Robert Patterson, the oldest and perhaps the most erudite of the five American Philosophical Society members that Meriwether Lewis came to Philadelphia to consult, sends Lewis a statistical table for recording celestial observations during the expedition.
Patterson’s Statistical Table Written in Lewis’s Hand
Courtesy State Historical Society of Missouri, digital.shsmo.org/cdm/ref/collection/frontier/id/169. Images are in the Public Domain.
Patterson’s Letter to Thomas Jefferson
Philada. June 18th. 1803—
Sir [Thomas Jefferson]
I recommended to Capt. Lewis, the use of a statistical Table, in which to set down his Astronomical observations, in the course of his intended expedition . . . .
I have sent it under cover to you, Sir, lest Capt. Lewis may have proceeded on his tour; in which case, if you shall judge it worth his notice, you will have the trouble of forwarding it to him—
I am Sir with the highest respect & esteem—Your Obed. Servt.—
R. Patterson[1]Robert Patterson to Thomas Jefferson, Founders Online, National Archives, founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-40-02-0427 accessed 8 June 2022. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas … Continue reading
Transcription
In The Astronomy Notebook, Lewis appears to have copied the statistical table recommended by Robert Patterson. The columns extend across four double pages (13¼ in. x 7½ in.) and contain headings only—there are no entries.
[Pages 26–27]
Statistical Table.
- 1. Place of observation
- 2. Date of obs. Astronomical
- 3. Hour of the Day apt. Time at place obs Astroncl. P.M.
- 4. Hour of the day mean Time P.M. astronl.
- 5. Hour of the day pr. watch. P.M. astrl.
- 6. Error of the watch on mean time f. s.
- 7. Daily gain or loss of watch on mean time. g. s.
- 8. Apt. altd. of ⊙’s center, lower or upper limb ⊙. LL. UL.
- 9. true altd. of ⊙’s center.—
- 10. Apt. altd. of ⋑’s center Lower or upper li-mb ⊖. LL. UL.
- 11. true altd. ⋑’s center.—
- 12. Error of the instrument employed in obstn. B. F.
- 13. Star’s name
[Pages 28–29]
Statistical Table. Continued
- rept. 2. Date of Obs. Astronomical
- 14. Apparent altd. of Star
- 15. app. distance ⊙’s & ⋑’s Nearest limbs. ⊙ E. or W.
- 16. app. dist. of ⋑ & * The * E. or W.
- 17. true distance of Centers.
- 18. Longitude of place from Greenwich
- 19. Latitude of place
- 20. Magnetic azamuth of ⊙ or pole *.
- 21. True azimuth of ⊙ or pole *.—
- 22. Variation of Magnetic needle.—
- Miscellanious remarks.—
Notes
↑1 | Robert Patterson to Thomas Jefferson, Founders Online, National Archives, founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-40-02-0427 accessed 8 June 2022. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 40, 4 March–10 July 1803, ed. Barbara B. Oberg. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2013, p. 573.] |
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