Papers of George Airy, 1710-1890

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Papers of George Airy, 1710-1890

1710-1890

https://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0180%2FRGO%206

Sir George Biddell Airy was appointed Astronomer Royal in 1835. He introduced new instruments of his own design to the Greenwich Observatory, and oversaw the creation of a Magnetic and Meteorological Department in 1838. He controlled the British expeditions to observe the transit of Venus of 1874, and carried out the reduction of the collected data. During his time in office, he also reduced all the planetary and lunar observations made at Greenwich between 1750 to 1830. He retired in 1881. The collection contains papers relating to a wide range of subjects, including the Observatory buildings and grounds; Visitations; solar eclipses; other observatories; astronomical equipment and methodology; longitude; rainbow, pendulum and other experiments; the Royal Astronomical Society; the Railway Gauge Commission; the Sale of Gas Act; the Standards Commission; the Royal Society; scientific societies; geodesy; mechanics; chemistry, chronology, the tides; chronometers; galvanic connections; magnetism; meteorology; the admission of visitors; and accounts. There is a large set of observations, computations, reductions and tables, and many letters, including a large volume of correspondence with tradesmen.

12 cubic metres

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Royal Observatory, Greenwich

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SNAC Resource ID: 8286391

Related Entities

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Royal Observatory, Greenwich

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6rg6k7x (corporateBody)

The Royal Observatory dates its foundation from two warrants issued under the name of Charles II. On 4 March 1675 John Flamsteed was appointed 'royal observator' to the King, and on the following 22 June another warrant authorised the construction of 'a small observatory within our royal park at Greenwich'. The first warrant stated that Flamsteed was 'to apply himself...so as to find out the so much desired longitude of places'. The second warrant gave the purpose of the constructi...

Airy, George Biddell, 1801-1892

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6w779z7 (person)

Sir George Biddell Airy was educated at Cambridge and became Plumain Professor of Astronomy and Director of the Cambridge Observatory in 1828. In 1835 he accepted the post of Astronomer based at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, which he held until 1881. In 1835 Airy was invited to become a member of the University of London Senate. Although he was unable to attend Senate meetings on a regular basis, he discussed the pressing issues of the University at the time with other Senate members, in part...

Fizeau, H. 1819-1896.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6rk3c3j (person)