Simon Newcomb
Simon Newcomb
Simon Newcombwas a Canadian-American astronomer, applied mathematician and autodidactic polymath, who was Professor of Mathematics in the U.S. Navy and at Johns Hopkins...
NationalityCanadian
ProfessionMathematician
Date of Birth12 March 1835
CountryCanada
dreaming national pay summer vacation visit
In 1854 I availed myself of my summer vacation to pay my first visit to the national capital, little dreaming that it would ever be my home.
carried circle existing far forward latter pursued transit work
In the latter part of 1869 I had carried forward the work with the transit circle as far as it could be profitably pursued under existing conditions.
admiral charge continued davis death retirement returned sands until
On the retirement of Admiral Sands in 1874, Admiral Davis returned to the observatory, and continued in charge until his death in February, 1877.
greatly halfway prevent traveled
Astronomers are greatly disappointed when, having traveled halfway around the world to see an eclipse, clouds prevent a sight of it; and yet a sense of relief accompanies the disappointment.
arrived berlin circle event history occurred transit
In October, 1865, occurred what was, in my eyes, the greatest event in the history of the observatory. The new transit circle arrived from Berlin in its boxes.
consider declined due looking suggestion toward western
A suggestion had been made to me looking toward a professorship in some Western college, but after due consideration, I declined to consider the matter.
wall light world
I had not yet gotten into the world of light. But I felt as one who, standing outside, could knock against the wall and hear an answering knock from within.
country teacher father
My father followed, during most of his life, the precarious occupation of a country school teacher.
england nova-scotia descent
Though born in Nova Scotia, I am of almost pure New England descent.
psychology way fields
My first undertaking in the way of scientific experiment was in the field of economics and psychology.
reading aunt years
I was taught the alphabet by my aunts before I was four years old, and I was reading the Bible in class and beginning geography when I was six.
way study mathematics
I finally reached the conclusion that mathematics was the study I was best fitted to follow, though I did not clearly see in what way I should turn the subject to account.
new-year memorial-day adversity
As years passed away I have formed the habit of looking back upon that former self as upon another person, the remembrance of whose emotions has been a solace in adversity and added zest to the enjoyment of prosperity.
limits astronomy knows
We are probably nearing the limit of all we can know about astronomy.