Abstract
Williams frustration at the modest size of the largest mirror at his disposal—the 18 in. of the large 20-ft—had grown steadily, as the months passed and his opinion of the nature of nebulae had shifted from one rival theory to the other. He had paid for the 20-ft out of his savings, but a reflector large enough to satisfy his ambitions would cost a king’s ransom, and the only way to fund it was to hold King George to ransom.
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Notes
- 1.
W. Herschel, Observations tending to investigate the construction of the heavens, Phil. Trans., 74 (1784), 437–451, p. 429.
- 2.
The story of the building of the 40-ft is described in Hoskin (2003a).
- 3.
W. Herschel to J. Banks, Aug. 1785, A. Aspinall (ed.), The Later Correspondence of George III, 1 (Cambridge, 1962), Letter 236.
- 4.
Hoskin (2008a).
- 5.
W. Herschel to W. Shairp, 9 March 1794, RAS Herschel Archive W.1/1, 202–206.
- 6.
On William's claim to the appellation "Sir" see Hanham and Hoskin (2013).
- 7.
Mrs J. Herschel (1879), 309.
- 8.
RAS Herschel Archive W.3/1.8.
- 9.
W. Herschel to J. Banks, 29 Aug. 1789, Lubbock (1933), 163–164.
- 10.
W. Herschel to J. Banks, 4 Sept. 1789, Lubbock (1933), 164–165.
- 11.
W. Herschel, On nebulous stars, properly so called, Phil. Trans., 81 (1791), 71–88, reprinted in Hoskin (2012).
- 12.
W. Herschel, On the periodical star α Herculis, Phil. Trans., 86 (1796), 452–482, p. 457.
- 13.
Charlotte Barrett (ed.), Diaries & Letters of Madame D'Arblay (London, 1905), entry for Aug. 1786.
- 14.
C. A. Lubbock, author's typescript of The Herschel Chronicle, chap. 11, p. 28, William Herschel Museum, Bath, citing the journals of Mrs Charlotte Papendiek.
- 15.
C. Burney to W. Herschel, 3 Sept. 1799, RAS Herschel Archive W.1/13.B.178.
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Hoskin, M. (2014). “One of the Greatest Mechanics of his Day”. In: William and Caroline Herschel. SpringerBriefs in Astronomy. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6875-8_3
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