Record

RefNoMA/369
Previous numbersMA.369
LevelFile
TitleMeteorological observations of magnetic declination at Antarctica, made by Louis Bernacchi and William Colbeck
CreatorBernacchi, Louis
Colbeck, William
Date05 August 1898 - 08 April 1900
Description61 observations of absolute declination made by Louis Bernacchi, British Antarctic Expedtion physicist (35 observations) and William Colbeck, seamen (26 observations).

Observations chiefly made during the overwintering of the British Antarctic Expedition of Captain Carsten Borchgrevink (also known as the Southern Cross Expedition) at Cape Adare, 58 obserations 10 April 1899 - 09 January 1900
Also contains:
One observation at Kew Observatory (persumably for calibration purposes), 05 August 1898
One observation near Coulman Island, 04 February 1900
One observation on Stewart Island, 08 April 1900

Observations are made with varying frequency ranging from multiple observations a day to gaps of several days without observations. There are no observations between 29 May 1899 and 09 October 1899.

Observations are hand written on printed sheets from the Kew Observatory marked 'K.O. Mag. Form C].' Each printed sheet for vibrations has space to record the following information:
Date
Station, including latitude and longitude
Chronometer ID and error at station
Magnet ID and zero reading
One divistion of scale
State of weather
A table for both erect and inverted scale followed by means of:
Time
Temperature
Readings of verniers
Scale of reading
Correction to zero reading [not completed]
Mean of verniers
Corrected circle reading [not completed]
Meridian of circle reading [not completed]
Declination
Table concludes with a calculation of absolute declination

There follows a standard set of calculations for correction for torsion with values completed by hand.

Not all printed sheets have been completed, approximately two thirds of the sheets are unused.
Extent1 volume
FormatManuscript
Printed
PhysicalDescriptionHalf leather bound volume with marbled endpapers
AccessStatusOpen
RelatedMaterialMA/367, 368, 370, 376
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