Address to the Mathematical and Physical Section of the British Association. Bristol, August 25, 1875

1875. Paperback. Good +. Paperback. VERY SCARCE. Balfour Stewart (1828-1887) was a Scottish physicist and meteorologist. His primary field of interest was radiant heat. He was appointed director of the Kew Observatory in 1859, where he studied terrestrial magnetism. There in 1859 he observed two geomagnetic disturbances which he linked to major concurrent aural displays. The second disturbance resulted from what is known as the Carrington Event, a large solar flare that Richard Carrington and Richard Hodgson had observed. Carrington himself a well-known amateur astronomer whose observations demonstrated the existence of solar flares and sunspots. For his work, Stewart received the Rumford Medal of the Royal Society in 1868. This address by Stewart, who was the President of the Mathematical and Physical Section of the British Association, acknowledges the work of the recently-deceased astronomer Schwabe and continues with a discussion of Carrington's observations and their relation to the Kew Observatory findings, including the impact of solar flares and sun spots. A very interesting and rare address from a leading scientist of the time, commenting on his work and those of fellow scientists related to solar energy and heat. Small Octavo. Paperback, saddle-stitched. No cover, and stitches are missing. Light soiling and faint fading to outer pages, Two parallel, lengthwise creases to pages. Light chipping along spine where pamphlet had been stitched. 10 pp. SCI/020604.