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.
activity chicago director fire forced great pursue work
The great fire practically put an end to the activity of the Chicago Observatory and forced its director to pursue his work in other fields.
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.
class cope flight men problems
Aerial flight is one of that class of problems with which men will never have to cope
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.
engineering aviation human-life
All attempts at artificial aviation are not only dangerous to human life, but foredoomed to failure from the engineering standpoint.
teaching fifteen twenties
The beginning of 1856 found me teaching in the family of a planter named Bryan, residing in Prince George County, Md., some fifteen or twenty miles from Washington.
graduation school degrees
In 1858 I received the degree of D. S. from the Lawrence Scientific School, and thereafter remained on the rolls of the university as a resident graduate.