Headlines of Issue No 115 (August 2002)

• A Japanese version of "Revised tour of the Herschel House"
  The Herschel House (the Herschel Museum) in Bath, UK was renovated and a new visitor's guide was published. Mr Bunshiro Takase, a Society member, made translation for Japanese visitors to the museum. He was a translator of the old version of the museum guide, too.
  
  
• W Herschel's invention of lamp-micrometer and lucid disk micrometer (4)
  The last part of the study by Mr Masao Nakazaki, a Society member.
  
  
• From a paper of Herschel's mirror test
  We obtained from the Royal Society of Astronomy a photocopy of a paper published in 1925 on tests of Herschel's mirrors.
  
  
• A replica of W Herschel's speculum polishing machine
  Please read the "Main article of the issue".
  
  
• Ms Iizawa's exhibition opens
  Ms Nobuko Iizawa's cloisonné works exhibition was held under support of the Herschel Society of Japan.
  
  
• Cloisonné works of Caroline's comets (2)
  The second part of the essay by Ms Nobuko Iizawa, a Society member.
  
  
• Society for the History of Astronomy
  A new national Society for the History of Astronomy was formed on 29th June, in UK.
  
  
• The Lowell Society of Japan
  The first anniversary of the Lowell Society of Japan, which was established in July, 2001
  
  

Main article of the issue

A replica of W Herschel's speculum polishing machine

We received on 13th May a letter from Ms Debbie James, the curator of the Herschel Museum.

I enclose a photograph of the replica of William Herschel's speculum polishing machine which we have had made for the workshop of the museum. I thought you might like to include a note on this in your next newsletter. As you are aware, this machine was devised by William Herschel after many years of polishing his speculum by hand. It works on a mechanism whereby a handle is attached to a ratchet or clockwork mechanism which grinds metal plates holding the mirror. In the centre of the machine would have been a solution of pitch to alleviate the friction.

This working model is an exact copy of the original which is housed in the Science Museum in London and it was made by the team of model makers at that museum. It has been attached to a new workbench which we have had made for the workshop.

I look forward to seeing you again later this year.