Item GPP/3/2 - Astronomical journal

1 volume

Leather-bound volume, with some loose sheets. Includes an alphabetical index followed by 659 numbered pages. Contains astronomical observations and calculations, with some astronomical drawings and diagrams. Includes calculations on observations made by John Goodricke and Nathaniel Pigott.

SUMMARY AND EXTRACTS:
‘Journal 1778 Frampton’. Pages 1-23 contain transcripts of observations 1769 and 1773-1778, ‘extracted from my Father Journal and my Astronomical, Meteorological etc. Book’, (see note p.23). After a note on instruments used, the observations continue from June 1778. August 17th 1781, ‘Herchell’s Comet … is at an immense distance far beyond Saturn, and possibly may be a 7th Planet’: this, referred to after as ‘Herschels Comet, Star or Astre’, was the planet later named Uranus. 3rd November, ‘examined the stars in the Swans head & neck for near an hour, with one of Dollonds Opera Glass’s […] Seeked for the Nova near the head, of 1670, but saw no star equal to the Alpha or Epsilon that could possibly be it’. November 14th 1781, ‘at 9 o’clock p.m., I discovered a Comet near the neck of the Swan’ (p.114) ; this is the comet referred to at the beginning of Goodricke’s astronomical journal.

From 1782 the observations are less of the place of stars and more of their magnitude : initially there are many notes on the variable stars in Cygnus.
‘Algol / December 28th at 5½ h P.M. 1782 / this Star being discovered to by Variable, by Montanary & Maraldi, I began, on the 23d of October, to examine it (See page 164) & have continued ever since when I was not otherwise engaged - on the 12th of Novemr: Mr J Goodricke told me he had found it, the preceding night, only of the 3d Magde: (See the following article) every night since I have been constantly very attentive in examining it, and saw no alteration, not even on the 23d-24th & 26th but this night found it of about the 3 or 4th Mag:de having the same brightness and colour as Delta Persei, rather less bright than Gamma Persei and Beta Trianguli ; also of the same brightness as Rho Medusa tho of a whiter colour ; & less bright than Epsilon Persei - it seem’d to vary, sometimes appearing rather brighter & sometimes rather less bright than Rho Medusa [...]’ (p. 171). The following article referred to was an extract from Goodricke’s astronomical journal for 12th November.

After January 2nd 1783, before the entry for January 8th, ‘Algol /having, on further consideration, Stronger reasons to believe that what I wrote to Mr. J. Goodricke, on the 19th of Decemr. 1782 may possibly happen, induces me to make the following memorandom of it. - the opinion I suggested was, that the alteration of Algol’s brightness, was maybe occasioned, by a Planet, of about half his size, revolving round him, and therefore does sometimes eclipse him partially ; which accounts also for the unequal time (if any) of the duration and Periods of this phenomenon - the various Systems attempting to account for the changes in all the other variable Stars, as Omicron Ceti Chi Cygni &c &c, are very difficient when applied to Algol, this Star being variable in a very particular manner - after having sent the above, I drew up a table, shewing on what days this ideal Planet might be Seen from the earth, supposing it to revolve round Algol in 23 or 46 Days, this last being the interval between the two observed eclipses, See Pages 171 & 172’. (p.175)

From 1782 onwards, there are references first to comparing notes with Goodricke – an extract from Goodricke’s journal is quoted - and later to collaborating with him on observations. ‘November 19th 1783, discovered a comet in the Whale’s head nearly between Alpha and Gamma Ceti’. The last York entry is in December 1785.

The journal recommences with the observation from Louvain of the transit of Mercury over the sun on the 3rd May 1786 (p.299). In the latter half of 1787 he moved to London. A list made out in 1787 of stars ‘which I have Strong suspicion of being Changeable’, gives page references to this journal (p.311). There are remarks and queries concerning variable stars on pages 321 and 336. A note in 1790,‘Having not proper Instruments nor convenience; intend to give up Astronomy for the present’ ; observations recommence in April 1791.

In November 1791, while living at College Street, Westminster, he records the Goodricke family’s gift to him of John Goodricke’s astronomical papers, ‘Mr John Goodricke’s Astron:l Journal. Novem:r 16th I received this book, with other Astron:l papers ; being a present from the G:e Family at York ; knowing the value I set on every thing that belong’d to my late most Worthy and intimate friend. The Journal is from 1781 to 1786; very similar to this of mine containing various remarks and Obser:ns on Planets, Comets & Stars; particularly many comparisons of the latter – the other papers, are, Problems; mathematical extracts; reductions of different times ; Meteorological journal (for only one year +) computations of Occultations Obserd. at York and Bruxelles – &c &c my Friend departed this World April 1786, an event I shall ever lament.’

Observations continue of variable stars, the comet discovered by Miss Herschel, and other phenomena. In 1792 he returned to York, where he continued to observe the variable in Hydra and made many observations of the comparative magnitudes of stars in Ursa Major; there are also notes on the design of a clock regulator, and ‘an invention (probably a bad one) for measuring the difference of R.A. of the Stars’. The last entry for 1792 is in October, with a description of a luminous arch in the clouds. Entries begin again in January 1793 with a discovery away from the observatory, ‘January 14th at 7h¼ being in the Street I discovered a Comet.’ The next few pages contain only observations of the comet, then in April he looked for the variable in Hydra. More general observations follow but the York observations cease after June 13th – the next observations, on February 4th 1794, are from Rivers Street, Bath. A method is described to detect the atmosphere of Jupiter by the refraction of its light (p.378). The list of stars with some suspicion of being changeable continues on p.390, with page references to this journal. ‘Further Considerations on Variable Stars’ (pp.392-3). 2 sheets of remarks on the nature of the light of the fixed stars are inserted after p.399. There are many observations of variables in Corona Borealis, Sobieski’s Shield and Leo. The last observation in this section is for 1801 (p.421). A sheet dated 1798, giving comparative magnitude of stars in Cassiopeia, Ursa Major, Pegasus, Cetus, Cygnus and Auriga, is inserted at this point.

There are observations on particular variable stars (the variable in Collo Cygni, Eta Antinoi, Delta Cephei, Beta Lyrae, Algol, Eta Antinoi) between 1782 and 1801 (pp.433-445), and remarks on some double stars (p.446). A sheet (dated 29th December 1782) with 2 predictions of the movement of Algol’s satellite, depending on whether its period is 46 days or 23 days, is inserted after p.439. A comparison of Flamsteed’s and Pardie’s maps of the constellations is followed by a verification by observation of the differences between the two, dated October 1784 to May 1785, with a few entries for 1788 and 1793. Index to Flamsteed’s ‘2nd Vol: Hist: Cael:’. A table of transit observations 1778-1781 (pp.471-533) is preceded by 4 pages of explanatory remarks. Unusually, an observation of Venus on October 17th 1778 has the remark, ‘Observed by my brother’. Several sheets of notes are inserted after p.525: illustrated descriptions of 5 nebulas (dated 1777), the situation of 4 nebulas in 1778, reductions of the variable in Hydra 1788-1793. On p.538 is a list of stars that he suspects to have a proper motion of about half a second a year : the rest of pp. 534-552 are observations of particular variable stars. Notes of apparent errors in Flamsteed’s and Bradley’s star catalogues to be investigated (p.561).

Pages 562-649 are blank.

At the back of the book (pp. 650-653): ‘a Memorandum of my Publications; and also of some others where I am more or less concerned’, numbered 1-34, (1769-1790 and undated), as follows:
1 my Observation of the Transit of Venus in 1769. See Phil: Trans: Vol: 60
2 Observations of [Moon] & [Jupiter]’s Sat: for determining the Longde of Namur Luxembourg, La Heese, Hoogstraeten Ostend in 1772 & 1773 Phil. Tran: Vol 66.
3 Observations of [Jupiter]’s Sat:s & Occultations of Stars and Saturn, for determining the Long:des of Bruxelles & Louvain in 1773-1774 & 1775 Phil: Trans: Vol: 68
4 Observations made at Wickhill & at Frampton in 1777-1778 & 1779 See my Fathers paper Phil: Trans: Vol: 71
5 an account of a Nebula which I discovered in 1779. Phil: Trans: Vol: 71
6 according to a letter from Monsr: Mechain dated 1783 he acquaints me that the Acad: of Sciences have ordered my Observations on Mercury, made in 1778 & 1779, to be printed in their Scavans Etrangers
7 Mons: de la Lande has printed part of my Memoir on the Planet Mercury (mentioned above) in his Ephemerid. de 8 Ans, depuis 1785 to 1792; my Observations are reduced and compared to his Tables
8 my Observations on Algol made in 1782 & 1783 are inserted in Mr Goodrickes paper on Algol ; Phil: Trans: Vol: 73
9 an account of a Comet I discovered in 1783 Phil: Trans: Vol: 74 Part: 1st
10 Observations on the above Comet; Phil: Trans: Vol: 74 Part 2d
11 Bernouilli in his recueil pour les Astronomes mentions me several times, particularly
12 the dissertation on the planet Mercury, printed in the London Magazine for Decemr: 1784, and Signed Eta Beta Algol, was written by me
13 My Observations on Beta Lyra made in 1784 are inserted in Mr Goodrickes paper on that Star; Phil: Trans: Vol. 75
14 the discovery I made in 1784 of the periodical variation of Eta Antinoi’s brightness; and hints how to Observe the relative brightness of Stars : See Phil: Trans: Vol: 75
15 a double Star I sent to Mr Herschel. Phil: Trans: Vol: 75 Page 104
16 my Meridian Obser:ns of the Georgium Sidus, and Obser:ns of Eta Antinoi, printed by Monsr: Zach in the Ephemerides de [blank] for, I believe, the year 1786
17 my paper on Variable Stars, having for title, “Obser:ns & remarks on those Stars which the Astronomers of the last Century suspected to be changeable”, is printed in Phil: Trans: Vol: 76 Part 1st
18 my Determination of the Longitude & Latitude of York with the improved method of finding the Difference of Meridians by Meridian Transits of the [Moon]’s Limb &c printed in Phil: Trans:ns Vol: 76 Part 2d
not yet printed perhaps in the Conn. d T for 1791 La reduction de mes operations Trigonometriques, d’ou sont conclus la Long:de et Latit:de de plusieurs Villes sur le bord de La Severn, dans Glamorganshire et vis-a-vis ; seront imprimés dans la Connos:
des Tems de 1790, a ceque Monsr: Mechain me mande
20 my Observations on Delta Cephei made in 1784 and 1785 are inserted in Mr Goodrickes paper on that Star; Phil: Trans: Vol 76 Part 1st
21 My Observation of the late Transit of Mercury over the Sun, made at Louvain May 3d - 1786 Phil: Trans: Vol: 76 Part 2d
22 Some of my Observations of the Comet I discovered in 1783; Observations of the Eclipse of the Moon Septr. 1783, & Occultations of Stars by the Moon; are inserted in Monsr: Messier’s & Monsr: Mechain’s Memoirs printed in the Mem: de l’Academie for 1783
23 the contents of a letter I wrote to Monsr: le Gentil, on the Zodiacal Signs, sculted on the portal of Walmgate Church, York, is printed in the Mem: de L Acad: of Paris for the year 1785 [refers to carvings on South porch of St. Margaret’s, Walmgate]
24 in the Mem: de l’Acad: of Paris, Année 1785, Monsr: de la Lande has given my Obser:ns of the Inferior Conjunction of Venus, made in 1779 and 1782
25 Verses signed, P. printed in the Public Advertiser of Saturday Oct: 18-1788 which I sent to the printer With the expense only of a penny post letter
26 in Vince’s Treatise on Practical Astronomy is an extract from my paper, printed in the Phil: Trans:n of 1786 ; being the Rule & example which I have given for determining the differences of Longitudes, by Meridian Obser:ns of the Moon
27 in Wollaston’s Catalogue of Stars, the results of my Obser:ns on Changeable Stars ( See Phil: Trans:ns Vol: 76) are inserted and also my determination of the Proper Motion of Beta Virginis - See Phil: Trans: Vol: 7 Part 2d -
28 in the Asiatick Researches, or Trans:ns of the Bengal Society, Vol: 1st Pages 112 & 113 are inserted some Obser:ns of Jupiters Sat:s taken from my paper printed in Phil: Trans:ns Vol: 76.
29 The Heliocentrick Longitudes of the Georgium Planet deduced from my observations; made at York in 1781 & 1782 printed in the “Memoires de l’Academie de Bruxelles Tom 5me 1788” “dans un memoire sur La Planete Ouranus par F. de Zach”
30 My “account of some Luminous Arches.” in a Letter to Sr. H. Englefield; printed in the Phil: Trans:ns Vol [blank]
31 My “Determination of the Latit:des & Longit:des of some remarkable Places near the Severn” deduced from Trigonometrical measurements. Printed in Phil: Trans:ns Vol [blank]
32 in the Encyclopidea are very ample extract of my paper on Variable Stars - (No. 17 of this list)
33 in Herschel’s paper on &c Phill T. 1796 I am mention’d
34 my Paper “on the Periodical changes of Brightness of two fixt Stars” printed in the Phil: Trans: Vol: [blank]

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