First report of the proceedings, recommendations, and transactions of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.

  • British Association for the Advancement of Science.
Date:
1832
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: First report of the proceedings, recommendations, and transactions of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    mometer, from 8 to 8* a. m., at 10 a. m., about 4 p. m., and at 8 and 10 p. m., in order to detect the morning and evening maximum and afternoon minimum, 3 he number of observa- tions was 4410, which, being reduced to a standard hour, (10 p. m.) by methods described at length in the paper, yielded the following results. The maximum of oscillation occurred in spring and summer at 8 or 8£ a. m., and 10 p. m., in autumn and winter at 10 a. m. and 8 p. m. Taking these hours, and selecting the actual maxima, the amounts of Oscillation are found to be Morning. Evening. Spring .0213 .. .0202 Summer .0181 .. .0151 Autumn .0136 .. .0079 Winter .0031 .. .0031 After comparing the results of his observations with an exten- sive collection of those of other observers in various latitudes, Mr. Forbes proceeded to investigate formulae which should ex- press with the least error the general amount of oscillations in different latitudes, at the level of the sea. For this the paper itself, which will appear in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, must be consulted, as also for various indications of the influence which elevation above the sea, the season of the year, and the absolute mean temperature of the place, have in modifying the amount and period of occur- rence of the phenomenon. The following extract of a letter from Sir James South to Dr. Brewster, dated Observatory, Kensington, Sept. 29, 1831, was read by the Secretary. “ Should the York Meeting not have terminated its labours, and should you think it worth the trouble, I wish you would call the attention of any astronomers that may be there, to the anomaly which sometimes attends the transits of the satellites of Jupiter, over the planet’s face. Generally speak- H