Royal Greenwich Observatory
John Flamsteed Papers, 1638-1725.
Observation books, letter books and manuscript catalogues, including: A. Observation and reduction volumes, with letterbooks, the texts of the Gresham Lectures given by Flamsteed, early lead mining records, mathematical and astronomical treatises, manuscript star catalogs and drafts of the 'Historia Coelestis'. B. Documentation of important topics and events, such as: the foundation of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich; the work of Flamsteed; demonstration of the isochronous rotation of the Earth, and the resulting "equation of time"; establishment of the first Greenwich meridian; the dispute with Halley and Newton over the publication of Flamsteed's observations and the 'Historia Coelestis'. C. The following is a list of the names of correspondents 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 prticular 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 correspondence with the person or institution responbile for creating the class. Correspondents: Sir G. B. Airy; C. Arnold; Bailey, Lord Brouncker; J. D. Cassini; J. Caswell; King Charles II; S. Clowes; T. Conings; Crabtree; J. Crosthwaite; P. Davies; J. C. Einmart; J. Flamsteed; Gascoigne; S. Gray; D. Gregory; Dr. Halley; Hevelius; J. Hodgeson; J. Horrocks; Mr. Lee; N. Maskelyne; S. Molyneux; J. Moore; H. Oldenburgh; Dr. Pell; J. Pond; Dr. Pope; Radcliffe Trustees; A. Ryley; Sir C. Scarbarrow; A. Sharp; Dr. T. Smith; H. Stanyan; N. Stephenson; R. Townley; Weston; J. Witty; Sir G. Wharton; I. Woolferman; and Sir C. Wren, among others.
Flamsteed (1638-1725) was the first Astronomer Royal, in office 1675-1719. A self-educated son of a Derby maltster, Flamsteed came to London and was active in astronomical pursuits there in the early 1670s, at a time when King Charles II became interested in the problem of the determination of the longitude at sea. The King was greatly surprised to learn that there was no reliable method to ascertain this measure and, after taking the advice of a committee of the Royal Society, in 1675 ordered the appointment of Flamsteed as his "astronomical observator" and the construction of an observatory in the Royal Park at Greenwich. Flamsteed's appointment was largely due to the recommendation of his friend Sir Jonas Moore, Surveyor General of the Ordnance. Flamsteed devoted the remaining 43 years of his life to the nightly observation of the sky and the daily reduction of his observations. In the early 18th century he became involved in a celebrated and vitriolic dispute over the publication of his observations with Edmond Halley and Isaac Newton, which came to a head in 1712 with the publication of the "spurious" edition of Flamsteed's 'Historia Coelestis Britannica'...under the editorship of Halley. Flamsteed's observations were finally published, posthumously, in the manner he had envisaged and to the accuracy which he required, in the three-volume 'Historia Coelestis Britannica...of 1725' and the folio 'Atlas Coelestis' of 1728.
Airy, George Biddell, 1801-1892
Charles II, King of England, 1630-1685.
Flamsteed, John, 1646-1719.
Halley, Edmond, 1656-1742 -- Adversaries.
Maskelyne, Nevil, 1732-1811.
Newton, Isaac, Sir, 1642-1727 -- Adversaries.
Royal Greenwich Observatory
Historia Coelestis.
Astronomy -- England -- Observations -- 18th century.
Astronomy, Spherical and practical -- Research -- 18th century.
Astronomical observatories -- England.
Communication in science -- England -- 18th century.
Earth -- Rotation.
Lead mines and mining -- England.
Longitude -- Prime meridian -- 18th century.
Mathematics -- Research.
Quarreling -- England -- 18th century.
Science -- Early works to 1800.
Stars -- Catalogs -- 18th century.
Time -- Systems and standards -- 18th century.
Astronomical charts. aat
Letter books. aat
Technical reports. aat aat
Astronomical observations -- Publishing -- England -- 18th century.
Arnold, C.
Bailey.
Brouncker, Lord.
Cassini, J. D.
Caswell, J.
Clowes, S.
Conings, T.
Crabtree.
Crosthwaite, J.
Davies, P.
Einmart, J. C.
Gascoigne.
Gray, S.
Gregory, D.
Hevelius, Johannes, 1611-1687.
Hodgeson, J.
Horrocks, J.
Lee, Mr.
Molyneux, S.
Moore, J.
Oldenburg, H.
Pell, Dr.
Pond, John, 1767-1836.
Pope, Dr.
Ryley, A.
Scarbarrow, C., Sir.
Sharp, A.
Smith, T. Dr.
Stanyan, H.
Stephenson, N.
Townley, R.
Weston.
Witty, J.
Wharton, G., Sir.
Woolferman, I.
Wren, C., Sir.
Radcliffe Trustees (Great Britain).
AIP-ICOS
Royal Greenwich Observatory Archives Department of Manuscripts and University Archives. Cambridge University Library, West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DR, England UK