Item GPP/2/2 - Astronomical Observations vol.1' and 'Hydrostatical Experiments'

1 item

Notebook containg ‘Astronomical Observations Vol. 1st’ at the front of the volume, and 'Hydrostatical Experiments' at the back. Rough copy.
Pages numbered from 1-15, then un-numbered apart from 46.

SUMMARY AND EXTRACTS:
Pages 1-4 solar observations December 1760 to August 1761.

Page 6 ‘Configurations of [Jupiter] satellites 1763 Cormeil 10h. P.M.’, 31 lines showing the positions of the moons respective to Jupiter.
Pages 7-11 blank.
Page 12 ‘Syderial Observations’, a table ruled up for observations but left blank. Page 14 ‘Meridian Observations, on ye Stars and Planets’ 1760 to 1761, including ‘Meridian observation on a Star Unknown’ [which he deduces to be Alpha Pegasus] and calculations on the difference in longitude between Paris and Louvain.
Page 15, ‘Method to find ye [Sun] RA for any Place att noon by DelaLande’s Tables, Suppose for Whitton 10’ W. from Paris’. Calculations using observations of Sirius to check the clock and on the difference in the Right Ascension of the sun between Paris and Louvain. ‘Method to observe the star’s R.A.’ January 1761. ‘Having a clock well adjusted and an [‘quadra’ deleted] Instrument fixed in the Direction of the Meridian to [‘observe’ deleted] compute the Stars R.A. to the Greatest Exactness’; calculation dated 30th September 1761.

5 pages removed. 3 blank pages.

2 pages of thermometer readings and weather observations May to July 1771 in Badshot, in London, and at ‘Stella Farm’, ending on the 31st July ‘my therm.[ometer] being blown from a window at York & broken see in ye remarks farther on what observations were made on the weather etc’.

3 pages of ‘Memorandums 1772’, a journal from January to May 1772 which covers a stay in Brussels and the departure for England. ‘Bruxelles Jan. 1st attended with Mr. eyre as witnesses to Mr. [Jaeffe’s ?] & Miss Bellew’s marriage which was celebrated at 8 o’clock this morning at the English Benedictine Nuns.’ [Two of Nathaniel’s sisters were nuns here, one of them becoming abbess the following year]. January 22nd, ‘Rec’d a letter from Mr [Fector ?] at Dover in which he says he has rec’d a Telescope & the quadrant belonging to the R.S. which the Customhouse officers at Calais obliged me to Send back & that these two boxes are at his house.’ February 20th, ‘ Miss Fairfax wrote a letter to Mrs. P. rec’d to day & sent me a mourning Ring for Ld Fairfax’s death’. April 2nd, ‘a letter from M. Robertson Lib. R.S. by which he informs me that I was elected a F.R.S. on 16th Jan. that he had received the quadrant lent me in Decr. by ye R.S. in good condition : that he had mislaid my note for 32 Guineas which I left as a deposit for the Sd. quadrant but that his letter would be an acknowledgement for the return of the quadrant – that he had returned the reflector which Mr. Bird had lent me & sends me back my note to Bird for 15 Guineas etc.’ April 12th, ‘Edward & self were presented at Court to Prince Charles of Lorraine, by the English Minister Mr. Gordon : & we were Graciously Received’. April 25th, ‘Mr. Gordon presented Edward & me to the Prince of Staremberg, Prime Minister. We dined there three days after.’ May 4th, ‘Set out from Bruxelles for England at midnight with Edward & my Servt. Graverande in a coach & three horses hired for Seven Guineas of Hambrouck of Louvain. Eat natural asparagus quite at the beginning of this month. N.B. to Graverande on acct of his wages two Guineas = 26 flo. 2~’.

7 blank pages follow.

Page 46 and the next three pages ruled up as tables for observations on Jupiter’s moons – all blank apart from one observation of Jupiter’s first moon on 23rd August 1761.

1 blank page. 2 pages ruled up for ‘Observations made att Louvain 1761’ but left blank.

'Hydrostatical Experiments' at the back of book:
Note of a recipe to dissolve ore, using saltpetre, tartar and sulphur.
Use of specific gravity to determine relative proportions of gold and silver in an alloy, by weighing in air and in water.
Algebraic calculation of quantity of each metal contained in an alloy, leading to a ‘General Rule’ for the calculation.
Note on composition of standard gold and silver, followed by table comparing weight and value of gold and silver coins with standard gold and silver.
Calculation, dated Decr. 10th 1763, to find the gold content of a guinea; the calculation has been overwritten to make it illegible.
Use of the hydrostatical balance to find the gravity of a solid.
‘Heat, Light, Gravity and Attraction; has all ye Properties of Powers Reciprocally as ye squares of their distances from their center of ye Body acting, wch body being end[ow?]ed with ye abo. qualities.’ Calculation of the distance from the source for different proportions of heat and light received.
Essay: ‘Of the Hydrometer’, with a table and calculations on the value of spirit for different proportions over and under proof.

Summary and extracts have been provided by a volunteer.

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