Letter, from Richarda Airy to Margaret Brodie Herschel, dated at Greenwich

Description

Letter, in Richarda Airy's hand. Accounting the difficult journey between Hamburg, Germany and Harwich taken by George Biddell Airy, Richarda Airy and her sister Elizabeth Smith earlier that month. Further details on the continental trip through Germany, Switzerland, where the Airy met George Peacock and family, Carl Friedrich Gauss, Henrich Christian Schumacher, Caroline Herschel - details on the exchange with Caroline Herschel including her delight at receiving drawings and letters from the Herschel children.
Discusses the priority dispute between Urbain Le Verrier, James Challis and John Couch Adams over the calculation of the predicted position of Uranus, stating George Biddell Airy's position that priority will be given to Le Verrier for presenting first [at the Académie des sciences] though Challis had observed before him.
Mentions visits from Edward and Elizabeth Sabine and Charles and Jessica Piazzi Smyth. Has obtained Elizabeth Juliana Leeves Sabine's translation of Humboldt's Cosmos. Passes on news of South Africa. Notes that George Biddell Airy is beginning the history of the discovery of Uranus' position.

Reference number

HS/19/313

Earliest possible date

22 October 1846

Physical description

Ink on paper

Page extent

10 pp.

Format

Manuscript