An Easy and Accurate Method of Adjusting the Glasses of Hadley's Quadrant, on Land for the

Back-Observation, by Robert Patterson, in a Letter to Dr. David Rittenhouse, President of the

Society
Author(s): Robert Patterson
Source: Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. 4 (1799), pp. 154-161
Published by: American Philosophical Society
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1005091 .
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154 A D I S Q U I S 1 T IO NoN &c.
the abfurdityof thofe opinions we have all heard re-
peated thoufandsof times, of wool being convertedinto
hairin theWeftIndies.
Froni a comparifonof thiswith otherfad:s I am per-.
fedly fatisfiedthat the varietiesof thisclafsof animals,
poffeffiTngvery diflind qualities infeparablyconneded
with breed,are muchgreater,and6infinitely morediver-
fifiedthan has hithertobeen fufpeded. Thefoftnefs of
the Shetland wool is a peculiarityinfeparablefromit,
irnfomuch kinds of flockingsmade of
that in the coaiVell
thiswool, which I have bought as low as four pence a
pair, of a fufficientfizeforthe largettman, I could un-
dertaketo diftinguitlthem at the firftby thefeel, for
theirfuperior foftnefseven above the fineft
Spanithwool.

No. XVIII.

An eafyand accurate Method of adjuflingthe GlZfexof

Had/ey'ituadrant,onLandfortheBack-Objervatzon, by
ROBERT PATTERSON, zn a LettertoDr. DAVID RIT-
TENlHOUSE, oftheSociety.
Prejident
April i 8th, 1794.

Read AprilHERE are few if any inftrumentsof

'82 1794' L
moderninvention, of moreextenfive ufe
in the meafuringof angles,thanthatinventedby our
countryman,Mr. Godfry,but whichhas unjuftlygot
thenameofHadley'squadrant.
I have howeveroftenregretted,
thatforwantoffome
eafyand accuratemethodofadjuftingtheglaffesforthe
back-obfervation,
pra&icableon land, and applicableto
the commanoaant, this inftrumentwas fIillfo much
limited

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 ADJUSTING HADLEY's QUAD1RANT. I5
limited in its ufe. For when an angle exceeding 90
degreesis to be meafured,or when an altitudeof thefun,
&co exceeding45 degreesis to be tziken,by m-ieans of a
refleafinghorizontalfurface,and fuch cafes frequently
occur, tthenwe mull eitherhave recourfeto the back-
obfervation,or to folneotherinftrument.
In order to remedy,in fome meafuLre, this inconve-
nience, thefextant,withoutany glaffesforthe back-ob-
fervation,has been introduced; but even thisinftrument
is incapableof meafur'ing an altitude,by means of a re-
fledtinghorizontalfurface,as above, whenexceeding6o
degrees; and this will be the cafewviththe meridianal-
titudeof the fun, in moft parts of the United States,
duringfourmonthsin the year.
Various methodsof adjuftingthe glaffesforthe back-
obfervation,have indeed been propofed; -but thefeare
eithervery inaccurateanidtrotiblefome, or inapplicable
to the commonodant, and require fomeappendageto
the inftrument,with wrlhichbut xrery few haveyetbeen
made.
The followingmethodof makingthisadjuffment will
not, I flattermyfelf,be foundliable to any of the above
objedions.-It may be made on land, in a few minutes,
at anytimeof the day when the funfhines; requiresno
additionalapparatus,but what any perfonmay readily
makeforhimfelf;and theadjuftiientmay be reliedupon
as equally accuratewiththatforthe fore-obfervation.
oftheNMceffary
Defcription Apparatus.
Take a piece of plane glafs(a piece of looking-glafs
will do veryvwell)-takethe polilhoffone fideof it, and
cementit, with the roughfidedown, on the flatfideof
the fegmentof a wooden ballk 'I he ball may be about
threeor fourinchesin diameter,and the piece of glafsof
aboutthefamedimenfions. Or the glafsmaybe cement-

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156 EASY AND ACCURATE METHOD or
ed to a piece of board, and this board to a three or four
pound fliot,or fmallhand-granade,when eitlher ofthefe
mnay be convenientlyhad.
Next take a piece of triangularboard of about four
inches on the fide,and throughthis cut a triangular
morticeof about two incheson the fide. Near the cor.
ners of thisboard let therebe iniferted threefmallnails
or pieces of wire, to ferveas feetforitto flandon.
Methodofntaking
theAdju/Irment,
orfindingthe.9ouantity
of the
Index-Error.
At any time when the fun fhines,fetyour triangtular
boardon a table, thecill of a window, or any othercon-
venientflandexpofedto the fun, and place the ball with
the piece of glafs, on the triangularmortice; which,
touchingthe ball only in threepoints, will confequently
keep it fteadyin any pofition. Turn the ball into fuch
a pofitionthatthe plane of theglafsmay be, as nearlyas
you can judge, parallel to the eqviitor; and thenincline
this plane, in the direation of the meridian paffing
throughthefun, tillthe funbe about4S? aboveit.
Now take your odant, and by the fore-obfervation,
bring one of the limbs of the fun's image, feen by a
double refleationfrom the fpecula of the inftrument,
exaaly into contatt with the image-of the fame limb,
feenby a finglerefleCtionfrom the furfaceof the glafs
planie,and read offthe angle pointed otutby the index.
Immediatelyturnround yourinftrument, and bringthe
famelimbsinto conta6tby the back obfervation. If the
angle now pointedout by the index be exaCtlythe fup-
plement(to x8o') of theformerangle, the horizon-glafs
for the back-obfervation will be trulyadjufted,or ex-
adly at right-angleswiththe horizon-glafsforthe fore-
obfervation:But if thefe two be not equal, then take
halftheirdifference, whichwill be the corredionor in-
4 dex-

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 ADJUSTING HADLEY's QUYADRANT. I57

dex-errorforthe back-obfervation;fuppofingthe fore.

horizon-glafsto have been previouflywell adju'fed.
This corredionwill be additiveto all angles meafuredby
the back-obfervation, when the anglepointedout by the
index in the firftof the above obfervationsis greater
thanthe ftupplement of theother, and vice verfa.
For the fakeofgreateraccuracy, you may repeatthefe.
obfervationstill you have taken two, four,or fixfets;
obfervingthat if in your firitfetyou begin with the
fore-obfervation, as above direaed, then in your fecond
fetyou multbegin with the back-obfervation, and foon.
A mean of the corredionsthuisobtained may be taken
as the truecorrettionof adjuftment.
I Ihall concludethispaper with the followingmifcel-
laneous remaarks,relativeto thefubjed.
i. If the archof excefsbeyond9go be but fmall,as in
fomeodcantsis the cafe, thenit maybe neceffary to place
the index one or two degreesbeforethe o, on the extra
arch, and adjuftthefore-horizon-glafs to this pofitionof
the index. You will thusobtaina greaterrange forthe
index in adjuftingtheback-horizon-glafs.
2. When the refledingglafs-planeis placed in the
pofitionabove mentioned,viz. at rightanglesto the plane
of the meridianpaffingthroughthe fuin,thenthe fun's
path in the heavens will, for feveralminutes,be very
nearlyparallelto the faid plane; and thereforeno fen-
fible error is to be apprehendedfromthe increafeor
decreafeof the fun's altitudeabove this plane during
the intervalbetweenthe firftand fecondobfervations in
the famefet. But even if thisIhould be the cafe, from-
the glafsplane beingplaced confiderably outof theabove
pofition,yet, by condudtingthe obfervationsas- above
dirceded,thefmallerrorsarifilg fromthis fourcewill na
turallycorre6tone another.
3. When the polifhis takenoffone furfaceof a piece
of glafs,then the image of the fun, being-refled6edonly
X fromn

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158 EASY AND ACCUJRATEMETHOD or
fromone furface, will appearfingleand diflind; whereas
the image refledted fromnboth fuifaces,will, moftfre-
quently,appear diouibleor indiftind; arifiugfrom the
want of parallelifImbetweenthefurfaces.
4. The imiageof the fun feen by a fiinglerefled-ion-
froinone furfaceof thleglafsplane, and that feen by a
douLblerefle6cionfrom the fpecula of the inftrument,
will both appear nearly of the fameihade or degreeof
briglitnefs;and this will feldombe fo intenfeas to re-
quire any fcreenor colouredglafsto be interpofed
between
the eye and the image.
5. In makingobfervations whe-
withlthis inftrunment,
therfor the purpofeof adjufl;ingthe glaires,or forany
other purpofe,where great accuracy is requiired,it is
neceffarythat the point on the index-fpeculumfrom
which the firftrefledlionis made, that on the horizon-
glafs from which the fecondrefledionis made, and the
eye-holethroughwhich the image is viewed, be all in a
plane, parallelto the plane of theinftrument.This will
be effe6tedby wrappinga piece oftape, or thelike, round
the index fpeculum,leavingonly a bare ftripof abouta
quarterof an inch broad, parallelto the plane of the in-
firument, and at thefameheightabove it as the eye-hole,
and tranfparent partofthe horizon-glafs.
6. The eye-hole is generallymade too fmall. In
meafuring angleson land, as in thepradciceoffurveying,.
(for which purpofethisinfIrument is much preferableto
any otherin commonufe,)in takingaltitudesat fea, in
meafuringtheangulardiftanceof the funand moon, but
efpeciallyofthe moon and a ftar; the eye has generally
need of all thelightthatcan be admittedfromtheobjedc
feenby direa vifion.-The eye-hole therefore,fhould,
I think,be nearly as large as the ordinaryfize of the
pupil of the eye; nor is any inaccuracy,in thiscafe, to
be apprehendedfromthe line of vifionnotbeingparallel
to the plane of the inftrument;the eye beingcapable of
placing

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 ADJUSTING HADLEY's Q,UADRANT. 159
placingitfelfwithgreatexadnefs oppofitcthlecelzre of
theeye-hole.
The fame objeaion and remedyare applicableto the
flitsin the fight-vanes,of the common fuLrveying inflru-
ments.
7. Mr. Mafkyline, and others,recommendthe fun
itfelfas the belt obje6'tby whichto adjull the fore-hori-
zon-glafs.-There is however confiderabledifficulty at-
tendingthismode of adjtiftment.-The fuIiiis too bright
to be viewed direafly,witliouta piece of colouredglafs
interpofed betweenit and the eye; and even if the eye-
piece be furniifhed withfuchan appe.ndage (whhich in the
common oaant is feldom the cafe) flill the two imnages
will be of verydifferent fhades; and eitherthe one feen
by direa vifion will be too brighlt,or thatfeenby re-
fleaion will be too faintfor an accurateobfervationof
their coincidenceor contaa.-'fhis difficulty may how.
everbe obviatedin thefollowingmanner.
Every od6antis furnifhedwith at leafttwo coloured
glaffes,of different thades-take the darkeltofthefeout
of its frame,and with a threadfaftenit on behindthe
horizon-glafs,and tuLrndo'wn the otlier,between this
and theinidex-fpeculum: TI'hetwo imagesof the funwill
thus he generallyof the famne (hade, or nearlyfo, and
the adjuftmentmay then be made with the utitnoleafe
and fafetyto the eye. Or, whichiis l)Crhapsbetter.-
Place youreye behindthe fore-horizon--glafs, aiid, look-
ing throughthis towards the centreof the index fpe-
culum, hold the inftrurnent in fucha pofitioni as that
the line of vifionmay be dire&tedto any point in the
heavens,&c. at the anguluar diftanceof go degreesfrom
the fun; and then, tlheindex being,placedlat o, two
imagesofthefunw'illappear, botlhbya finglereflecdioni,
one fromthe index-fpeculum,and( the other from the
back part of thiefore-horizon glafs; anid by bringi'ng
tllefeimages into coincidenceor contad, as whenyou
X '.~AN, look

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X6o EASY AND ACCURATE METHOD OF

look direatlyat the fun, the adjuftnentmay be made,

or the index-errorfound, withgreateafeand exadtnefs.
If thenimnagesof the fun fhotld be)too brightforthe
eye,-one of the colouredglafresbelongingto the inftru-
mentnmay be heldlbeforet:heeye. Tlhletwo images of
the fun, thus viewed, will appear nearly of the fame
fhade, finicethe one from the index-fpeculurn, which
'Wouldotherwifeappear the brighteft, will lofepartof
itslightby paflingtlhrough the horizon-glafs.
Afte-all, I am of opiniionthat this adjuftmetnt may
be miiadewithequal accuracy, and much more eafe, by
anvywelldefitned objed on land, as the edge of a chim-
ney, theroofof a houfe, or the like, at a fufficient dif-
tance.
Any one may fatisfy himfelfthatthis is the cafe, by
repeatedlymeafuring the errorof adjuftment in the com-
mon way,viz. by movingtheindextillhe producesan ap-
parentcoincidencebetweenthe objett feendireaflyand
by refle&tion. If a chimney,or the like, be the objea
viewed, he will fcarceever find any of thefeerrorsto
differfrom the mean errormore thanone mnzinute; and
the difference of fucherrors,when the funis ufed, will
not be lefs, but generallygreater.
If the diftancebetween the index-fpeculLim and the
of
line direca vifion (viz. a line joining the eye-holeand
horizon-glafs)fhouldnot exceed three inches, which it
feldomdoes, thentheparallaxof the infirument will not
amountto a quarterof a minute,anidmay therefore be
fafelynegleated; providedthe objea viewed be at the
diflanceof two thirdsof a mile. If a fuitableobjea at
fucha diftancecannot be readilyfound, thenyou may
takeone at any given diftance,and computethe paral-
lax to be allowed forthat diflance,thus-Multiply the
conflantnumber 95 (the nat. tang. of i to rad. 1) by
the diftance,in inches, of the centreof the index-fpe-
culum above the line of diret vifion,and dividingthe
produ2

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 ADJUSTING HADLEV s QUJADRANT. 16i

produEtby the diftanceof the objea in yards,the quo-

tient will be the parallaxof the infirument,or correc-
tion of adjufiment,forthat diftLance in minutes. For
example, if the heightof the index-fpecuflum above the
line of vifionbe threeinches, and the diftanceof the ob-
jea i'o yards: then 95X3 = 1.9 willbe the errorof
ISO
adjufIment. If tlherefore you place the index fo much
behind the o, on the limb of the inflrumentand then
adjuft the horizon-glafs by an objedt at the above dif-
tance, the adjufimentwill be true for an objea con-
fideredas at an infinitediftance.
From the above ruleit is obvious thatmuch exaatnefs
in meafuringor eftimating the diftanceof the objeat you
adjuftby is not neceffary, providedthatdiftancebe not
veryfinall; for, in the above example, an errorin the
diftanceeven of I a yardswould have produced an error
of no morethan about T of a minute in computing, the
parallaxoftheinfirument.
8. In meafuring angles by thisinftrument, when the
objea feenby direca vifionis at no great diftance,the
parallax ofthe inIfrument muftbe taken into confidera-
tion. In fuchcafesit is commonlyrecommended,pre-
viouflyto adjuft the horizon-glafsby thatobjedt; but
this, in the back-obfervation, would be attendedwith
very greatdifficulty-itwill therefore be beftalways to
keep the back-horizon-glafs at the fame adjufiment,and
make the neceffarycorreafion,as above direaled, for
the diflanceof theobjeat.
I am, Sir, with much efteem
Yours, &c.
ROBERT PATTERSON.

An

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