Schreiben von Dr. Gould, Director der Sternwarte in Cordoba, an den Herausgeber

✍ Scribed by Dr. B. A. Gould

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1883
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 212 KB
• Volume: 104
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0004-6337
• DOI: 10.1002/asna.18831040903

✦ Synopsis

To d es-Anzeig e.

James Challis was born on the lzth of December 1803 at Braintree in Essex. He took his B. A. degree at Cambridge in 1825, when he obtained the highest place in the List of Mathematical Honours. In the following year he was elected a Fellow of Trinity College, about the end of 1835 he was appointed to succeed M. Airy (now Sir George B. Airy) as Plumian Professor of Astronomy ,and Experimental Philosophy, and Director of the Cambridge Observatory.

Professor Challis was very active and conscientious in the discharge of his duties. Besides publishing twelve volumes chiefly of Meridian observations, he made numerous Equatorial Observations of the Minor Planets and Comets, many of which he communicated to the > Astronomische Nachrichten.<

In August 1846, Professor Challis undertook a systematic search for the planet Neptune, and actually obtained two observations of the planet several weeks before its discovery at Berlin, although he did not recognize it as a planet until he compared his observations after the discovery had been made. He also gave lectures on Optics, Hydrostatics, and the use of Astronomical instruments. He resigned the directorship of the Observatory in 1861, but he held the Plumian Professorship until his death on the 3rd of December and discharged its duties with efficiency until about 3 years ago, when he was incapacitated by illness, and a Deputy was appointed to perform them. He was highly esteemed for his kindly disposition and his gentle unassuming manners, and his character inspired respect and attachment in all with whom he was brought into intimate contact. He passed away without suffering when he had nearly completed his 79th year.