanetary Society, 1946-7 and 1951-3
Publication details: 
The British Interplanetary Society, 'Secretarial address: 157, Friary Road, London, S.E.15.' 1 July 1947.
£50.00

1p., 8vo. A fragile piece of ephemera, on aged paper, with wear at head (not affecting text). The notice begins: 'For several months past the Council has had under consideration the question of the Society's finances since it has become apparent that our annual income is insufficient to ensure a continuous and regular flow of publications.' References follow to 'donations from private members', an 'enforced summer recess', 'the acquisition of library shelves, desks and other fittings'. Two reasons are given in justification of the doubling of the 'Fellowship subscription'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('S. P. Rigaud') from Stephen Peter Rigaud, Savilian Professor of Geometry at the University of Oxford, to Rev. W[illiam]. T[oovey]. Hopkins of Elmdon House, Coventry [Rector of Nuffield], explaining a mistake.in geometry.

Author: 
Stephen Peter Rigaud (1774-1839), mathematian and astronomer, successively Fellow of Exeter College, Savilian Professor of Geometry at the University of Oxford, and Savilian Professor of Astronomy
Publication details: 
Richmond; 28 January 1824.
£80.00

2pp., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Black wax seal adhering to reverse of second leaf, which is addressed, with postmarks, by Rigaud to 'Revd. W. T. Hopkins / Elmdon House / Coventry'. He explains, with two diagrams, a geometrical mistake by Hopkins, the letter beginning: 'Your difficulty arises entirely from your imagining that the squares of lines are proportionate to the lines themselves - This is by no means the case'.

Autograph Letter Signed ('William Huggins') from the astronomer Sir William Huggins, President of the Royal Society, to 'Mr. Viney' [of printers Hazell, Watson & Viney?], regarding the printing [of Huggins' 'Atlas of representative Stella Spectra'].

Author: 
Sir William Huggins (1824=1910), astronomer, President, Royal Astronomical Society (1876-1878), British Association for the Advancement of Science (1891), and Royal Society (1900-1905) [J. E. Viney?]
Publication details: 
Upper Tulse Hill, S.W. [London]; [circa 1899?].
£120.00

2pp., 12mo. Good, on lightly-aged paper. The paper appears to have an 1890s watermark, and the correspondence may relate to the publication of Huggins's 'Atlas of representative Stellar Spectra', printed by Hazell, Watson & Viney for William Wesley & Son in 1899. Apparently impressed by the speed of Viney's response to his last letter, Huggins begins 'Your lightning is treble-greased.' He is returning the corrected proof, and sent 'a new copy with your name written on, by this morning's post as yr.

On new tables of the moon's parallax, to be substituted for those of Burckhardt.

Author: 
John Couch Adams
Publication details: 
London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Printed by Eyre and Spottiswoode. Without date, but docketed in pencil as an offprint 'From Nautical Almanac 1856'.
£105.00

English astronomer (1819-92) whose mathematical prediction of the existence of Neptune anticipated Le Verrier's discovery of that planet. Octavo. Unbound. Ten leaves and one blank. Paginated [35]-53. Very good. Five pages of text (35-9), four tables (pp.40-3) and a set of 'Tables containing the corrections to be applied to the values of the moon's equatorial horizontal parallax given in the nautical almanacs 1840-1855, in order to make them agree with those calculated from Mr. Adams' tables.' (pp.46-53). One small closed tear to antepenultimate leaf.

Three Autograph Letters Signed (all three 'Norman Lockyer') to 'Farquhar'.

Author: 
Sir Joseph Norman Lockyer (1836-1920), English scientist and astronomer, co-discoverer of helium gas [Norman Lockyer Observatory; Harrogate]
Publication details: 
9, 11 and 19 August 1900; first letter from 16 Penywern Road, London SW; second on letterhead of the Solar Physics Observatory, South Kensington, London; third on letterhead of Marine House, Whitley, R.S.O., Northumberland.
£85.00

The first and second letters are both 12mo, 2 pp; the third is 12mo, 1 p. The first and third are good, on lightly aged paper; the second has some smoke staining to top and bottom outside corners. All text clear and entire. The letters concern Farquhar's efforts, as a 'friendly service' on Lockyer's behalf, to get a room in Harrogate. References to the Majestic and Prince of Wales hotels, and to 'Oliver' (perhaps J. A. W. Oliver?).

Typed Letter Signed to the editor of the Journal of the Rontgen Society.

Author: 
Sir Richard Arman Gregory, Professor of Astronomy, Queen's College, London (1864-1952)
Publication details: 
25 July 1918; on letterhead of the British Science Guild (British Scientific Products Exhibition, 1918).
£33.00

Signed 'R. A. Gregory'. One page, folio. Good, with one dogeared corner. Bearing the stamp of the Royal Society of Arts. Circular letter referring to an enclosure (not present) relating to an exhibition which 'will shew that by the combination of science and industry we have done nearly as much in four years of war as the Germans did in the preceding forty. More than 250 manufacturers are sending exhibits, and the Air Ministry will make a large display, as well as the Food Production Department.' Asks for 'a sympathetic editorial note or article'.

Autograph Letter Signed "Goldschmidt, 5 rue des beaux-Arts", to "Monsieur Charadam, Marchant de tableaux, 20 Boulevard des Italiens."

Author: 
Hermann Goldschmidt.
Publication details: 
Paris, 22 August 1844.
£150.00

Artist and astronomer (1802-1866). One page, bottom edge curled but text clear and complete. He is sending two "tableaux which Charadam had seen at his house. He would like him to display them that evening "ayant l'intention de les envoyer a un exposition [?] a Amsterdam . . .".

Tables astronomiques publiées par le Bureau des Longitudes de France. Tables de la lune, par M. Burckhardt.

Author: 
Johann Karl Burckhardt [Bureau des Longitudes, Paris]
Publication details: 
Paris: Mme Ve Courcier, Imprimeur-Libraire pour les Mathématiques, Quai des Augustins, No. 57. Décembre 1812.
£200.00

Burckhardt (1773-1825) was a German astronomer, who first computed the orbits of a number of comets. First and only edition. Quarto. Pages: viii + 88. A rare survival, but in very poor condition: grubby, creased, stained and frayed at edges. In remains of makeshift wraps. Text perfectly legible throughout. Some scholarly annotations in pencil and pen.

ALS, 2pp, 16mo, to unnamed correspondent

Author: 
Laurence Parsons, 4th Earl of Rosse (DNB), astronomer
Publication details: 
12 June 1890, on House of Lords paper, with blind stamp scored through and address given as 23 Hans Place, S.W.
£25.00

Gives details of where he is to be found in the coming week ("from 4 to 5 on each of those days at the Athenaeum club, I think at any rate by appointment, or I could call on you at the Temple at 4-15 on one of those days"). With marks and remains of gummed paper on reverse of otherwise-blank second leaf.

Autograph Letter Signed to Mrs Christie-Miller.

Author: 
Isabella Herschel
Publication details: 
Observatory House, no date.
£35.00

Daughter of J.F.W. Herschel. Two pages, 8vo, good condition, still attached to part of page from album, expressing her regret at missing her visit and arranging a meeting.

Autograph Note, third person, to David Brewster, scientist.

Author: 
William Grylls Adams.
Publication details: 
South Street, Saturday 4 Dec. (no year).
£20.00

Scientist and astronomer. One page, 12mop, margin with remnants of connection to album, good.He invites Brewster to dinner.

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