FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39  
40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   >>   >|  
Astronomische Nachrichten." When this comet was discovered, the king who had offered the medal was dead. The son, Frederick VII., who had succeeded him, had not the interest in science which belonged to his father, but he was prevailed upon to carry out his father's designs in this particular case. The same comet had been seen by Father de Vico at Rome, on October 3, at 7.30 P.M., and this fact was immediately communicated by him to Professor Schumacher, at Altona. On the 7th of October, at 9.20 P.M., the comet was observed by Mr. W.R. Dawes, at Kent, England, and on the 11th it was seen by Madame Ruemker, the wife of the director of the observatory at Hamburg. The following letter from the younger Bond will show the cordial relations existing between the observatory at Cambridge and the smaller station at Nantucket: CAMBRIDGE, Oct. 20, 1847. DEAR MARIA: There! I think that is a very amiable beginning, considering the way in which I have been treated by you! If you are going to find any more comets, can you not wait till they are announced by the proper authorities? At least, don't kidnap another such as this last was. If my object were to make you fear and tremble, I should tell you that on the evening of the 30th I was sweeping within a few degrees of your prize. I merely throw out the hint for what it is worth. It has been very interesting to watch the motion of this comet among the stars with the great refractor; we could almost see it move. An account of its passage over the star mentioned by your father when he was here, would make an interesting notice for one of the foreign journals, which we would readily forward.... [Here follow Mr. Bond's observations.] Respectfully, Your obedient servant, G. P. BOND. Hon. Edward Everett, who at that time was president of Harvard College, took a great interest in the matter, and immediately opened a correspondence with the proper authorities, and sent a notice of the discovery to the "Astronomische Nachrichten." The priority of Miss Mitchell's discovery was immediately admitted throughout Europe. The King of Denmark very promptly referred the matter to Professor Schumacher, who reported in favor of granting the medal to Miss Mitchell, and the medal was duly struck off and forwarded to Mr. Everett. Among European astronomers who urged Miss Mitchell's claim was A
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39  
40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

immediately

 

father

 
Mitchell
 

Everett

 

notice

 

Schumacher

 

matter

 

discovery

 

Professor

 

observatory


authorities
 

interesting

 

proper

 

Astronomische

 

interest

 

Nachrichten

 

October

 

passage

 

account

 

mentioned


foreign

 

sweeping

 

offered

 

succeeded

 

degrees

 

motion

 

Frederick

 

refractor

 

journals

 
promptly

referred

 
reported
 

Denmark

 

priority

 

admitted

 

Europe

 

granting

 

astronomers

 

European

 

struck


forwarded

 

obedient

 

servant

 

Respectfully

 

forward

 

follow

 

observations

 
Edward
 

discovered

 

opened