Letter from Arthur Storer to Isaac Newton, dated 26 April 1683
Mr Isaac Newton
Former Aquentance maketh me moore bould To trouble you with this In which I have sent you Inclosed a Table of Observations of A Comet that appeared To us in Maryland Aug 14th: 1682: Till September 12th: 82: whilest it weare a Morning Comet having {Occations} from whome made but Litle Observations thereof & therefore have Sett them downe at Randame on the bottom of the Table Onelye in Right Ascension and declination But from August 22 to September 12: for Every Night Except September the 1: 6: 8: & 9 sometimes being from home & sometimes Cloudey after the 12th day of September we had for a weeke or better very Cloudey Evenings Till I suppose that It had got So neare the Sunn that no moore Observations with us could be made yet I thought once after being the 14th of September; that I had seene it betwene Two Clouds neare uppon setting in the West{.} If So it Seemed to me Somewhat Retrograde but I had but a small glimpes theareof & therefore could make no Observations thereof But I suppose that Observations might be maid Long after in Most placeis wheare the wether was cleare: I suppose I was one of the first that Tooke notice thereoff in Maryland Being August the 14th a morning Comet in the NorEast about Northwards of the North heade of Gemini Castor But seemed To mee to come to the Meridian with the South head of Gemini Pollux, or somewhat after{.} It had than no Streame Cord or Taile at all that could be deserned Eather by the Eye or Elce by a prospective Glass as I could deserne neather would I trust my owne Eye in the cais but called upp others which I thought might be stronger sited To have there Judgement of it for I was Suer that no Such star did belong to that place nor To any Other that I was aquented with but they could not deserne any Streame & would have perswaided me that it weare a common Ordinary Star but being so neare day & unprovided that I could make then but Litle Observations thereof onley I doe suppose that the declination then was Betwene : & : North & Right Ascension about 112 degrees But whether afterwards it did Increase in declination Norwards as it seemed to me the 17th about to be in neare conjunction with a Litle Star of the 3 or 4th Magnitude being To the Southwards of the 2 small Bear Stars in the Right forefoot of the Great Beare as I take it which Small star cometh partley to the Meridian Betwene both of them they Being 1 degreedeg As under declination or the Right Ascension about declination of which {Small} Star about North{,} the conjunction as neare as I could make it onely by the Eye weare about morning the comet being about or Southwards under it So by that Rule the Comets declination weare then about this was the nearest conjunction of any that I Observed & I give you Notice thereof because I suppose that the Comet may have greater paralax than ether Venus or Mercury It being than so swift in Motion as I suppose about & sometimes neare 8 degrees in 24 hours{.} To finde which small fixtd star Imagine a Right Line from the Great Bears Back To the Litle dog Star & it will pass by it or Nearly cut it [Editorial Note 1] Or a Right line from the Pole star Betwene the Two Small Stars in Great bears forefoot & So Southwards about from the Pole Star you than cannot well miss it{.} on the Backside the Table is a Table of the Pole Stars declination To Every 5th degree of the Equinoct {E} or Right Ascensions Something Lightly Rune over & Allso the difference of declination of fixtd stars for 100: years for Every 5th degree of there Right Ascension the Table I finde of excelent use To finde ye declination of stars by the Bow or fore staff or to finde out any unknowne star whose Right Ascension & declination is given by the helpe of the Pole Star & others severall wayes. I could wish that you would furnish me with a Table of Right Ascension & declination of fixed stars for the yeare 1700: & as many as you please So that they Exceed Not the 3 or 4th Magnitude or Rather than faile there Longitude and Latitude or Boath will do well for I finde by Severall Tables that I have by me they differ in Right Ascension very much So that If I should Take that panes To worke by the doctrine of plane or Sphericall Triangles by distances from Other Stars by the fore staff or the like without I knew ther True places I should make worse worke perhaps than I have done here in this Table though I had far Larger Instruments For by the Calculation of this Comet I had my Quadrant but 12 Inch Radius being of my owne makeing with such stuff as I could Gett being wood which is heare far more apt to warpe & shrink then in England{.} therfore I would desire you to looke over my Table & Examine it with yours & give me If you please an Accompt of the difference for this day Receveing a Letter from Brother Edward Storer That it was first seene with you Aug: 7th: 82 which was 7 dayes before wee Tooke notice of it heare but he mentioned not what time it Ended with you who Righteth thus: The Same Comet (as is Supposed) which appeared december & January 1680: Appeared about the 7 day of Aug this yeare 82 in the Evening but not with So Long a Streame as it appeared before with but was not to be seene with them about 3 weekes after; & thats very strainge that there cann be such a supposed supposition as though a fier thats once burnt out & consumed the wood or stuff that feed it cann be Reneued againe By that feuell that it hath consumed It is a pretty conceipt If it be true; this Comet Cast the streame Severall wayes heare first it was upright & held so for severall dayes than it bended somthing bowing towards the pole Star than bowing more & moore so that it pointed more & more towards the pole after wards pointed partly upright & than againe Contrary pointed to the westwards towards the South &c{} I sent unckle Babing a Letter daited about March 28: 1683 with my Observations more at Large by Altitudes & Azimuths in which I mentioned Gadburies 20 years Ephemeridies & a Good Large fore staff about 4 5 or 6 foot Long If it could so that it bow nor bend not by the wight of the vanes which might be very usefull to me & Likwise in it did desire you If that you could Conveniently furnish me with a Table of Right Ascension & declination of some of the Principall fixed Stars &c I sent him a Letter daited about May 22 1682 which as far as I can understand by Mothers & Brothers was not come to hand September 26: 82: which Least his should faile againe makes me the more bould to Trouble you with this Heare hath bene of Lait years besides this yeare many Notable conjunctions & oppositions both of Sun moon planets & fixed Stars which by Reason of our great difference of Longitude To you which I judge may be about 74 degrees or better which If well observed might be a great helpe to Astronime: Heare hapened A Lunar Eclipes: 1681: the beginning Aug the midle the Ende the Continuance parts Eclipse & or there Abouts{.} So If you please you may give me an accompt of our Longitude from London or Cambridg: January 17: Sun Eclipsed in maryland the beginning about : the End about : the Sun Eclipsed from To of altitude the parts Eclipsed about 5 digets on the undermost parte of the Suns bodey but I supose with you it was far greater{.} Heare hath beene of Late 2 great conjunction of Saturn & Jupiter & the third now very neare which I suppose will be before the Midle of may: the first conjunction as neare as I could well make it by reason of cloudey wether was with us Saturn October: 14: About noon Saturn Elivated Above Jupiter 12 minutes semeing by the Ey To be twice his bredth from Jupiter but by prospective Glass above 4 times: the Second conjunction of Saturn & Jupiter weare as neare as I could well make it the wether being Likewise cloudey for a day or Two before & affter Saturn Jan 27 about midnight Saturn above Jupiter about 10 minutes there hath beene severall notable Lunar Eclipses heare of Late the Moon & Aldebaran the Last yeare the Moon hid Aldebron severale times one I see which I suppose Centarall: here hath bene Notable conjunction of Cor Leonis & Moon & Likewise of Moon & Leo {} But I shall not trouble you with heare haveing no more at present but my dutye To unckle Babington & my Best Respects To all my frends with you I Rest at your Command To serve you Arthur Storer
From Patuxant River in Maryland: at Mr John Hunt's Neare Coll{r} Joules at Indian Creeke
Aprill 26: 1683: I have Likewise sent one dated with yours To Brother Storer & 4: dated Mar 28: 83: vizd One To Mother Brother John Joseph & unckle Babington &c which If this come to hand if you have that Opertunity you may aquent them &c
For Mr Isaac Newton Math:
of Trinitie Coledge In Cambridg
Leave this at the Post house in
London to be sent as
before saide
{2}
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The use of this Table is To finde Any Stars Distance from the North Star: or Pole Star, The Right Ascension & declination Given: Or there declination There distance in degrees & minutes being Given By the Bow or Forestaff &c{.} Example the Buls Eye Aldebaran Anno 1700: Right Ascension I looke nearest in the Table & finde Against the Right Ascension of : Againe the Goat hircus Right Ascension : declination by proportion Betweene 70 & 75 I finde from which I Substract the declination Rest from the Pole Star{.} Againe By the Bow or forestaff I Take Arcturus distance from the Pole Star & finde it to be . Then suppose Arcturus Right Ascention To be : I Looke in the Table Against & finde : but if I allow for the : Haveing once found the declination To finde the declination for any Time past or To Come{.} Example then suppose Arcturus declination Be Ano{r} 1700: the Right Ascension I Looke as before against & finde which is Arcturus difference of declination for 100 years. Then for the yeare l800: If I substract from Arcturus declination which is as before 30 Rest for the declination of Arcturus Ano{r} l800:
Noat that If the declination be north from Capricorn To Cancer Add the Difference But from Cancer To Capricorn: Substract the difference vizd from of Right Ascension To : Add the difference Then from : of Right Ascension to Substract the difference The declination Being North but If the declination Be South the Contrarye{.} Then from : To :: I Substract the difference Then from To :270 I add &c{.} This way of Rectifying The fixt Stars declination seemes somewhat plausable & stands To some Reason which is declared in the Seamans Calender per Henry Phillipps Ano{r} 1660: But As for there difference of Right Ascensions by the said Phillipps Tables The way of Rectifying Seemes very unequall In a very Confuesed disordered Condition. Example the Goat hircus the Difference of Right Ascension for 100 years is – And Orion Right foot But: . Againe the Hinder Guard Sub : the Right Ascension 100: yeares is but & the Br Star in serpents neck is – there Right Ascension being partlye the same & Boath having North declination But by what Rule there course is so Ordered I am Altogether Ignorant, without former Observations hath proved it so: If so than Longitude & Latitude I suppose Cannot be Exact Enough: To Shew there True places for Time To Come If they Martch {spiward} as Wing Relates in 100 years. Or By Gunter in Longitude & in Latitude Litle or nothing: which If you please a
word or two Conserning of which. &c{.}
[Editorial Note 1] The following image spans several lines in the letter and it integrates with the surrounding text, for example at the point where he mentions the "Two Small stars".