#john tebbutt

The moon : considered as a planet, a world, and a satellite by James Nasmyth  and James Carpenter. Published by John Murray, London, 1874.

James Nasmyth the inventor of steam hammer developed an interest in astronomy and photograph in later life. Photography had not yet advanced to the point where actual photographs of the Moon where possible, Nasmyth made plaster mold models based on the observations he made with his reflecting telescope. The models where photographed by astronomer James Carpenter using lighting from various angles to achieve a realistic result.

                                  John Tebbutt (1834–1916)

 “Australia’s most distinguished nineteenth century astronomer was John Tebbutt of Windsor, New South Wales…”* 

Tebbutt observed his first comet at the age of nineteen and for the next 60 years devoted his life to the study of astronomy.

Tebbutt died in 1916 and his family had no interest in astronomy or his archive of astronomical records, his library or telescopes, even so his son arranged in memory of his father, for the volumes of inward letters, the library and original observing books, journals, notebooks, diaries and other astronomical and meteorological records to be donated to the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales.     The Mitchell Library holds “The John Tebbutt” collection: John Tebbutt astronomical and meteorological papers, ca. 1847-1915

Hear more about the fascinating subject of astronomy and view some beautiful books from the State Library of New South Wales’ rare book collection in the upcoming rare books astronomy talk.

Date: 19th September Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm Venue: Meet in the Macquarie Street foyer Cost: $15 + booking fee  Bookings essential: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/events/rare-books-astronomy

References: 

On this day, 100 years ago, on 29th November 1916,  John Tebbutt, world renowned Australian astronomer, passed away.

John Tebbutt is the face that features on the Australian hundred-dollar bill.

Tebbutt’s rise to fame began on the evening of May 13, 1861, while observing the stars from the clear skies above his home in the outer-western suburb of Windsor. Using his small telescope he noticed a wisp of illumination not visible on the previous evening. After re-calculating its position over the next few days he became convinced he was witnessing the a new comet passing earth.   On 29 May he announced this discovery to the Sydney press and when finally the news finally reached England the scientists there were quick to acknowledge that a new "star" had risen in the astronomical sky. The comet was so large in fact that it filled the night-sky for a number of weeks and press from around the world followed the story. The scientific community also  acknowledged the importance of Tebbutt's discovery and referred to it as the ‘Great Comet of 1861’.   See State Library blog

John Tebbutt made a major contribution to Australian science, with an unbroken record of meteorological observations in Windsor from 1855 to 1915.

All of this work was done from his own purpose-built observatory which was filled with a very modest collection of scientific instruments, and which still stands on the site at Windsor. First started in 1854 with a sextant, artificial horizon, 38.1 mm (1.5 inch) telescope and an eight-day clock by 1861 he was using these these to make his observations of the 'Great Comet'.

In 1917, a year after his death his son donated John Tebbutt’s working library and manuscripts to the State Library of New South Wales. 

The ‘Tebbutt Memorial Collection’ consists of 3,676 printed volumes, 117 volumes of manuscripts and 235 pamphlets, all of which are stamped the ‘Tebbutt Collection’.