Details
ADAMS, John Crouch (1819-1892). An Explanation of the Observed Irregularities in the Motion of Uranus, on the Hypothesis of Disturbances caused by a more Distant Planet; with a determination of the mass, orbit, and position of the disturbing body. (From the Appendix to the National Almanac for the year 1851). London: W. Clowes and Sons, 1846.
8o (225 x 141 mm). (Title browned, small tear not affecting text, upper right corner cut off). Contemporary half diced russia, (broken). Provenance: U.S. Navy, Bureau of Navigation (stamp on titlepage); author's bookplate on front endpaper, pasted down over two other bookplates.
FIRST EDITION. Adams began his investigation of Uranus in 1843, and in 1845 sent his calculations and observations to the Astronomer Royal, George Biddell Airey, who failed to recognise the importance of the paper. In 1846, Urbain Jean Joseph Le Verrier published his own research (see lot 905) and reached the same conclusion, leading to the immediate identification of Neptune by J.G. Galle. Only then was Adams' work published, leading to a bitter dispute over priority. Dibner Heralds of Science 16; Norman 7.
8o (225 x 141 mm). (Title browned, small tear not affecting text, upper right corner cut off). Contemporary half diced russia, (broken). Provenance: U.S. Navy, Bureau of Navigation (stamp on titlepage); author's bookplate on front endpaper, pasted down over two other bookplates.
FIRST EDITION. Adams began his investigation of Uranus in 1843, and in 1845 sent his calculations and observations to the Astronomer Royal, George Biddell Airey, who failed to recognise the importance of the paper. In 1846, Urbain Jean Joseph Le Verrier published his own research (see lot 905) and reached the same conclusion, leading to the immediate identification of Neptune by J.G. Galle. Only then was Adams' work published, leading to a bitter dispute over priority. Dibner Heralds of Science 16; Norman 7.