快猫短视频

The Correspondence of John Flamsteed, The First Astronomer Royal, Volume 3, 1703-1719, compiled and edited by Eric G. Forbes, Lesley Murdin and Frances Willmoth, Institute of Physics, 拢199, ISBN 0750307633

BORN in Derbyshire in 1646, John Flamsteed, England鈥檚 first Astronomer Royal, was a prolific letter writer鈥攁nd one with strong opinions. His letters hum with adjectives like meddling, evil, impudent, treacherous and worthless. Why was he so angry?

We join the 57-year-old astronomer after his most intensive observational work. He is meticulously preparing a star catalogue. But he is too slow for the Royal Society, who appoint a committee with supervisory powers over the Royal Observatory. Edmund Halley and Isaac Newton step in, and a 鈥渂ootleg鈥� Historia coelestis Britannica is published in 1712 using Flamsteed鈥檚 data, to his considerable chagrin. He had a huge correspondence. There are letters to and from longitudinarians, all after the 拢20,000 prize for determining longitude at sea; and letters discussing lunar motion, eclipses, sunspots and Jovian satellites. Flamsteed鈥檚 role as the leading mathematical astronomer of the age is well to the fore.

There are few better ways to the heart of the history of science than through collections of well-referenced letters. And this collection is one of the best I have come across.