The planet Mars
Date
1863
Creator
James Nasmyth (1808 - 1890, British) , Mechanical engineer
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (painting): 116mm
width (painting): 125mm
width (painting): 125mm
Subject
Content object
Description
The appearance of the planet Mars in opposition viewed by telescope in mid-September 1862. The astronomical image shows the bright circular Martian South Polar region.
Illustration contained in a letter by James Nasmyth, Penshurst, Kent, 20 January 1863, to John Phillips in Oxford. The letter has been preserved as an unpublished supplement to the manuscript version of the paper “On the telescopic appearance of the Planet Mars” by John Phillips. This was abstracted in Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, vol. 12 (1862-1863), pp.431-437.
Nasmyth’s textual description states that: “the snow patch on the south pole of the planet was remarkably distinct so much so as to give me the impression of it having a cliff boundary the termination was so sudden...the south snow patch did not appear to me to agree with the south pole of the planet but on the contrary to be considerably eccentric to it...”
James Nasmyth (1808-1890) mechanical engineer was not a Fellow of the Royal Society.
John Phillips (1800-1874) British geologist was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1834.
Illustration contained in a letter by James Nasmyth, Penshurst, Kent, 20 January 1863, to John Phillips in Oxford. The letter has been preserved as an unpublished supplement to the manuscript version of the paper “On the telescopic appearance of the Planet Mars” by John Phillips. This was abstracted in Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, vol. 12 (1862-1863), pp.431-437.
Nasmyth’s textual description states that: “the snow patch on the south pole of the planet was remarkably distinct so much so as to give me the impression of it having a cliff boundary the termination was so sudden...the south snow patch did not appear to me to agree with the south pole of the planet but on the contrary to be considerably eccentric to it...”
James Nasmyth (1808-1890) mechanical engineer was not a Fellow of the Royal Society.
John Phillips (1800-1874) British geologist was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1834.
Associated place