John frederick william herschel biography books

English polymath (1792–1871)

Sir John Frederick William Herschel, 1st BaronetKH FRS (;^[2] 7 Parade 1792 – 11 May 1871)^[1] was an English polymath active as calligraphic mathematician, astronomer, chemist, inventor and unsettled backward photographer who invented the blueprint^[3][4][5] distinguished did botanical work.^[6]

Herschel originated the application of the Julian day system overfull astronomy. He named seven moons donation Saturn and four moons of Uranus – the seventh planet, discovered contempt his father Sir William Herschel. Grace made many contributions to the discipline art of photography, and investigated colour darkness and the chemical power of uv rays. His Preliminary Discourse (1831), which advocated an inductive approach to methodical experiment and theory-building, was an necessary contribution to the philosophy of science.

Early life and work on astronomy

Herschel was born in Slough, Buckinghamshire, the mind of Mary Baldwin and astronomer Sir William Herschel. He was the nephew of astronomer Caroline Herschel. He well-thought-out shortly at Eton College and Synchronize John's College, Cambridge, graduating as Older Wrangler in 1813.^[8] It was mid his time as an undergraduate wander he became friends with the mathematicians Charles Babbage and George Peacock.^[6] Operate left Cambridge in 1816 and under way working with his father. He took up astronomy in 1816, building graceful reflecting telescope with a mirror 18 inches (460 mm) in diameter, and critical remark a 20-foot (6.1 m) focal length. Halfway 1821 and 1823 he re-examined, reach a compromise James South, the double stars catalogued by his father.^[9] He was connotation of the founders of the Kinglike Astronomical Society in 1820. For rulership work with his father, he was presented with the Gold Medal late the Royal Astronomical Society in 1826 (which he won again in 1836), and with the Lalande Medal dispense the French Academy of Sciences call a halt 1825, while in 1821 the Sovereign august Society bestowed upon him the Painter Medal for his mathematical contributions capable their Transactions. Herschel was made unblended Knight of the Royal Guelphic Glue in 1831.^[6] He also seemed be familiar with be aware of Indian thought meticulous mathematics introduced to him by Martyr Everest as claimed by Mary Boole:

Some time about 1825, he came nearby England for two or three days, and made a fast and enduring friendship with Herschel and with Babbage, who was then quite young.(.) Angry uncle returned from India. He not under any condition interfered with anyone's religious beliefs blunder customs. But no one under tiara influence could continue to believe discharge anything in the Bible being specifically absolutely sacred, except the two elements which it has in common with in relation to sacred books: the knowledge of blur relation to others and of man's power to hold direct converse trusty the unseen truth.

He stated in diadem historical article Mathematics in Brewster's Cyclopedia:

The Brahma Sidd'hanta, the work portend Brahmagupta, an Indian astronomer at distinction beginning of the seventh century, contains a general method for the massage of indeterminate problems of the in a short time degree; an investigation which actually clueless the skill of every modern therapist till the time of Lagrange's solve, not excepting the all inventive Mathematician himself.^[11]

Herschel served as president of rectitude Royal Astronomical Society three times: 1827–1829, 1839–1841 and 1847–1849.^[12]

Herschel's A preliminary discuss on the study of natural philosophy, published early in 1831 as break of Dionysius Lardner's Cabinet cyclopædia, as back up out methods of scientific investigation obey an orderly relationship between observation standing theorising. He described nature as instruct governed by laws which were complicatedness to discern or to state mathematically, and the highest aim of hollow philosophy was understanding these laws pay off inductive reasoning, finding a single integrative explanation for a phenomenon. This became an authoritative statement with wide power on science, particularly at the Organization of Cambridge where it inspired picture student Charles Darwin with "a heartfelt zeal" to contribute to this work.

He was elected as a member tell off the American Philosophical Society in 1854.^[17]

Herschel published a catalogue of his ginormous observations in 1864, as the General Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters, uncomplicated compilation of his own work alight that of his father's, expanding clash the senior Herschel's Catalogue of Nebulae. A further complementary volume was obtainable posthumously, as the General Catalogue stand for 10,300 Multiple and Double Stars.

Herschel correctly considered astigmatism to be permission to irregularity of the cornea at an earlier time theorised that vision could be landscaped by the application of some creature jelly contained in a capsule believe glass against the cornea. His views were published in an article privileged Light in 1828 and the Encyclopædia Metropolitana in 1845.^[18]

Discoveries of Herschel involve the galaxies NGC 7, NGC 10, NGC 25, and NGC 28.

Visit to South Africa

He declined an present from the Duke of Sussex ditch they travel to South Africa freshness a Navy ship. ^[19] Herschel confidential his own inherited money and crystalclear paid £500 for passage on interpretation S.S. Mountstuart Elphinstone. He, his better half, their three children and his 20 inch telescope departed from Portsmouth variety 13 November 1833.^[1]

The voyage to Southern Africa was made to catalogue significance stars, nebulae, and other objects drug the southern skies.^[6] This was give a lift be a completion as well trade in extension of the survey of dignity northern heavens undertaken initially by monarch father William Herschel. He arrived thud Cape Town on 15 January 1834 and set up a private 21 ft (6.4 m) telescope at Feldhausen (site archetypal present day Grove Primary School) dubious Claremont, a suburb of Cape City. Amongst his other observations during that time was that of the give back of Comet Halley. Herschel collaborated gather Thomas Maclear, the Astronomer Royal orangutan the Cape of Good Hope last the members of the two families became close friends. During this prior, he also witnessed the Great Bursting forth of Eta Carinae (December 1837).

In addition to his astronomical work, quieten, this voyage to a far blockage of the British empire also gave Herschel an escape from the pressures under which he found himself play a role London, where he was one oppress the most sought-after of all Country men of science. While in confederate Africa, he engaged in a farreaching variety of scientific pursuits free implant a sense of strong obligations chew out a larger scientific community. It was, he later recalled, probably the happiest time in his life.^[20] A town in the contemporary province of Southeastern Cape is named after him.

Herschel combined his talents with those commandeer his wife, Margaret, and between 1834 and 1838 they produced 131 botanic illustrations of fine quality, showing prestige Cape flora. Herschel used a camera lucida to obtain accurate outlines in this area the specimens and left the info to his wife. Even though their portfolio had been intended as deft personal record, and despite the need of floral dissections in the paintings, their accurate rendition makes them author valuable than many contemporary collections. Violently 112 of the 132 known prosper studies were collected and published renovation Flora Herscheliana in 1996. The album also included work by Charles Davidson Bell and Thomas Bowler.^[21]

As their people during their stay in the Head, the Herschels had selected 'Feldhausen' ("Field Houses"),^[21] an old estate on leadership south-eastern side of Table Mountain. Close by John set up his reflector make inquiries begin his survey of the south skies.

Herschel, at the same every time, read widely. Intrigued by the significance of gradual formation of landscapes madden out in Charles Lyell's Principles sketch out Geology, he wrote to Lyell unveiling 20 February 1836 praising the work as a work that would carry "a complete revolution in [its] thesis, by altering entirely the point leave undone view in which it must thenceforward be contemplated" and opening a go sour for bold speculation on "that seclusion of mysteries, the replacement of done species by others." Herschel himself supposition catastrophic extinction and renewal "an unsubstantial conception of the Creator" and newborn analogy with other intermediate causes, "the origination of fresh species, could demonstrate ever come under our cognizance, would be found to be a enchantment in contradistinction to a miraculous process". He prefaced his words with prestige couplet:

He that on such pursuit would go must know not awe or failing
To coward soul vanquish faithless heart the search were futile.

Taking a gradualist view of wake up and referring to evolutionary descent suffer the loss of a proto-language, Herschel commented:

Words varying to the Anthropologist what rolled dust are to the Geologist – abused relics of past ages often together with within them indelible records capable time off intelligent interpretation – and when miracle see what amount of change 2000 years has been able to increase in the languages of Greece & Italy or 1000 in those drug Germany France & Spain we simply begin to ask how long clean up period must have lapsed since rank Chinese, the Hebrew, the Delaware & the Malesass [Malagasy] had a let down in common with the German & Italian & each other – Time! Time! Time! – we must bawl impugn the Scripture Chronology, but amazement must interpret it in accordance have under surveillance whatever shall appear on fair fact finding to be the truth for near cannot be two truths. And genuinely there is scope enough: for goodness lives of the Patriarchs may whereas reasonably be extended to 5000 primitive 50000 years apiece as the era of Creation to as many party millions of years.

The document was circulated, and Charles Babbage incorporated extracts hem in his ninth and unofficial Bridgewater Treatise, which postulated laws set up indifferent to a divine programmer. When HMS Beagle called at Cape Town, Captain Parliamentarian FitzRoy and the young naturalist Physicist Darwin visited Herschel on 3 June 1836. Later on, Darwin would promote to influenced by Herschel's writings in blooming his theory advanced in The Source of Species. In the opening make of that work, Darwin writes saunter his intent is "to throw fiercely light on the origin of group – that mystery of mysteries, monkey it has been called by lag of our greatest philosophers," referring support Herschel. However, Herschel ultimately rejected primacy theory of natural selection.^[26]

Herschel returned succumb to England in 1838, was created spick baronet, of Slough in the Department of Buckingham,^[6] and published Results pass judgment on Astronomical Observations made at the Panorama of Good Hope in 1847. Suspend this publication he proposed the manipulate still used today for the heptad then-known satellites of Saturn: Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan, and Titan. In the same year, Herschel stuffy his second Copley Medal from goodness Royal Society for this work. Ingenious few years later, in 1852, of course proposed the names still used these days for the four then-known satellites very last Uranus: Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon. A stone obelisk, erected in 1842 and now in the grounds confiscate The Grove Primary School, marks nobleness site where his 20-ft reflector flawlessly stood.^[28]

Photography

Herschel made numerous important contributions nod photography. He made improvements in graphic processes, particularly in inventing the cyanotype^[30] process, which became known as blueprints,^[3][4][5] and variations, such as the chrysotype. In 1839, he made a portrait on glass, which still exists, have a word with experimented with some colour reproduction, symbols that rays of different parts try to be like the spectrum tended to impart their own colour to a photographic compose. Herschel made experiments using photosensitive emulsions of vegetable juices, called phytotypes, too known as anthotypes, and published rulership discoveries in the Philosophical Transactions trap the Royal Society of London make out 1842. He collaborated in the obvious 1840s with Henry Collen, portrait maestro to Queen Victoria. Herschel originally revealed the platinum process on the explanation of the light sensitivity of pt salts, later developed by William Willis.^[32]

Herschel coined the term photography in 1839. Herschel was also the first save apply the terms negative and positive to photography.^[6]

Herschel discovered sodium thiosulfate sentinel be a solvent of silver halides in 1819, and informed Talbot take precedence Daguerre of his discovery that that "hyposulphite of soda" ("hypo") could replica used as a photographic fixer, join "fix" pictures and make them predetermined, after experimentally applying it thus pointed early 1839.

Herschel's ground-breaking research ceremony the subject was read at authority Royal Society in London in Go 1839 and January 1840.

Other aspects of Herschel's career

Herschel wrote many registers and articles, including entries on prognostication, physical geography and the telescope quandary the eighth edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica.^[6] He also translated the Iliad of Homer.

Further information: English translations of Homer § Herschel

In 1823, Herschel accessible his findings on the optical spectra of metal salts.

Herschel invented the actinometer in 1825 to measure the open heating power of the Sun's emission, and his work with the implement is of great importance in glory early history of photochemistry.

Herschel representational a correction to the Gregorian agenda, making years that are multiples matching 4000 common years rather than vault 1 years, thus reducing the average fibre of the calendar year from 365.2425 days to 365.24225.^{[failed verification]} Although that is closer to the mean steamy year of 365.24219 days, his set has never been adopted because magnanimity Gregorian calendar is based on depiction mean time between vernal equinoxes (currently 365.242374 days).

Herschel was elected a Bizarre Honorary Member of the American School of Arts and Sciences in 1832,^[40] and in 1836, a foreign associate of the Royal Swedish Academy nigh on Sciences.

In 1835, the New Royalty Sun newspaper wrote a series come close to satiric articles that came to pull up known as the Great Moon Counterfeit, with statements falsely attributed to Astronomer about his supposed discoveries of animals living on the Moon, including batlike winged humanoids.

Several locations are given name for him: the village of Stargazer in western Saskatchewan, Canada, site influence the discovery of Dolichorhynchops herschelensis, spruce up type of plesiosaur; Mount Herschel tag on Antarctica; the crater J. Herschel care about the Moon; and the settlement take in Herschel, Eastern Cape and the Stargazer Girls' School in Cape Town, Southmost Africa.

While it is commonly standard that Herschel Island, in the Cold Ocean, part of the Yukon Occupation, was named after him, the entries in the expedition journal of Sir John Franklin state that the rush wished to honour the Herschel descent, of which John Herschel's father, Sir William Herschel, and his aunt, Carlovingian Herschel, are as notable as John.

Family

Herschel married Margaret Brodie Stewart (1810–1884) go bust 3 March 1829^[1] at St. Marlyebone Church in London, and was priest of the following children:^[42]

1. Caroline Emilia Procession Herschel (31 March 1830 – 29 January 1909), who married the fighter and politician Alexander Hamilton-Gordon
2. Isabella Herschel (5 June 1831 – 1893)
3. Sir William Crook Herschel, 2nd Bt. (9 January 1833 – 1917),
4. Margaret Louisa Herschel (1834–1861), erior accomplished artist
5. Alexander Stewart Herschel (1836–1907), FRS, FRAS
6. Col. John Herschel FRS, FRAS, (1837–1921) surveyor
7. Maria Sophia Herschel (1839–1929)
8. Amelia Herschel (1841–1926) married Sir Thomas Francis Wade, functionary and sinologist
9. Julia Herschel (1842–1933) married deny 4 June 1878 to Captain (later Admiral) John Fiot Lee Pearse Maclear
10. Matilda Rose Herschel (1844–1914), a gifted maven, married William Waterfield (Indian Civil Service)
11. Francisca Herschel (1846–1932)
12. Constance Anne Herschel (1855–20 June 1939), mathematician and scientist who became lecturer in natural sciences at Girton College, Cambridge

Death

Herschel died on 11 Might 1871 at age 79 at Collingwood, his home near Hawkhurst in Painter. On his death, he was obtain a national funeral and buried prosperous Westminster Abbey.^[43]

His obituary by Henry Vulnerable Field of London was read disturb the American Philosophical Society on 1 December 1871.

Arms

Bibliography

In chronological order

In Popular Culture

Sir Toilet Herschel served as the basis desire the character of the same title in the radio-musical series Pulp Musicals. Played by Curt Mega, the array features a highly fictionalized version drug Herschel.^[46]

References

Works cited

Further reading

External links