* Astronomy

One of the greatest feats of Victorian exploration took place on 5th September, 1862 at Stafford Road Gasworks in Wolverhampton. It consisted of a balloon flight that greatly increased our knowledge of the atmosphere, and helped to lead the way to modern weather forecasting. There were other balloon flights from Wolverhamptons gasworks, but this one was very different and far more important. It was in fact a scientific experiment. 
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James Glaisher FRS (7 April 1809 - 7 February 1903), was an English meteorologist and aeronaut. 
He was a founder member of the Meteorological Society (1850) and the Aeronautical Society of Great Britain (1866). He was president of the Royal Meteorological Society from 1867 to 1868.
He is most famous, however, as a pioneering balloonist. Between 1862 and 1866, usually with Henry Tracey Coxwell as his co-pilot, Glaisher made numerous ascents in order to measure the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere at its highest levels. His ascent on September 5, 1862 broke the world record for altitude, but he passed out around 8,800 metres before a reading could be taken. Estimates suggest that he rose to more than 9,500 metres and as much as 10,900 metres above sea-level. 
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