Römer's “dversaria”

Abstract

“ÉTUDES sur les notes astronomiqués contenues dans les Adversaria d'Ole Römer,” is the title of a paper by G. van Biesbroek and A. Tiberghien, published in the Bulletin of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences (112 pp.). The “Adversaria” were published in 1910, and were reviewed in NATURE (vol. lxxxvi., p. 4). The authors of the present paper give a detailed analysis of most of the astronomical notes contained in the volume. This analysis is especially valuable on account of the way in which the astronomical notes in the “Adversaria” are mixed up with others on hydraulics, statics, the construction of thermometers (the scale known as Fahrenheit's is due to Römer), numismatics, &c. These notes all date from the last eight years of Römer's life (1702-10), although several refer to investigations made during his stay in Paris (1672-81).