Papers of George Airy

Correspondence and observations relating to the total solar eclipse of 17-18 August 1868. The first part of the volume deals with the preparations for an expedition to India to observe the eclipse, the acquisition of new instruments, the financial arrangements, and diplomatic approval from the India Office, including a letter from the Under Secretary, H. Merivale. There are pieces on the Austrian and French expeditions and discussions with Major J.F. Tennant on the observations to be taken and the specifications for the instruments with J. Browning. The bulk of the volume is comprised of correspondence with W.J. Foerster, T.E.V. Oppolzer, G.G. Stokes, J.R. Hind, W. De La Rue, J.F.W. Herschel and others on observations and results. There are a number of newspaper accounts from 'The Overland Mail' (India) 'Le Progres Liberal' (France), 'The Ceylon Observer' and 'The Engineer'; prints of the eclipse; and maps denoting the path of the eclipse. There are also three solar photographs and an itinerary of P & O sailings for 1868.

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