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George Biddell Airy

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:400.00 - 600.00 USD
George Biddell Airy

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Auction Date:2015 Sep 16 @ 18:00 (UTC-05:00 : EST/CDT)
Location:236 Commercial St., Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts, 02109, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
English mathematician and astronomer (1801–1892) who established Greenwich as the location of the prime meridian. ALS signed “G. B. Airy,” one page both sides, 4.5 x 7.5, Royal Observatory letterhead, June 4, 1863. Fascinating letter describing an eclipse. In full: “The phenomenon of the light on the moon’s surface during a total eclipse is very well known, and is usually attributed to the refraction of a small portion of the sun’s light by the Earth’s atmosphere which bends the course of the light inwards into the earth’s shadow. It is certain that the action of the atmosphere has this tendency, and the amount of light exhibited appears to be such as we might expect to see. To an inhabitant of the moon, the Earth would at these times appear surrounded or perhaps partially surrounded (according to the position of the inhabitant) by a very narrow ring of bright light.” In fine condition, with light soiling. Superior content from the astronomer whose contributions ranged from the discovery of planetary inequalities to mathematical lunar theory.