Astronomical and Meteorological Workers in New South Wales
Introduction
Lieutenant Dawes
Captain Flinders
Admiral Phillip Parker King
Sir Thomas MacDougall Brisbane
Dr. Charles Stargard Rumker
James Dunlop
P. E. De Strzelecki
Captain J. C. Wickham
Rev. W. B. Clarke, M.A.
Rev. A. Glennie
E. C. Close
Sir William Macarthur
J. Boucher
S. H. Officer
John Wyndham
William Stanley Jevons
Establishment of Meteorological Observatories
Votes and Proceedings, N.S.W., 1848.
Appendix A.
Appendix B.
Appendix C.
Appendix D.
Appendix E.
Appendix F.
Appendix G.
Appendix H.
Appendix I.
Appendix J.
Appendix K.
Appendix L.
Appendix M.
Appendix N.
Appendix O.
Appendix P.
Appendix Q.
Appendix R.
Appendix S.
Appendix T.
Appendix U.
Endnotes
Index
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From 1826 to 1830 inclusive he conducted a survey of the southern coasts of South America, having under his command two ships, the "Adventure" and "Beagle." In conjunction with Captain (afterwards Admiral) Fitzroy he published a narrative of the voyage, and in after years, at his own private printing press, produced four pamphlets for private distribution, a copy of each of which is in the possession of his son, the Venerable Archdeacon King, of Sydney.
- Treats of the specific gravity of sea water in different parts of the North and South Atlantic Oceans, and in the South Pacific near the western coast of South America; nearly two hundred determinations are given and fully discussed. (14 pages.)
- Contains selections from a Meteorological Journal kept on board H.M. ship "Adventure" during the voyage to the southern coasts of South America. Observations give the temperature of the air at various places and are fully discussed. (42 pages.)
- Refers to longitudes and gives the observed transits of the moon and moon culminating stars over the meridian of Tahlee, Port Stephens, N.S.W., 1843 to 1849, and the resulting longitudes from them. Also observations of eclipses of the sun and occultation of the fixed stars by the moon at the same place. (14 pages.) Longitude thence 10h. 8m. 11s.
- Gives a description of instruments in the observatory and the observations for determining the latitude of Tahlee, Port Stephens, 1841 to 1848. Observations made with an altazimuth instrument. Nearly three hundred separate star observations for latitude are given and the resulting latitude, 32° 40' 17''.74. Also a list of about one thousand places for which latitude and longitude, and at most of them magnetic variation and time of high water are also given. (25 pages.)
The determination of the longitude of marine positions has ever been an anxiety and a trouble to naval surveyors, and to Admiral King not less than to others. In so remote a position as the southern extremity of South America it was Obviously of importance that such a turning point as Cape Horn should be accurately placed in this respect. And with this in view he devoted much attention to astronomical observations, setting up whenever his ship was likely to be detained, an observatory in which he had his own private transit instrument, and in addition to his purely professional duties he devoted himself to every scientific pursuit within the range of his stock of instruments and opportunities for collecting specimens of natural history. The narative of his voyage shews also the interest he took in the intercourse he had with the Patagonian and Fuegan natives. Differences of longitude by chronometric measurements - and lunar observations, magnetic intensity by means of a small apparatus given to him by Proffessor Hansteen, the temperature of the sea and its specific gravity in different latitudes and the prevalence of winds and ocean currents were his continual study.
People in Bright Sparcs - FitzRoy, Robert; King, Phillip Parker; Russell, Henry Chamberlain
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© Online Edition Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre and Bureau of Meteorology 2001
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