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Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

I was not a little surprised to find myself suddenly surrounded with a light equal to that of the full moon, Hornsey 1754

After completing his masters degree at Cambridge in 1754, William Hirst became a navy chaplain. In April 1754, whilst living in Hornsey, Middlesex, he wrote to the Royal Society an ‘account of a fire-ball’ seen there. This led to his election as fellow on 20 Feb. 1755. His interest i astronomy contiues through his life and he published several further accounts. 

His letter to Samuel Mead in 1754, excerpted above is what seems to have given him a place in the history books. I like it for its historical charm, but if you have a deeper interest in eighteenth century astronomy, I have attached below a pdf of the full letter as published in the Royal Society's journal.*

The second and third paragraphs of the exceprt above read as follows:

I was going down the hill adjoining to south side of Hornsey-church, and was not a little surprised to find myself suddenly surrounded with a light equal to that of the full moon, though the moon (which was then four days old) had been set for about fifty minutes.

I should perhaps have seen this appearance sooner than I did, if I had not had a Ianthorn with me. The disadvantage however, which this might be, was more than balanced by the opportunity it gave of looking upon my watch, which a day or two before was adjusted by a meridian line and an equation table.**

You can read the Dictionary of National Biography potted bio of Hirst here.  

*An Account of a Fire-Ball, Seen at Hornsey, by William Hirst, F. R. S. Communicated in a Letter to Samuel Mead, Esq; F. R. S Hirst, in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society Vol. 48 Pg 773–776; 1755; Royal Society of London, London

**Full original letter on the Royal Society website at makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/l-and-p_2_509/letter-account-o...

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So what was this fireball .... a comet?

That would be my guess, but beyond, Hirst reference to, the record at the Royal Society doesn't say. Maybe it's there but needs deeper investigation. 

It seems to have been an exceptionally bright meteor.  Hirst’s account is reproduced in the Gentleman’s Magazine (starts near the bottom of the first column)

Thanks Michael & Hugh.

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