Skip to content

Please be aware that some material may contain words, descriptions or illustrations which will not reflect current scientific understanding and may be considered in today's context inaccurate, unethical, offensive or distressing.

The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Paper, 'An account of an experiment shewing that an object may become visible thro such an opake body as pitch in the dark, whilst it is under the circumstances of attrition and a vacuum' by Francis Hauksbee

Reference number: CLP/18i/123

Date: 1709

Description

Hauksbee describes an experiment showing that an object may become visible through an opaque body, such as pitch in the dark, under the circulstances of attrition and a vacuum. He writes that 'The Experiment affords a signal Confirmation of another formerly made, and differs only in the Matter made use of.'

Subject: Physics

Read to the Royal Society on August 1709

Published in Philosophical Transactions as 'An account of an experiment, shewing that an object may become visible through such an opake body as pitch in the dark, while it is under the ctrcumstances of attrition and a vacuum'

Reference number
CLP/18i/123
Earliest possible date
1709
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
2 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

Francis Hauksbee

View page for Francis Hauksbee

Use this record

IIIF manifest

View​ IIIF ​ manifest Opens in new tab

Open in Mirador viewer Opens in new tab

Export this record

Download PDF Opens in new tab

Citation

Francis Hauksbee, Paper, 'An account of an experiment shewing that an object may become visible thro such an opake body as pitch in the dark, whilst it is under the circumstances of attrition and a vacuum' by Francis Hauksbee, 1709, CLP/18i/123, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_18i_123/paper-an-account-of-an-experiment-shewing-that-an-object-may-become-visible-thro-such-an-opake-body-as-pitch-in-the-dark-whilst-it-is-under-the-circumstances-of-attrition-and-a-vacuum-by-francis-hauksbee, accessed on 14 September 2026

Link to this record

https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_18i_123/paper-an-account-of-an-experiment-shewing-that-an-object-may-become-visible-thro-such-an-opake-body-as-pitch-in-the-dark-whilst-it-is-under-the-circumstances-of-attrition-and-a-vacuum-by-francis-hauksbee

Embed this record

<iframe src="https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/embed/items/clp_18i_123/paper-an-account-of-an-experiment-shewing-that-an-object-may-become-visible-thro-such-an-opake-body-as-pitch-in-the-dark-whilst-it-is-under-the-circumstances-of-attrition-and-a-vacuum-by-francis-hauksbee" title="Paper, 'An account of an experiment shewing that an object may become visible thro such an opake body as pitch in the dark, whilst it is under the circumstances of attrition and a vacuum' by Francis Hauksbee" allow="fullscreen" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>

Hierarchy

This item is part of:

Related Fellows

Explore the collection

  • Classified Papers

    The 'Classified Papers' of the Royal Society are papers from British and international natural philosophers and scholars categorised according to subject areas.

    Dates: 1592 - 1741

    View collection