| RefNo | HS/1/314 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Draft letter, from John Frederick William Herschel to George Biddell Airy, dated at Collingwood |
| Creator | John Frederick William Herschel |
| Recipient | George Biddell Airy |
| Date | 8 May 1869 |
| Description | Draft letter. |
| Language | English |
| Extent | 4pp. |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | Draft letter in John Herschel's hand. Has read the syllabus of George Biddell Airy's lectures on magnetism; it reminds John Herschel of his attempt to solve the problem of "Mahommet's coffin", which Herschel still believes would work. The problem was published in 1868 in an article by G. Johnstone Stoney FRS in the Philosophical Magazine (36; 1868) describing the use of electrical charge or magnets to give the impression that the coffin was flying. |
| Place origin | Collingwood, Hawkhurst, Kent |
| Origin coordinates | 51.035306, 0.513556 |
| Digital images | View item on Science in the Making |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| RelatedMaterial | Copy: HS/24/256
Original: RGO 6.695.494 |
| RelatedRecord | HS/24/256 |
| URLDescription | Also available on Epsilon |
| URL | https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/herschel/letters/Herschel159
|
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA8238 | Herschel; Sir; John Frederick William (1792 - 1871); mathematician and astronomer | 1792 - 1871 |
| NA8035 | Airy; Sir; George Biddell (1801 - 1892); astronomer and mathematician | 1801 - 1892 |