348:, where he hoped to find superior apparatus and instruments for the difficult observations which he had planned. Seeking to silence critics who doubted his claims to have discovered Vulcan, he also personally paid to construct an underground observatory, in a misguided attempt to observe planets in the daytime. This was based on the idea that stars could be seen during the day from the bottom of a well, which is an ancient myth but verifiably incorrect. (It is not merely direct glare from the Sun that hides the stars, but scattered light from the atmosphere above the well.)
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solely for the money. In another action motivated by money, Watson built a house in Ann Arbor on South
University Avenue for $ 5000 but still could not pay for it after gathering all his resources and borrowing $ 2000. He requested a mortgage soon after with the house as collateral, then he sold the
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Watson was a very divisive person on the
University of Michigan’s campus. He did not allow visitors or students in the Detroit Observatory, angering many students. He also only really cared about students interested in astronomy, but he was an interesting lecturer and easy grader, so a large number
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The Hon. James C. Watson, one of the greatest astronomers that this country has ever produced to whom immeasured devotion to science owes some of its greatest blessings. Astronomy under his patronage has reached a summit rarely attained. The telescope which the Hon. James C. Watson, LL.D., F.R.S.,
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Watson also appeared to be rather vain. He would sign his notebooks as if practicing his autograph, including once signing his notebook, “James Craig Watson, Astronomer Royal,” a title only given to the most renowned astronomers of
Britain. Watson also once wrote this about himself:
621:. The return of BrĂĽnnow so infuriated Watson that Watson contacted local life insurance agencies in Ann Arbor and became a life insurance actuary, where he made some extra money. Watson also during his career helped reduce Washington Zones for the United States
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653:, Doctor of Law from Columbia College, etc.). Oddly, Watson was still well-liked for being cheerful and humorous. Watson also was a religious fundamentalist, believing that mathematicians could not be atheists.
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In addition to this, Watson frequently committed plagiarism, including from BrĂĽnnow, and he received a variety of honorary degrees by asking for them rather than being honored with them (e.g. Doctor from
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in
September 1862 and then convinced the Regents to build a Director’s Residence attached to Detroit Observatory. It is unclear how he had such massive debt despite his rather large salary at the time.
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He was a member of the most important expeditions for astronomical observation sent out by the United States
Government during his time. The first was an expedition to observe the eclipse of the Sun at
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of students took his courses. His carelessness is reflected in the fact that he once gave passing grades to an entire class, including to a student who died two weeks into the term.
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at the age of 42 and was buried at Forest Hill, Ann Arbor. He had amassed a considerable fortune through non-astronomical business activities and, by bequest, established the
367:. His successor, Edward Holden, completed Watson's underground observatory, but declared it useless after he found not even the brightest stars could be observed.
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F.A.S., &c &c &c proposes to make is of the
Gregorian construction and will bear a magnifying power of 1200 Times! Great indeed!!! 1200! 1200!
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planetoids remains a possibility). He believed he had seen such two such planets during his observation of the 1878 solar eclipse.
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Watson often prioritized financial gain. This obsession, in the view of the
University of Michigan's first president,
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In 1879, after attempts by the university to retain him, Watson resigned his professorship at
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26:"J. C. Watson" redirects here. For the Australian Prime Minister John Christian Watson, see
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in 1872, from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and this asteroid was found to have a small
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Appletons' Annual
Cyclopedia and Register of Important Events of the Year 1873
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In Search of Planet Vulcan, The Ghost in Newton's
Clockwork Machine
677:. He received the honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the
274:. The name Juewa was chosen by Chinese officials (瑞華, or in modern
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The textbook was a standard reference work for over thirty years.
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Emigrants from pre-Confederation
Ontario to the United States
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Burials at Forest Hill Cemetery (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
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A Creation of His Own: Tappan's Detroit Observatory
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977:Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan
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749:Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (729) Watsonia
696:is named in his honour, as is the lunar crater
685:in 1871, and the degree of Doctor of Laws from
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174:(January 28, 1838 – November 23, 1880) was a
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902:. Ann Arbor, MI: Bentley Historical Library.
747:Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(729) Watsonia".
193:, director of the University of Michigan's
751:. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 70.
270:when Watson was there to observe the 1874
262:in 1863. One of his asteroid discoveries,
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930:Richard Baum and William Sheehan (1997).
19:For other people named James Watson, see
965:Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
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973:"James Craig Watson papers: 1855–1881"
864:"Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)"
723:"The Detroit Observatory at Ann Arbor"
314:, a hypothetical planet closer to the
850:"Fact Check: Stars Visible from Well"
789:History of the University of Michigan
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197:in Ann Arbor, and awarded with the
209:Watson was born in the village of
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1015:19th-century American astronomers
920:. Vol. 13. 1874. p. 49.
808:Asteroids, Meteorites, and Comets
727:Michigan Alumnus Quarterly Review
669:for 1869. He was a member of the
359:, awarded every two years by the
1045:Pre-Confederation Ontario people
991:", 25 December 1880, p. 405
1060:Recipients of the Lalande Prize
1035:People from Ann Arbor, Michigan
810:(2010) - Page 96 (Google Books)
1055:University of Michigan faculty
675:American Philosophical Society
1:
1050:University of Michigan alumni
757:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_730
21:James Watson (disambiguation)
898:Whitesell, Patricia (1998).
671:National Academy of Sciences
361:National Academy of Sciences
16:Canadian-American astronomer
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828:. Liveright. p. 217.
667:French Academy of Sciences
249:J. B. Lippincott & Co.
221:in 1850. At age 15 he was
217:. His family relocated to
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806:Linda T. Elkins-Tanton -
613:as Associate Director in
344:to accept a position the
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1040:People from Elgin County
1030:Discoverers of asteroids
787:Hinsdale, Burke (1906).
357:James Craig Watson Medal
335:James Craig Watson Medal
302:, China, to observe the
241:. He wrote the textbook
1025:Deaths from peritonitis
692:The main-belt asteroid
346:University of Wisconsin
306:in 1874; the fourth to
247:, published in 1868 by
793:University of Michigan
733:: 303–304. April 1907.
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623:Office of Coast Survey
374:discovered: 22
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227:University of Michigan
121:University of Michigan
111:University of Michigan
679:University of Leipzig
651:University of Leipzig
363:for contributions to
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244:Theoretical Astronomy
824:David Baron (2017).
626:house to someone in
296:Mount Pleasant, Iowa
985:Scientific American
914:"The Lalande Medal"
868:Minor Planet Center
795:. pp. 235–236.
607:Henry Philip Tappan
564:September 28, 1876
454:September 16, 1868
444:September 13, 1868
384:September 14, 1863
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239:Detroit Observatory
219:Ann Arbor, Michigan
195:Detroit Observatory
681:in 1870, and from
611:Dudley Observatory
594:November 11, 1877
574:September 2, 1877
504:November 25, 1872
434:September 7, 1868
404:September 6, 1867
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172:James Craig Watson
91:Madison, Wisconsin
49:Portrait of Watson
37:James Craig Watson
945:978-0-306-45567-4
791:. Ann Arbor, MI:
766:978-3-540-00238-3
657:Honors and awards
598:
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590:179 Klytaemnestra
544:October 18, 1875
534:October 10, 1874
464:October 10, 1868
258:, beginning with
254:He discovered 22
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272:transit of Venus
233:under professor
185:, discoverer of
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694:729 Watsonia
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683:Yale College
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490:121 Hermione
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266:was made in
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223:matriculated
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85:(1880-11-23)
73:Upper Canada
28:Chris Watson
1010:1880 deaths
1005:1838 births
961:"Biography"
601:Personality
570:174 Phaedra
560:168 Sibylla
500:128 Nemesis
480:119 Althaea
450:105 Artemis
440:104 Klymene
380:79 Eurynome
353:peritonitis
260:79 Eurynome
99:Nationality
999:Categories
983:Obituary,
706:References
520:133 Cyrene
510:132 Aethra
420:101 Helena
410:100 Hekate
390:93 Minerva
183:astronomer
139:astronomer
61:1838-01-28
689:in 1877.
550:161 Athor
530:139 Juewa
470:115 Thyra
460:106 Dione
400:94 Aurora
372:Asteroids
365:astronomy
342:Ann Arbor
324:Vulcanoid
290:in 2002.
264:139 Juewa
256:asteroids
231:astronomy
205:Biography
201:in 1869.
154:asteroids
135:physicist
131:professor
107:Education
687:Columbia
673:and the
540:150 Nuwa
430:103 Hera
180:American
176:Canadian
102:Canadian
874:11 July
619:Regents
320:Mercury
308:Wyoming
300:Beijing
268:Beijing
225:at the
215:Ontario
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832:
763:
699:Watson
628:Saline
312:Vulcan
280:ruìhuá
276:pinyin
211:Fingal
187:comets
160:Awards
150:comets
69:Fingal
318:than
940:ISBN
876:2016
830:ISBN
761:ISBN
333:The
189:and
152:and
93:, US
80:Died
55:Born
987:, "
753:doi
316:Sun
1001::
975:.
963:.
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884:^
866:.
816:^
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739:^
731:13
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714:^
702:.
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