New-York tribune., 1874-03-09
HoyoRs 70 an AMERICAN ASTRONOMER.

GOLD MEDAL OF TIE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
THE PRESENTATION 10 PROF. SIMON NEwConB
or WASHINGTON.
PROM AY OCCAsIoSAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TEIBUNEl
LONDON, Feb. 1.-the occasion of the presenta-
tion of the highest honors in the gift Of the Royal
Astronomical Society Of London to Prof Newcomb
tlfe of the United States Obscrv
atory at Washington, called together distinguished
scientific asscmblage at the rooms of the Society on
Feb Is. in Somerset House. Among those present
were Prof Cayey, the President, who made the pre-
sentation; Sir G. b. Airy the Astronomer Royal; /;
Prof. Adams Cambridge, James GlasheR, Esq, and
many other eminent astronomers. In making the
presentation, Prot. Cayley said:
The Council have awarded the medal TO Prof. Simon
Newcomb his Tables of Neptune aud Uranus and for
his other contributions To astronomical science; and
upon me- as President. the duty has devolyed of ex
planning 10 you tho grounds OF their decision. think it
right remark that appears TO me that In the award
Of their highest honor the Council Of the Society are
not bound 10 institute comparison between heteroge
branches Of a science. classes OF research-to
weigh for instance mathematical against obSeryational
astronomy, or astronomical physics or in the several
branches respectively the happy idea which originates
theory against the patience and skilled labor which
develops and carries IL and still less TO decide be
tween the OF different workers in the science IL
enough that the different branches OF science coming
before them in different years. the medal should in
every case be bestowed recognition Of hiSh merit III
some important branch Of the science.
The President then described at great length and
very technically the earlier works OF Prof. New
comb and then passing on to bis later labors, which
have won him the high honor of the gold medal, he
observed:
Prof NewcOmb's tables Of Uranus have only recently
appeared They are published in the Smithsonian Con-
tributions under title IAN Investigation of the
Orbit OF Uranus with General Tables of its Notion Ic
cepted publication February 1879, forming volume
of about pages. The work was undertaken as far
back as 1859. but the labor devoted TO IL at first
amounted to little than tentative efforts to obtain
numerical data OF sufficient accuracy to serve as basis
OF the theory and to decide a satisfactory way OF
computing the general perturbations FIRST the ee-
mens Neptune had 20 be corrected which led TO ms
investigation respecting that planet it then appe ared
that the received elements OF Uranus also differed too
widely the truth to the basis OF the work.
and they were Professionally corrected by series
of helioceutrc Iongitudes derived from ObserVa-
tons extending from 17si to 1861. Finally 1t was
found that the adopted method Of computing the
perturDations for the variation of the elements was
practically inappcabe TO the computation Of the more
difficult terms vz those Of the second order IN regard
to the disturbing force. While entertaining high
opinion OF Hansens method, at once generally prac-
cable and fully developed the author conceived that
tons generally OF time, owing to the ease with
which the results OF different investigations could be
compared and corrections 10 the theory introduced
and under these circumstances he worked out the
method described in the rst chapter of his treatise not
closely examining how much 1t contained that was
essentially new With these improved elements and
methods the work was recommended in 1863; the inves
gatlon has occupied him during the subsequent f9e
years and though aided by cOmputers every part OF the
work has been done under his immediate direction and
AS nearly IA possible the way II he had done
II himself; a result I'm some cases obtained only by an
amount of labor apprOximatng to that saved by the EN-
ploymeut of the computers.
In concluding his remarks, President Cayey said :
Prof Newcombs writings exhibit all OF them, a com
blnation Oh the hand, OF mathematical skill and
power and, the other hand OF good hard WORK. de-
voted to the furherance Of astronomical science The
memoir the lunar theory contains the successful de-
yelopment OF highly or gnal idea and cannot but be
regarded as a great step in advance IN the method OF
the variation of the elements and IN theoretical dynam
les generally The two sets Of planetary tables are
works of labor erabodyng results only attain
be by the exercise such labor under the guidance
of profouni mathematical skill-and which needed
in the present state of astronomy. trust that. ifper
fecy AS ms task accomplished we have done well in
the award OF our medal.
Prof Cayley then delivered the medal to Dr.. Hug
gins the Foreign Secretary, and requested him TO
transmit il to Prof. Newcomb, as expression of
the opinion of the Society of the excellence and i'm
portmce of what he has accomplished. and to assure
him at the same time OF our best wishes Tor his
health and happiness and for the long and success
ful continuation of his career as worker IN our
science"