Philosophy
James Ferguson
April 25th, 1710 to November 17th, 1776
Astronomy Explained Upon Sir Isaac Newton's Principles and Made Easy to Those Who Have Not Studied Mathematics
Archives Hub:
Biographical History
The astronomer James Ferguson was born at the Core of Mayen, near Rothiemay in Banffshire, on 25 April 1710. While still a small child he acquired an interest in mechanics, and already working at the age of ten - tending sheep - he was able to study the stars at night and make models of spinning-wheels and mills during the day. As a young man he first earned a living by cleaning clocks and repairing domestic machinery. In his spare time he constructed a wooden clock and watch with wooden wheels and whalebone springs. This mechanical talent would later assist in his construction of astronomical models. Showing artistic talent too, he made his way as a portrait painter in Edinburgh in 1734 and in Inverness in 1736. While in Inverness, Ferguson had returned to his earlier interest in the stars and prepared an astronomical table which was published in the 1740s, and in 1742 he constructed an orrery. In 1743 he was in London, again painting portraits but also continuing his astronomical research. Some papers were written, one of which - On the phenomena of Venus, represented in an orrery - was presented before the Royal Society in March 1746. In 1748, Ferguson began a career as a science teacher and lecturer, delivering courses on astronomy and a wide range of experimental science. In 1752-1753 he was lecturing on the reform of the calendar and the lunar eclipse of 1753. Although he had become very well known through his popularisation of science, he was far from well off, but by 1760 he was able to stop portrait-painting for a living. In 1763 he presented to the Royal Society a projection of the partial solar eclipse of 1 April 1764 showing its times and phases at Greenwich. In 1767, Ferguson visited Scotland, and soon after the visit he introduced a lecture on electricity into his courses. His publications include Astronomy explained on Sir Isaac Newton's principles (1756), Lectures on select subjects in mechanics, hydrostatics, pneumatics, and optics (1760), Introduction to electricity (1770), Select mechanical exercises (1773), and The art of drawing in perspective made easy to those who have no previous knowledge of the mathematics (1775). James Ferguson died in London on 16 November 1776.
Scottish Astronomers Group
- Rip Maynard Ferguson
We lost another great one yesterday, jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson passed away at 78. A big man, Maynard had the ability to hit notes that a trumpet was not made to hit. During his solos, he would work up a scale and just when you thought there was...
- Dover Publications' Popular Reprints Of Science Books
Back in print from Dover Publications. A History of Astronomy by A. Pannekoek Well-balanced, carefully reasoned study covers such topics as Ptolemaic theory, work of Copernicus, Kepler, Newton, Eddington's work on stars, much more. Illustrated....
- Paolo Frisi...hydraulics, Lightning, Public Relations
Paolo Frisi April 13th, 1728 – November 22nd, 1784 If you want a good public relations person [popularized Galileo Galilei and Sir Isaac Newton] and an expert on the physics of hydraulics...and, the inventor of the lightning rod, then Paolo Frisi was...
- The Royal Society...new Online Papers
"The Royal Society puts historic papers online" November 30th, 2009 BBC One of the world's oldest scientific institutions is marking the start of its 350th year by putting 60 of its most memorable research papers online. The Royal Society, founded...
- Colonial America--david Rittenhouse Astronomer
David Rittenhouse April 8th, 1732 to June 26th, 1796 He and George Washington probably had a beer or two at the remodeled old King George Inn. [renamed The Philly Bar and Grill]. He, for the most part, was self educated and did some remarkable work in...
Philosophy
James Ferguson...significant Scottish astronomer
James Ferguson April 25th, 1710 to November 17th, 1776
Astronomy Explained Upon Sir Isaac Newton's Principles and Made Easy to Those Who Have Not Studied MathematicsThis is a detail from a large folding plate in James Ferguson's Astronomy explained upon Sir Isaac Newton’s Principles. First published in 1756, Ferguson subsequently added material on the 1761 transit. This is from the edition of 1811, edited by David Brewster. The full engraving shows the geometry of the transit with the orbits of the Earth and Venus. This detail shows Venus at both ends of its path across the solar disc, at the two moments of internal contact with the limb of the sun.
Archives Hub:
Biographical History
The astronomer James Ferguson was born at the Core of Mayen, near Rothiemay in Banffshire, on 25 April 1710. While still a small child he acquired an interest in mechanics, and already working at the age of ten - tending sheep - he was able to study the stars at night and make models of spinning-wheels and mills during the day. As a young man he first earned a living by cleaning clocks and repairing domestic machinery. In his spare time he constructed a wooden clock and watch with wooden wheels and whalebone springs. This mechanical talent would later assist in his construction of astronomical models. Showing artistic talent too, he made his way as a portrait painter in Edinburgh in 1734 and in Inverness in 1736. While in Inverness, Ferguson had returned to his earlier interest in the stars and prepared an astronomical table which was published in the 1740s, and in 1742 he constructed an orrery. In 1743 he was in London, again painting portraits but also continuing his astronomical research. Some papers were written, one of which - On the phenomena of Venus, represented in an orrery - was presented before the Royal Society in March 1746. In 1748, Ferguson began a career as a science teacher and lecturer, delivering courses on astronomy and a wide range of experimental science. In 1752-1753 he was lecturing on the reform of the calendar and the lunar eclipse of 1753. Although he had become very well known through his popularisation of science, he was far from well off, but by 1760 he was able to stop portrait-painting for a living. In 1763 he presented to the Royal Society a projection of the partial solar eclipse of 1 April 1764 showing its times and phases at Greenwich. In 1767, Ferguson visited Scotland, and soon after the visit he introduced a lecture on electricity into his courses. His publications include Astronomy explained on Sir Isaac Newton's principles (1756), Lectures on select subjects in mechanics, hydrostatics, pneumatics, and optics (1760), Introduction to electricity (1770), Select mechanical exercises (1773), and The art of drawing in perspective made easy to those who have no previous knowledge of the mathematics (1775). James Ferguson died in London on 16 November 1776.
Scottish Astronomers Group
- Rip Maynard Ferguson
We lost another great one yesterday, jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson passed away at 78. A big man, Maynard had the ability to hit notes that a trumpet was not made to hit. During his solos, he would work up a scale and just when you thought there was...
- Dover Publications' Popular Reprints Of Science Books
Back in print from Dover Publications. A History of Astronomy by A. Pannekoek Well-balanced, carefully reasoned study covers such topics as Ptolemaic theory, work of Copernicus, Kepler, Newton, Eddington's work on stars, much more. Illustrated....
- Paolo Frisi...hydraulics, Lightning, Public Relations
Paolo Frisi April 13th, 1728 – November 22nd, 1784 If you want a good public relations person [popularized Galileo Galilei and Sir Isaac Newton] and an expert on the physics of hydraulics...and, the inventor of the lightning rod, then Paolo Frisi was...
- The Royal Society...new Online Papers
"The Royal Society puts historic papers online" November 30th, 2009 BBC One of the world's oldest scientific institutions is marking the start of its 350th year by putting 60 of its most memorable research papers online. The Royal Society, founded...
- Colonial America--david Rittenhouse Astronomer
David Rittenhouse April 8th, 1732 to June 26th, 1796 He and George Washington probably had a beer or two at the remodeled old King George Inn. [renamed The Philly Bar and Grill]. He, for the most part, was self educated and did some remarkable work in...