Instrument to measure the velocity of falling bodies
Date
29 August 1664
Creator
Christiaan Huygens (1629 - 2006, Dutch) , Natural philosopher
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p4
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 225mm
width (page): 174mm
width (page): 174mm
Subject
Content object
Description
A figure of an instrument to measure the velocity of falling bodies drawn by Christian Huygens in his letter to Robert Moray, dated 29 August 1664. It was read at the Royal Society's meeting on 31 August 1664, when it was noted that it was similar to the one designed by Robert Hooke (Cl.P/20/12/001), which Huygens had not yet seen.
There are copies at EL/H1/36/003, LBO/1/185 and LBC/1/214.
There are copies at EL/H1/36/003, LBO/1/185 and LBC/1/214.
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 31 August 1664, ‘[Sir Robert Moray] produced a letter of Mons. Huygens, dated at the Hague, 29 Aug. 1664, N. S, mentioning an instrument devised by him for measuring the velocity of descending bodies (which was found not much different from that of Mr. Hooke invented before) as also, a new observation concerning Saturn, made the last spring at Rome, by one Campani, viz. that the circle of Saturn had covered a part of its sphere above, and had been covered thereby below, even with a little shadow upon the circle below, and upon the sphere above’ (Birch 1:464).
Related fellows
Christiaan Huygens (1629 - 2006, Dutch) , Natural philosopher
Robert Moray (1608 - 1673, British) , Natural philosopher
Robert Moray (1608 - 1673, British) , Natural philosopher
Associated place