A little ramble through the Astronomical register January 1863 - The Elchies Equatorial

In the number of the ‘Monthly Notices’ for November last, will be found a very interesting account of the great equatorial telescope by the late Mr A Ross, which was shown at the 1851 Exhibition.

It is the property of Mr Grant, of Elchies, Morayshire; - the focal length is 16 feet, and aperture 11 inches: the mounting on the German plan, is by Ransome & May, of Ipswich. The declination and polar axes are about 5 feet long and six inches in diameter; the circles are discs of gun metal, 30 inches in diameter and one inch thick. One portion of the stand consists of 1 tons of iron, the greatest quantity ever cast into a single piece for any astronomical instrument.

The climate of Great Britain very unfavourable to the performance of large telescopes of this character: in the ‘Monthly Notices’ of March 1oth 1854, Mr Grant gives two drawings of Mars, one which, taken with a five feet telescope in India, he says is “actually a little world”, - that taken with the great telescope described above is not nearly so distinct in details,- and he adds, “ I doubt whether the large glass would show it equally well, even were the weather favourable”.

Professor C P Smyth, who made several observations with the Elchies Equatorial last September says, “there were only two occasions during the week when I had the good fortune to witness, for a few minutes each time, a cessation of those atmospheric disturbances on the which the definition of stars seen in a good telescope so greatly depends.” This is but proof, that an instrument of moderate size is more generally useful in this country than one of excessive proportions.

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Cooke Telescope Tales - Cookes and the Mayflower 2

Scientific Instruments made by the York based company Cooke Troughton and Simms which was formed in 1922 were sent across the Atlantic Ocean on board the Mayflower 2.

 The Mayflower 2 sailed on April 20^th 1957 from Plymouth in Devon replicating the original voyage of the Mayflower in 1620. The Mayflower 2  arrived in Plymouth Massachusetts on June 22^nd 1957 and was then towed to New York City on July 1^st 1957.

 The instruments were placed in a treasure chest where when it arrived in New York City was greeted by President Eisenhower. It then became a tourist attraction with its treasures including the Cooke Troughton and Simms instruments being seen by tourists.

 The instruments which were inscribed to commemorate their method of transport will eventually be taken by the company’s representatives in the cities of Boston, Chicago, and the states of California and Colorado.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

A little ramble through Pegasus the Flying Horse

 The winged horse of Greek mythology, born from the blood of Medusa after she was slain by Perseus, who can be found nearby in the sky.

The most famous feature is the great square outlined by 4 stars. Strangely and for some unknown reason the top left-hand star of the square which used to be known as delta Pegasi has now been transferred to Andromeda where it has become alpha Andromedae.

To the Arab astronomers the square of Pegasus was known as Al Dalw or the Water Bucket

The great square which covers a large area and contains surprisingly few naked eye stars, look at the square you will do well to see a dozen stars.

Alpha or Markab which means Saddle is the bottom right-hand star of the square  its magnitude is 2.5 but is believed to be variable, it is an A class star with a temperature of 9,500’C and is 133 light years away.

Beta or Scheat which means Shoulder is the top right-hand star of the square it varies in brightness between magnitude 2.4-2.7. It is a red M class giant star with a temperature of 3,500’C. The star is 196 light years away.

Gamma or Algenib which means Wing or Side is the bottom left hand star of the square with a magnitude of 2.8, lying 390 light years away. It is a B class star with a temperature of 20,000’ C

Epsilon or Enif which means Nose is 690 light years away and we see it as at magnitude 2.4, it’s an orange K class supergiant star with a temperature of 3,500’C.

Eta or Matar which means Lucky Star of Rain has a magnitude of 2.9 lying 167 light years away. It is a G class giant star with a temperature of 4,700’C.

For a large constellation Pegasus contains few nebulae or clusters, the only object that will interest us is M15 an outstandingly bright globular cluster at magnitude 6.2 which can easily be seen through binoculars. M15 at 12 billion years old it is one of the oldest known. M15 is about 33,600 light years away and is about 175 light years in diameter and contains around 100,000 stars.

                                                     www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - Mu Dorado

Nature November 2^nd 1876

Mu Doradus

This star, which was called a fifth magnitude by Lacaille at the end of 1751, and a sixth by Brisbane was observed by Moesta from February 1860 to January 1861 of 8.9m or 9m only.

Perhaps one of our southern readers will put upon record the actual magnitude of this star, the period of which as Moesta remarked would appear to be one of considerable length.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - gamma Centaurus in 1857

 Nature June 15^th 1876

The double star gamma Centauri

Will one of our southern readers put upon record the actual angle of position and distance of this object, to decide upon the direction and amount of motion which at present are by no means obvious?

Capt. Jacobs’ measures in December 1857 showed that the star was widening as compared to his estimates in March of the preceding year, but he found a retrograde change of angle to the amount of 7 degrees, whereas the angle of 1856 compared with Sir John Herschel’s measures of 1835-36, rather point to direct motion.

Capt. Jacobs says in 1857, “Has opened sensibly since 1853, being now an easy object, whereas then under the most favourable circumstances it could only just be discerned as not round”

                                                     www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

The Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio

 Join me, Martin Lunn MBE every Monday evening from 7.00 pm-9.00 pm on the award-winning Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio, probably the only regular astronomy show on any radio station in the country. 

I will take my weekly look at the night sky and look at all the latest news in astronomy. There will be the astronomical anniversaries this week plus the latest news from the astronomical societies in the north of England.

The Astronomy Show every Monday evening only on Drystone Radio live online at www.drystoneradio.com DAB radio in Bradford and East Lancashire, or 102 and 103.5 FM and can also be heard later on the Drystone Radio Podcast.

Cooke Telescope Tales - comet photographed from Ceylon in 1901

The comet of 1901 was photographed by Captain P B Molesworth at the Tricomali observatory in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)  on May 13^th 1901 using a Cooke & Sons camera lens of 8.42 inch focal length. 

The comet had three tails, two slightly diverging, separated by a dark streak; the third is peculiar, as it does not diverge from the nucleus but from a point just behind it. The comet is moving  daily two degrees E N E and has caused quire a sensation among the locals. 

Molesworth was using Klein’s Star Atlas to plot the course of the comet. 

MY NOTE 

This is comet Viscara, which was discovered in Uruguay on April 12^th 1901 as a naked eye comet and at its brightest it reached magnitude 1.0. This comet was a southern hemisphere object. It faded from naked eye view on May 20^th but was visible in telescopes through until October 1901.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through Pavonis the Peacock

 Introduced by Johann Bayer in 1603 it is one of a series of celestial birds in this region of the sky including Apus, Grus, Phoenix and Tucana. The constellation cannot be seen from Britain as it is located close to the south pole star.

In mythology the peacock was sacred to Juno, goddess of the heavens. According to legend Juno sent a creature with 100 eyes called Argus to watch over a white heifer; Juno guessed that this heifer was the form into which her husband Jupiter had turned one of illicit lovers the nymph Io.

At Jupiter’s request Mercury decapitated the watchful Argus and released the heifer. Juno place the 100 eyes of Argus on the peacock’s tail.

The Chinese also saw the constellation as a peacock and called it Joo Tseo

Alpha also known as peacock magnitude 1.9 and is a B class star  with a surface temperature of 17,000’C lying at a distance 179 light years.

The second brightest star is Beta with a magnitude of 3.4  and is an A class star with a temperature of 8,000’C and is 135 light years away.

NGC 6752 a globular cluster. It is the third brightest in the sky, with a magnitude of 5.4 after Omega Centauri and 47 Tucanae, NGC 6752 was first identified by one James Dunlop of Parramatta, Australia on 30 June 1826, who described it as an irregular bright nebula which could be resolved into a cluster of many stars, highly compressed at the centre. This corresponds with a core region densely populated with stars around 1.3 light-years in diameter,

                                                    www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - new camera equipment in France in 1876

 Nature October 12^th 1876

Dr Janssen is devising construction of an automatic photographic revolver, which will take a photograph of the Sun every hour each day of the year from sunrise to sunset. The photographs which will be taken under cloudy conditions, will be useless so far as sunspots are concerned, but they might be utilised for meteorological purposes.

The others will be kept and tabulated. The advantage of this plan it will dispense with any observer and will obtain a mechanical regularity.  A communication will be made very shortly to the Academy of Sciences on the invention which was suggested by the discussion on the Transit of Venus.

It will be set to work in the physical observatory of Dr Janssen.

                                                     www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke telescope Tales - comet Halley photographed from Egypt in 1910

 On January 24^th, 25^th, 27^th and 28^th 1910 Halley’s Comet was photographed by Mr Knox-Shaw at the Helwan observatory in Egypt using a 4 inch Thomas Cooke & Sons telescope. The photographs showed the twin tails and southerly secondary tail.

 The Cooke telescope was attached to a 30 inch reflector that had been purchased in 1902, the reflector was made by A A Common.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - meteor seen over France in 1876

 Nature October 5^th 1876

Observations have been published by several French provincial papers on the meteor of September 24^th. One of the most accurate was in the Echo du Nord  published at Lille. The apparent diameter of the meteor has been stated to have been equal to the Moon in opposition; The same measure was given by M Mamberger, the member for Dunkirk, as reported by that gentleman in a letter to M Leverrier.

The position of the meteor was below Ursa Major, on the eastern side at 20 degrees from the horizon for Lille. The time in Dunkirk and Lille was the same, 6h and 40 m local time, Dunkirk being a few minutes behind owing to the western longitude. The colour was almost the same having been described as reddish blue at Dunkirk and reddish violet at Lille.

A surgeon at Dunkirk said he heard a hissing sound; a sound was also heard at Lille b y a number of people. It was an explosion according to ear witnesses and took place three minutes before the appearance. If correct the observation s shows a distance of about 60 kilometres.

M. Leverrier is collecting and examining statements before entering into a calculation. The light was seen by him at the observatory, as reported before the French Academy of Sciences on the following day. It was seen by a number of persons in Paris. The cloud of burning matter and ashes was observed for a considerable time -0 at least fifteen minutes.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke Telescope Tales - 1898 solar eclipse observed in India

 Total Solar Eclipse, January 22^nd 1898 English Preparations by Edward Maunder FRAS 

The English astronomers observed the January 22^nd 1898 eclipse of the Sun from various sites. The telescopes  are all achromatic Cooke lenses of 4.5 inch aperture, 5 feet 10 inches focus, and a single quartz lens of 5 inch aperture, 4 feet 9 inches focus   

The third station at Wardha, on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway from Bombay to Nagpur, will be occupied by Mr Newall, who proposes to use a large spilt spectroscope, with two prisms of 62 degrees, in the attempt to determine the speed of rotation of the corona by the relative displacements of its lines as observed east and west of the Sun. 

In the same neighbourhood, Captain Hills will probably fix his apparatus, which will consist of two slit spectroscopes, having the slit tangential to the Sun’s limb at the point of second contact and diametral receptively. The slits are 1.5 x 0.004 inches and 2 x 0.004 inches respectively; and the prisms are, for the first spectroscope, of two flint prisms of 60 degrees, 4.5 inch base, 2.5 inch height at maximum deviation for Hydrogen gamma and for the second spectroscope, of four quartz prisms of 60 degrees, 3.25 inch base, 2.75 inch height at maximum deviation for Hydrogen epsilon. The collimator and camera lenses are single quartz lenses, of 2.5 inch aperture , 30 inch focus and 3 inch aperture and 36 inch focus.

                                                     www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

 

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - diameter of Vesta in 1876

 Nature September 28^th 1876

At the opposition of 1855, this brightest of the minor planet group, which during the last spring, as in previous favourable oppositions, was discernible to the naked eye, was observed by Prof Secchi to present a diameter but little inferior to that of the first satellite of Jupiter and he estimated it at 0.8 seconds; this we find corresponds to a true diameter of 450 m lies.

                                                         www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

The Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio

 Join me, Martin Lunn MBE every Monday evening from 7.00 pm-9.00 pm on the award-winning Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio, probably the only regular astronomy show on any radio station in the country. 

I will take my weekly look at the night sky and look at all the latest news in astronomy. There will be the astronomical anniversaries this week plus the latest news from the astronomical societies in the north of England.

The Astronomy Show every Monday evening only on Drystone Radio live online at www.drystoneradio.com DAB radio in Bradford and East Lancashire, or 102 and 103.5 FM and can also be heard later on the Drystone Radio Podcast.

 

A little ramble through Orion the Hunter

Without doubt the brightest and grandest constellation in the sky.

In one Greek story Orion was boasting to a large crowd of people of all the animals he had killed, however he did not see a scorpion creeping up behind him. The scorpion stung him on the ankle and killed him. The gods were so impressed with his boasting that he was placed in the sky forever. So was the clever scorpion. To make sure they could never meet again Orion was placed in the winter sky while the scorpion was placed in the summer sky.

In Egypt Orion was seen as Horus in a boat surrounded by stars while the Arabs saw Orion as Al Jabbar the Giant or Al Babadur the Strong One.

In Hindu astronomy Orion was seen as Praja-pati seen chasing his daughter across the sky, the daughter being Aldebaran the brightest star in Taurus. In China Orion was the White Tiger.

The Anglo Saxons called it Ebuorung referring to the Milky Way, while the Vikings called the constellation Goddess Frigg or Mother Earth.

Alpha Orion of Betelgeuse which means The Armpit of the Central One. Most other astronomers from various civilisations refer to Betelgeuse as an Arm. Betelgeuse is the star that some people like to refer to as Beetlejuice.

Betelgeuse is the 9th brightest star in the sky. It varies in brightness between 0.4-1.3 these variations were first reported in 1836 by John Herschel, the son of William Herschel who discovered the planet Uranus in 1781.  When at its faintest it is decidedly fainter than Rigel. During the winter of 2019-2020 Betelgeuse became very faint causing astronomers to wonder if it was in the process of going supernova. It wasn’t, Betelgeuse produced a massive flare that blocked some of the light from the star.  The star has in fact been as faint as this before in 1927. It is a red supergiant star entering its final phase and will probably go supernova within the next 1 million years.   It is 642 light years away and is a M class supergiant with a temperature of around 3,300’ C.

Beta or Rigel is usually referred to as The Left Foot of the Giant, however the Arab astronomer Al Sufi in his star catalogue called it Rai al Jauzah or The Herdsman of the Camels. Rigel is the 7th brightest star in the sky at mag 0.1. It is 863 light years away and is a B class supergiant star with a temperature of around 12,000’ C and like Betelgeuse will end up going supernova.

Gamma or Bellatrix which means the conqueror or Amazon star is the 3rd brightest star in Orion. Al Sufi referred to the star as Al Ruzam or the Lion.  It has a magnitude of 1.6 and lies at 250 light years. It is a B class giant with a temperature of 21,500’ C.

There is a Harry potter connection with Bellatrix because one of the characters form the Harry potter stories is Bellatrix Lestrange. I think she was one of the baddies.

Orion’s Belt is formed of three stars and from left to right they are;

Zeta or Alnitak which means the Girdle is the left-hand star of the belt. Alnitak has a magnitude of 2.0 and is 1200 light years distant. It is one of the rare O class supergiant stars with a temperature of 29,000’C. Alnitak will become a supernova in the future

Epsilon or Alnilam which means String of Pearls at magnitude 1.6 is the 4th brightest star in Orion. Alnilam is the middle star of the belt. Its distance is about 2,000 light years, and is a B class supergiant with a temperature of 27,000’C. It will also go supernova in the future.

Delta or Mintaka the right-hand star of the belt its name means the Belt, its magnitude is 2.2 and also lies 1200 light years away, another of the rare O class stars with a temperature of 29,000’C, and as with Alnitak, Mintaka will become a supernova.

Kappa or Saiph which means The Right Leg of the Giant is of magnitude 2.1 and lies 650 light years away, it is a B class star with a temperature of 26,000’C.

Iota or Na’ir al Saif, which means "the Bright One of the Sword is the brightest star in the asterism known as the sword of Orion, magnitude 2.8 and lying at a distance of 2,300 light years. Like many of the stars in Orion it is one of the rare O class giant stars with a temperature of 32,000’C. As with the O class stars in Orion, it will become a supernova in the future.

Messier 42/43

Below the stars that form Orion’s Belt is the Orion Nebula, an area of the galaxy where stars are being formed.

One of the great mysteries in visual astronomy is that Galileo apparently never noticed the great nebula in Orion. There also appears to be no record of it in medieval records either. Yet here is one of the grandest naked eye nebulae in the heavens just below the famous Orion belt stars. It could not possibly have been missed by Galileo and is especially puzzling. It is also interesting that the Arab astronomers including Al Sufi had recorded the much fainter nebula in Andromeda M31 but not the Orion nebula. What could have been going on? The first mention in western records is around 1615.

There are hundreds of stars being formed here today. The Orion nebula is an enormous cloud of gas about 40 light years in diameter. The cloud is illuminated by a group of four stars known as the Trapezium, these four jewels are between magnitude 5 to 8, all the stars which are very young being about 1 million years old and there are thousands of unseen stars between 300,000 to 1 million years old. The nebula is about 1600 light years away.

M43 is a separate nebula often overlooked because of its close proximity to the Great Orion Nebula, it is separated from M42 by a dark lane of gas known as the Fish Mouth. M43 surrounds a 7th magnitude star known as Bond’s star. To see M43 you have to block the light from M42. 

M78

A diffuse nebula with a magnitude 8.3 and lying at a distance of 1,300 light years, above and to the right of the star Alnitak. You would need a pair of binoculars just to glimpse it.

Surrounding Orion is the Barnard Loop, this is the remains of a supernova that exploded about 2 million years ago. It was first photographed by Edward Barnard in 1883; it can be seen with the eye under the best of conditions. There are suggestions that it was seen by the Vikings over 1,000 years ago.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

 

Cooke Telescope Tales - astronomy photographs taken in 1853

Some of the early astronomical photographs were taken in England by astronomers using Thomas Cooke & Sons telescopes.

 In 1853 John Phillips in the Museum Gardens in York using a 6.25 inch telescope photographed the Moon. In 1857 Mr Fry using Mr Howell’s 6.5 inch telescope in Brighton were amongst the first astrophotographers. 

At this period of time telescopes were designed for visual use and all the gentlemen astronomers had the problem using refractors of the difference between the actinic and visual foci. Reflecting telescopes did not suffer from such problems. 

The negatives obtained by both Phillips and Fry were about 1 inch in diameter.

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A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - telescope lens in France in 1876

 Nature September 14^th 1876

The council of the Paris Observatory has resolved to attempt the manufacture of object glasses by machinery instead of by hand. The mechanical cutting of flint and crown glass will be executed by M Lessautre, the well known clock maker, who prepares the optical part of the French lighthouses by machinery.

                                                        www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke Telescope Tales - The Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1855

The last French Monarch of France Napoleon III who was nephew to the Emperor Napoleon was rebuilding Paris in 1855 and wanted he Exposition of that year to be the most impressive. The Paris Expositions were begun in 1789. 

Although Napoleon wanted it to be the greatest art and industrial event ever staged it had already been eclipsed by the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace in Britain in 1851. The exposition would run from June to November 1855. 

This exhibition allowed Cooke to become known in Europe. Among the exhibitors was Thomas Cooke of York who took the brave step of exhibiting a variety of optical equipment including a 7.5 inch equatorial with a clock work drive. 

Cooke was exhibitor No. 392 and was described as selling astronomical and nautical instruments. He was in the 8^th section ‘Arts connected with Science and Education’. 

For Cooke it was a great success not only because he won a First Class Medal for his 7.5 inch telescope he also made some very good contacts including the astronomer Warren De La Rue. 

He also met Lt Gen Edward Sabine, astronomer, geophysicist and explorer and Lt Col Strange from the East India Company, the latter two would be very important in ensuring that Cooke theodolites being used in the great survey of India. 

He also introduced himself to the astronomers of Europe and in the following years there would be orders for telescopes and observatories from countries such as Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Russia and Sweden.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - new nebulae in 1876

 Nature August 17^th 1876

M Stephan, Director of the Observatory at Marseilles, has communicated to the Pars Academy a list of twenty-three new nebulae detected with the Foucault telescope of 0.80m, aperture, which raises the number of such discoveries, so far published to 120; but M Stephan mentions that he has approximately positions of about 400 new nebulae.

As might be expected the twenty-three new nebulae are mostly very faint;

                                                        www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke Telescope Tales - telescope for Eton in 1870

In 1870 one of the masters possible H G Madan at Eton School decided that they would provide a telescope. They chose a 5.9 in Thomas Cooke & Sons Refractor. The observatory was also made by Cookes. The observatory was erected on the roof of the western tower of the New Schools. It is square and surmounted by a revolving dome. 

Although a telescope on a roof will never be completely free from vibration it is reduced to a minimum by supporting the telescope on two massive trussed iron girders stretching across the observatory. The floor is supported quite independently. 

The telescope which was up the normal Cooke standards was supplied with the new Cooke clockwork driving system which was designed by the late Thomas Cooke.

 The science master at Eton School was  H G Madan who was the brother of Falconer Madan who was himself the grandfather of Venetia Burney who suggested the name Pluto for that newly discovered planet in 1930. 

I believe that the Eton telescope is still in use today in a different observatory located next to Eton Golf Course and is used by the Herschel Astronomical Society.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer

Ophiuchus is one of three large constellations visible in the summer months in the southern part of the sky, the others being Hercules and Serpens which are all formed of faint stars.

Ophiuchus is an ancient constellation depicting an elderly  man encoiled by a serpent. In the night sky today, Ophiuchus clearly had the best of the struggle with the serpent as it is n ow depicted in two halves one being the body of the serpent the other being its head.

 He is identified to the Greeks as a mythological forerunner of Hippocrates who served as the ship’s surgeon aboard the ship the Argo., with Jason looking for the golden fleece.

It was said the medical work of Ophiuchus was so great he could bring the dead back to life. He tried but failed to b ring Orion back to life after he had been stung by a scorpion. 

In Rome, Pliny considered that the stars that formed Ophiuchus were dangerous to mankind through the killing of people by poisoning.

The brightest star alpha is known as Rasalhague which means ‘Head of the Serpent Charmer’ it has a magnitude of mag 2.1 and is an A class giant star with a surface temperature 7,500’C which is much hotter than the Sun. Rasalhague is 47 light years away.

Eta or to the Arabs Saik or the Driver is of magnitude 2.4 and is 88 light years away. It is an A class  star with a temperature of 9,600’C

Beta or Alrai which means The heart of the Shepherd is a magnitude mag 2.8 star lying 82 light years away. Alrai is a K class giant star with a surface temperature of 4,100’C.

Delta or Yed Prior which means ‘Hand’ is of magnitude 2.8 and is a M class red giant with a temperature of 3,400’C lying at 171 light years away. In China the star is known as Leang or Mast.

In 1604 Johannes Kepler saw a supernova in Ophiuchus, a supernova is a star that destroys itself in a massive explosion.  the last easily This was the last bright supernova to be seen in our galaxy. It reached a magnitude of -2.1 and was visible to the naked eye for around 18 months. This was before the first use of the telescope for astronomical uses which was in 1609.

Probably the most famous star in Ophiuchus is one that cannot be seen without binoculars or telescopes this is Barnard’s star a 9th magnitude star only 6.1 light years away, the fourth closest to the Sun after the 3 stars in the alpha centauri group. It was found by Edward Emmerson Barnard in 1916. It is a red dwarf star.

There are a large number of Messier objects in Ophiuchus

 

Messier 9

Globular cluster discovered in 1764 mag 9.3 one of the closer globular at a distance of 5,500 light years.

Messier 10

Globular mag 6.4 discovered in 1764 diameter of 83 light years 13,400 light years

Messier 12

Globular discovered in 1764 15,700 light years away mag 7.7 diameter 75 light years

Messier 14

Globular cluster mag 7.6 30,000 light years away and 100 light years across

Messier 19

Globular cluster discovered in 1764 mag 7.5 28,000light years across

Messier 62

Globular cluster discovered in 1771 magnitude 6.4 and 22,000 light years away

Messier 107

Globular cluster probably seen by Messier in 1782 and is 21,000 light years away and is of magnitude 8.9

The following are not in the |Messier list

IC 4665 

An open cluster at mag 4.2 visible to naked eye, also binoculars or small telescope. For some reason it was not catalogued by messier it lies at 1,400 light years away and is about 40 million years old.

NGC 6633

Open cluster mag 4.6 again not catalogued by Messier it contains about 30 stars and is around 660 million years old.

Although not classified as a zodiacal constellation Ophiuchus does lie in the zodiac. It can be found between the constellations of Sagittarius and Scorpio. This means that there are times when planets can be found passing through Ophiuchus.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

 

 

The Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio

 Join me, Martin Lunn MBE every Monday evening from 7.00 pm-9.00 pm on the award-winning Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio, probably the only regular astronomy show on any radio station in the country. 

I will take my weekly look at the night sky and look at all the latest news in astronomy. There will be the astronomical anniversaries this week plus the latest news from the astronomical societies in the north of England.

The Astronomy Show every Monday evening only on Drystone Radio live online at www.drystoneradio.com DAB radio in Bradford and East Lancashire, or 102 and 103.5 FM and can also be heard later on the Drystone Radio Podcast.

Cooke Telescope Tales - Maurice Farman and the Chevreuse Observatory in 1908

As far as I am aware this is the not the same Maurice Farman who was an early pioneer in the days of flight, but I am always ready to be proved wrong.

 In 1908 while observing at the Chevreuse Observatory near Paris, an observatory I have never heard of before observed 1,100 double stars while using a 9.5 inch Cooke telescope.  

His observations were apparently quite brief and usually consisted of just one line of information, many additional notes  were drawn from historical observations of the stars he observed in 1908.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke Telescope Tales - transit of Mercury seen from Mauritius in 1907

The transit of Mercury was observed on November 14^th 1907 from the Royal Alfred Observatory in Mauritius using a Cooke 6 inch refractor. The transit which was seen through a partly  cloudy sky and the limb of the Sun was described as being boiling. Mercury appeared as a clear cut black disc, perfectly circular with no spot or fringe. 

There were 11 photographs taken during the transit with the 6 inch Cooke. The telescope  had ben supplied to Mauritius by the colonial government in1874 in order to observe the transit of Venus.

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Cooke Telescope Tales - The disorderly apprentice in 1859

 On Thursday November 3^rd 1859 J Chadwick esq apprentice summoned Mr Cooke, optician and mathematical instrument maker to the magistrates at the Guildhall in York for refusing to teach him his grade. 

Mr Cooke said that J Chadwick had grossly misbehaved and had absented himself on one or two occasions. Under these circumstances Mr Cooke refused to receive the lad into his service. 

The magistrate ordered the lad’s indentures to be dismissed. J Chadwick has since joined the Cape Mounted Rifles in South Africa.

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A little ramble through Octans the Octant

 Octans the Octant-Southern Hemisphere

The constellation that contains the South Pole star, despite this privileged position, Octans is faint and unremarkable. There is no southern equivalent of Polaris, the North Pole star. The nearest star to the south celestial pole is Sigma Octantis with a magnitude of only 5.5 which lies about 1 degree from the pole. 

The constellation of Octans commemorates the instrument known as the Octant, a forerunner of the sextant, invented by the English astronomer John Hadley and used by him for measuring star positions.

The constellation was introduced by Nicolas Lacaille during his stay at the Cape of Good Hope and its dullness is a memorial to his dreadful lack of imagination.

There are a few northern references to a south pole star, the Hindu’s referred to it as Dramasa, while the Arab astronomers either knew or guessed that there would be a south pole without giving it a name.

The brightest star is Nu an orange K class giant star with a brightness of magnitude of 3.7 lying at a distance of 64 light years.

Sigma the South Pole Star shines with a brightness of magnitude 5.5 and lies at a distance of 281 light years. Sigma is a F class giant star with a temperature of 7,200’C.

Cooke Telescope Tales - telescope for Macclesfield in 1864

Thomas Davenport of Macclesfield purchased from Thomas Cooke in 1864 a small telescope. It had a lens of 2.5 inches and came with a terrestrial eyepiece and leather sling case. I assume this was not for astronomical work. 

Davenport later in 1868 purchased from Thomas Cooke a brass pillar and claw table stand and two astronomical eyepieces. I don’t know if this was to mount the telescope he purchased in 1864 or if it was for another instrument.

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A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - meteor over Sweden in 1876

 Nature August 3^rd 1876

A fall of meteorites, we learn from Aftonblad, took place on June 28^th, between 11.00 and 12.00 am near Stalldalen, a station non the Swedish Central Railway, in the northern most part of Orebrolan. Several fell, some on the ground and others in a lake. Two were found, one about the size of the fist band weighing 4.5 lbs, the other smaller.

Eyewitnesses stated that a loud whistling was first heard in the air from west to east, and a light was plainly distinguishable; although the sky was clear and cloudless, thereafter two very sharp reports were heard, the second succeeding the first after a momentary interval, followed by several others less sharp, resembling thunder, after which the falling stones were observed by eight or ten persons; and finally, there was seen in the air a whirling smoke, not very high up.

A meteor was observed simultaneously at Stockholm and at other places. At thirteen English miles south west of Linkoping it was seen first in a north westerly direction pretty high up in the sky, and it then sank down in about ten seconds towards the horizon in the west. It had the appearance of a large pear a foot long, which, notwithstanding the bright sunshine, left behind a clear shinning streak of six to eight feet in appearance length, which finally broke up into a multitude of starlike sparks. Here no noise was heard.

According to a communication from the Stockholm Meteorological Bureau, there is reason to believe that the phenomenon arose from the “Kulblixt” which generally appears as a luminous round object, and often on approaching the ground, assumes a lengthened form and a blinding white colour, and bursts asunder, commonly with a loud report. As all who observed the meteor, both in Stockholm and in Sodernanland , saw the luminous appearance in the same direction, viz. W N W, it is probable that the light proceeded from the main mass of the meteor situated at a very great distance.

The phenomenon observed here at Stockholm must therefore have been an illusion, the object, instead of being, as most people estimated, within a few thousand feet, being actually at a great distance.

Later information shows that the phenomenon was visible over a great part of middle Sweden.

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Cooke Telescope Tales - telescope for sale in Ormskirk in 1968

 A Cooke Troughton 5 inch telescope was being offered for sale in Ormskirk by W A Howe in 1968. There was also a 14 foot diameter dome observatory for sale. 

The fact that this was advertised as a Cooke Troughton telescopes suggest it was post a relatively modern instrument being a post 1922 instrument.

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The Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio

 Join me, Martin Lunn MBE every Monday evening from 7.00 pm-9.00 pm on the award-winning Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio, probably the only regular astronomy show on any radio station in the country. 

I will take my weekly look at the night sky and look at all the latest news in astronomy. There will be the astronomical anniversaries this week plus the latest news from the astronomical societies in the north of England.

The Astronomy Show every Monday evening only on Drystone Radio live online at www.drystoneradio.com DAB radio in Bradford and East Lancashire, or 102 and 103.5 FM and can also be heard later on the Drystone Radio Podcast.

 

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - Mira Ceti in 1779

Nature July 6^th 1876

Mira Ceti

Reference is often made in treatises on astronomy to the unusual degree of brilliancy attained by this variable star at the maximum of 1779.

From the observations of Bode, Herschel and Wargentin, we have the following particulars of the augmentation and diminution of brightness in that year.

Aug 22 – Invisible in an ordinary 2 feet telescope

Sept 8 – Seen with the same instrument but very faint

Sept 18 Immediately visible to the naked eye according to Herschel. Bode estimated it magnitude 4

Oct 5 and Oct 6 – Already much brighter than Menkar (alpha Ceti)

Oct 15- Oct 19 – Equal to alpha Arietis on the 15^th and still brighter on the 19^th; the light reddish

Oct 30 – According to Wargentin, it was equal to Aldebaran and of the same colour, or even of the redness of Mars which was observable the same night. In a 10 feet achromatic Mira shot out vivid red rays. Herschel considered it midway in brightness between alpha Arietis and Aldebaran.

Nov 2 – There was even an increase, in the judgement of Herschel

Nov 11 – Visible as early as Aldebaran and Mars

Nov 20 – As bright as, but not brighter than stars of the second magnitude, according to Herschel, but on the 25^th much brighter than Menkar, though less than Aldebaran according to Wargentin

Dec 4 – Only equal to alpha Arietis

Dec 7 and Dec 10 – So much diminished since November 25, that it was now hardly equal to Menkar, and its colour was now whiter.

Dec 25 – Before the Moon rose equal to gamma Ceti, or of the third magnitude

Dec 29 – Only a little brighter than the fourth magnitude; not equal to gamma or delta Ceti

Argelander gives for the date of maximum Nov 6 1779

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Cooke Telescope Tales - two telescopes for sale in Newcastle in 1945

Two Cooke telescopes were being offered for sale in Newcastle in 1945 by Hartley Hopper. One was a 4 inch and the other was a 5 inch. I don’t have any information regarding the histories of these two telescopes.

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Cooke Telescope Tales - Telescope for sale in Manchester in 1952

 In 1952 a telescope with a 5 inch lens made by Thomas Cooke & Sons was for sale. It was the property of Mr H L Dilks who I believe had been a previous president of the Manchester Astronomical Society between 1937 - 45. As is often the case I don’t know who might have owned the telescope before Mr Dilks. 

Although the lens and equatorial mount, iron pillar and clockwork drive were made by Cooke the tube and finder telescope had been made by Wary. 

In addition to the telescope a small portable wooden observatory was also offered for sale.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

A little ramble through 19thy century astronomy - few sunspots in 1876

 Nature June 22^nd 1876

According to the photographs taken daily at Montmartre by M. Janssen , no spots have now been noticed on the Sun since March 25^th. At the last meeting of the Paris Academy, M. Leverrier announced that in addition to the solar work to be carried out by M. Janssen in the new physical observatory of Paris, M. Cornu has been appointed to make corresponding searches in the National Observatory. 

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Cooke Telescope Tales - Charles Pritchard and his telescope

 Charles Pritchard FRAS (1808-1893)  Hurst Hill on the Isle of Wight purchased from Thomas Cooke & Sons in 1865 an equatorial mounting for his Cooke telescope. I can only assume he wanted to upgrade the mounting for the telescope he had . 

In the late 1850s Pritchard had purchased from Cooke & Sons a 6.75 inch telescope. 

Pritchard was elected Savilian professor of Astronomy at Oxford University in 1870. 

In 1882 he undertook the study of the brightness of 2,784 stars, this was an important  project at the time and for this work he was presented with the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1886.

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A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - Montsouris Observatory 1876

 Nature June 8^th 1876

Regular courses of lectures have been established at the Naval Observatory, Montsouris, for the officers of the French National navy attached to the establishment. The general principals of astronomical observations are lectured upon by M. Loewy; Special Naval methods, by Capt. Turquet, the Director of the establishment;  Terrestrial Magnetism, by M. Marie Davy, Director of the Montsouiris Observatory. Spectroscopy, by MK. Cornu; Photography in its application to astronomy, by M. Angot, of the National Observatory of Paris. 

All the observations made by the pupils are submitted to correction, and will be utilised as far as possible for  the improvement of the Connaissance des Temps.

www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke telescope Tales - telescope to Worcester Sauce in 1867

 If you think of Worcester Sauce you may think of Lea & Perrins, what you might struggle to find is a link with astronomy. However in 1867 James Dyson Perrins (1823-1887) purchased a 3.25 inch educational telescope from Thomas Cooke & Sons York. 

James Dyson Perrins was the son of William Henry Perrins who joint founded the company in 1837 with John Wheeley Lea. He would help run the company after the death of his father. 

James was keen to increase the educational institutions in Worcester. He also supported the Public Library and many charitable institutions in Worcester. 

As is often the case I have no further information on what happened to the telescope.

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A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - Athens Observatory 1876

 Nature June 1^st 1876

The Observatory at Athens

The death is announced of Baron Simon von Sina, son of the founder of the observatory at Athens, which has been under the direction of M Bouris and Herr Julius Schmidt.

The deceased Baron is mentioned as a liberal patron of this establishment, though not himself engaged in scientific pursuits, and Herr Schmidt writes doubtfully of the future of the observatory.

Every astronomer will entertain the hope that this most laborious  and successful observer – distinguished not only by his great work upon the Moon, but for his numerous discoveries and observations of variable stars, his long and important series of observations of comets, of short period and otherwise, in which he made excellent use of the advantages of his southern position, and many other valuable contributions to  observational astronomy – may continue to hold, under favourable auspices, the direction of an establishment which his excerptions have made so honourably known in the astronomical world.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

The Astronomy show on Drystone Radio

 Join me, Martin Lunn MBE every Monday evening from 7.00 pm-9.00 pm on the award-winning Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio, probably the only regular astronomy show on any radio station in the country. 

I will take my weekly look at the night sky and look at all the latest news in astronomy. There will be the astronomical anniversaries this week plus the latest news from the astronomical societies in the north of England.

 

The Astronomy Show every Monday evening only on Drystone Radio live online at www.drystoneradio.com DAB radio in Bradford and East Lancashire, or 102 and 103.5 FM and can also be heard later on the Drystone Radio Podcast.

Cooke Telescope Tales - telescope for Cambridgeshire in 1864

Algernon Peckover FRAS (1803-1894) was a banker from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, in 1864 he purchased a Thomas Cooke & Sons 5.5-inch telescope. 

There were 5 astronomical eyepieces, and it came with a plain equatorial mounting. The cost was £130 (today 2026 that would be over £21,400). 

In 1865 he purchased a driving clock for the equatorial

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A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - Paris Observatory in 1876

 Nature May 25th 1876

Paris Observatory

There is at present being erected in the Paris Observatory Gardens a house for the Bishofsheim transit instrument, which has been constructed admirably by Eichens.

The house possesses many peculiarities and was designed by M Leverrier for the better insuring of equality of temperature.

The roof can be removed on horizontal rails, and the walls are so perforated that there is a continual circulation of air in all parts. The frame of the house may be said to be pneumatic, as it has been constructed on a system analogous to that of the bones of birds. It is sure to work admirably.

                                                     www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke telescope Tales - telescope for Oxford in 1859

 In 1859 Edward Moore of Queens College Oxford purchased a 3 inch telescope from Thomas Cooke. 

I have no further details on either the man or the telescope

                                                        www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - new red star in 1876

Nature May 25^th 1876

Mr Birmingham, Millbrook, Tuan, mentions (Astro Nache 2092) his having remarked an intensely red star of magnitude 8.5 which is not in Schjellerup’s catalogue. From its approximate position given the star appears to be No.  3168 in Durchmusterung, where it is estimated at magnitude 8.5. It has not been found in any other catalogues.

Today this star is known as T Lyrae in the constellation of Lyra.

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