HERSCHEL, Sir Joao FREDLrtrCS BArsr., only son of the astronomer, sir 11Villiaur Herschel (q.v.), b. at Slough, 1792, educated at St. John's, Cambridge, where, in 1813, he became senior wrangler and first Smith's prizemau. His first pub]ieation was A Collection of Examples of the Application of the Calculus of Finite Th erences (1820). In 1822 he applied himself especially to astronomy, using his father's methods and instruments in observing the heavens. For a time he worked with sir James South in re-examining the nebulae and clusters of stars described in his father's catalogues. The results of the re-examination were given in 1833 to the royal society in the form of a catalogue of stars in order of their right ascension. The cutalogue eontained observa tions on 525 nebula; and clusters of stars not noticed by his father, and on a great nunr her of double stars—in all between 3,000 and 4,000. This important contribution t0 science led to his being acknowledged as the worthy successor of his father; so early, indeed, as 1826, the royal society had voted to him and South a gold medal apiece fbr their observations on double stars; but by 1833 his pre-eurinenee was beyond the necc sity of being marked by acknowledgments. His "Treatise on Sound" had appeared in the Ency. Metro. in 1830, and his "Treatise on the Theory of Light" (in the same work) in 1831, in which year also appeared in Lardner's Cyclo. his well-known "Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy"—not to mention his papers in the Trans. Astron. &c. The Preliminary Discourse—one of the most charmingly written books on science in any language—contributed largely to his popularity. In 1836 appeared his "Treatise on Astronomy" in Lardner's Cyclo. At this time Herschel was at the cape of Good Hope, where he arrived in Jan., 1834, with the intention of completing the survey of the sidereal heavens, by examining the southern hemisphere as he had done the northern. Here lie established his observatory at a place called Feldhausea, 6 m.
from Table bay. On Mar. 5, 1834, he commenced his observations; and in four years, working alt the time at his own expense, lie completed them. The public interest taken in his labors was, as might be supposed, very great; but though now and then gratified by partial statements of his results, it was not till 1847, nine years after his return from the cape, that it received full gratification in the publication of a volume of itesulte of Astronomical Observations made clueing 1834-38 at the Cape of Good II e; being the Corn plction of a Telescopic Survey of the whole Surface of the Visible Ileare as, commenced in 1825. It need not be said that the results of these labors are invaluable. They are now incor porated into all books on astronomy. Herschel, when at the cape, gave an impulse to the science of meteorology, having the merit of having suggested the scheme for taking ureteorological observations simultaneously at different places. In 1844 he puhlishe
On his return to England in 1838, honors were showered on him. He had got the royal society's gold medal in 1836: he now was made a D.C.L. of Oxforcl; on queen Vic toria's coronation, he was created a baronet; he now succeeded the duke of Sussex as president of the royal society; in 1848 he became president of the royal astronomical society. In 1849 lie published his Outlines of Astronomy. In 1850 he was appointed master of the mint. This office, on account of i11 health. he resigned in 1855. Ilersehi•I died May 11, 1871, and after his death appeared his Catalogue of 10,300.11ultiple and Double Stars.