Royal Greenwich Observatory
George Biddell Airy Papers, 1819-1890.
Contains: A. Papers consisting principally of Airy's voluminous correspondence over his 46 years as Astronomer Royal, though there are numbers of scientific papers and engineering drawings, for instance in connection with the building of the Airy Transit Circle, as well as mathematical work, notebooks, journals and many administrative records created in the running of the Royal Observatory; B. Documenation of important topics and events, such as the building of the Airy Transit Circle, ca. 1850, later to define the Earth's prime meridian; time distribution by electric telegraph, from 1850; introduction of photographic registration of observations, particularly in meteorology; introduction into Britain of the 'American Method' of electrical recording of transit timings. C. The following is a partial list of the names of corresondents and others as they appear in the handlist to this class of papers in RGO Archives. It must be remembered that this is not necessarily an exhaustive list of names as they appear in the papers themselves. Researchers interested in a particular period are invited to write to the RGO Archivist at the above address if they are interested in particular individuals whose names do not appear below, but who could possibly have been in correspndence with the person or institution responsible for creating the class. Correspondendts: C. Abbe; W. Abney; J.C.Adams; G. B. Airy; H. Airy; Hilda Airy; Lady Airy; Mrs. R. Airy; W. Airy; B. Amici; D. Arago; F. Argelande; Arnold; H. S. Atwood; Dr. A. Auwers; F. Baily; Sir J. Barrow; F. W. Bessel; J. Firmingham; W. Birt; Roguslowski; G. P. Bond; W. C. Bond; L. Borelli; J. Bradley; C. Bremiker; Sir D. Brewster; Sir T. Birisbane; Dr. C. Bruhns; J. Buckingham; Mr. Burnham; A. Busch; R. C. Carrington; Prof. A. Cayley; Sir G. Cayler; Prof. J. Challis; S. H. Christie; W. H. M. Christie; A. C. Clairaut; M. A Cornv; W. Crookes; C. Darwin; G. B. Donati; A. M. Downing; Dr. H. Draper; J. Dreyer; J. Ellis; J. F. Encke; G. A. Erman; Euclid; L. Euler; A. H. Fizeau; M. Fizeau.; Dr. J. Forbes; J. Foucault; J. Fraunhofer; Fresnal; A. Gaillot; G. Galle; J. P. Gassiot; K. Gauss; Sir D. Gill; J. Glaisher; J. T. Goddard; B. Gould; J. Green; S. Grimaldi; Sir H. Brubb; T. Brubb; A. Hall; E. Halley; P. Hansen; C. Hansteen; W. Harkness; O Heaviside; T. Henderson; P. P. Henry; A. S. Herschel; Sir J. Herschel; J. Hind; E. Holden; J. Houzeau; W. Huggins; J. Ivory; P. Janssen; M. J. Johnson; J. Kepler; A. Kupffer; J. Lamont; S. Langley; W. Lassell; Sir J. Lockyer; Sir. J. Lubbock; C. Lyman; J. Madler; Rev. Dr. N. Maskelyne; Mrs. Maskelyne; W. Maunder; M. Mitchell; F. Moigno; and Sir I. Newton; among others.
Airy (1801-1892) was the seventh Astronomer Royal. Born in Alnwick, Northumberland and educated in Ipswich and at Trinity College, Cambridge, Airy became Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, then Plumian Professor of Astronomy in the University, before being appointed Astronomer Royal in 1835. He remained at Greenwich for the remainder of his working life, retiring at the age of 80 in 1881. Even then, as a member of the Board of visitors, he maintained a direct link with the Observatory, which only ended with his death in 1892.
Airy, George Biddell, 1801-1892
Fizeau, Armand Hippolyte Louis, 1819-1896.
Royal Greenwich Observatory -- Administration.
Astronomical observatories -- England.
Astronomical photography -- Technological innovations.
Meteorology -- Technological innovations.
Prime meridian -- Research.
Telegraph (Technology) -- England.
Time-signals -- Technological innovations.
Transit-circle.
England. -- Learned institutions and societies.
Engineering drawings. aat
Journals (accounts). aat ftamc
Notebooks. aat
Abbe, Cleveland, 1838-1916.
Abney, W.
Adams, J. C.
Airy, H.
Airy, Hilda.
Airy, Lady.
Airy, R., Mrs.
Airy, W.
Amici, B.
Arago, D.
Argelande, F.
Arnold.
Atwood, H. S.
Auwers, A. (Arthur), 1838-1915.
Baily, Francis, 1774-1844
Barrow, J., Sir.
Bessel, F. W.
Birmingham, J.
Birt, W.
Boguslowski.
Bond, G. P.
Bond, W. C.
Borrelli, L.
Bradley, J.
Bremiker, C.
Brewster, D., Sir.
Brisbane, T., Sir.
Bruhns, C., Dr.
Buckingham, J.
Burnham, S. W. (Sherburne Wesley), 1838-1921.
Busch, A.
Carrington, R. C.
Cayley, Arthur, 1821-1895.
Cayler, G., Sir.
Challis, J., Prof.
Christie, S. H.
Christie, William Henry Mahoney, 1845-1922.
Clairaut, A. C.
Cornv, M. A.
Crookes, William, Sir, 1832-1919.
Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882.
Donati, G. B.
Downing. A. M.
Draper, Henry, 1837-1882.
Dreyer, J.
Ellis, John, 1946-
Encke, J. F.
Erman, G. A.
Euclid.
Euler, Leonhard, 1707-1783.
Fizeau, M.
Forbes, J., Dr.
Foucault, J.
Fraunhofer, Joseph von, 1787-1826
Fresnal.
Gaillot, A.
Galle, G.
Gassiot, J. P.
Gill, D., Sir.
Glaisher, J.
Goddard, J. T.
Gould, B.
Green, J.
Grimaldi, S.
Grubb, Howard, Sir, 1844-1931.
Grubb, T.
Hall, A.
Halley, E.
Hansen, P.
Hansteen, C.
Harkness, W.
Heaviside, O.
Henry, P. P.
Herschel, A. S.
Herschel, J., Sir.
Hind, J.
Holden, E.
Houzeau, J.
Huggins, William, Sir, 1824-1910.
Ivory, J.
Janssen, Jules, 1824-1907.
Johnson, M. J.
Kepler, Johannes, 1571-1630
Kupffer, A.
Lamont, J.
Langley, S. P. (Samuel Pierpont), 1834-1906.
Lassell, W.
Lockyer, Norman, Sir, 1836-1920.
Lubbock, J., Sir.
Lyman, C.
Madler, J.
Maskelyne, N., Rev.Dr.
Maskelyne, Mrs.
Mitchell, M.
Moigno, F.
Newton, Isaac, 1642-1727
Airy Transit Circle -- Design and construction.
AIP-ICOS
Royal Greenwich Observatory Archives Department of Manuscripts and University Archives. Cambridge University Library, West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DR, England UK