Add MS 88942/1/184

Talbot used this astronomical and mathematical notebook between 1822 and 1824 (the notebook includes the date Feb 11 1824 on a later page). The notebook continues notes on comets commenced in notebook 'A' (Add MS 88942/1/183), begining with notes on the first comet of 1822 discovered in Auriga May 12 by Gambert, and a third comet of 1822 discovered in Cassiopeia by Pons on July 13.

Talbot presents a method to determine whether a past comet is the same as one of known orbit. He discusses mathematical problems of deriving the real cometary path from observations of apparent motion. He records the positions of comets observed during 1822 by Gambart and Pons. Further notes include experiments to determine the eastern deviation of a stone falling from a high tower because of the Earth’s rotation and the use of Atwood’s Machine. Talbot records comments on the methods for making spherical lenses devised by the Bavarian instrument maker Josef Fraunhofer. Talbot describes how to orient an equatorial telescope at the equator to determine the azimuth of a terrestrial object. He also reports on John Herschel’s proposal to employ optical diffraction by using a micrometer in observing double stars. This note is linked to his discussion of double stars in a letter from Milan to Giovanni Amici (August 1823). The notebook includes also notes on Fraunhofer’s procedure for grinding spherical glasses, notes on forming dust figures for sound vibrations, converting sound vibrations to circular movements, notes 'On the figure produced by a vibrating chord', and on the 'Photometer'. The mathematical notes include analytical geometry (in order to describe the movement of the celestial bodies) and conic sections, and the analysis of curves (formulas to describe curves, hyperboles, ellipses, celestial bodies). The individual notes are mostly undated. The notes exceed the mathematical notes in later notebooks from around 1837, in which Talbot is mainly mastering calculations.

Back to front: At the end of the notebook are notes on classical inscriptions in Greek and Latin seen in Florence in October 1822.

Notebook started: 21 Oct 1822. Designated 'B' on outside and inside front cover.