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Electronic newsletter for the history of astronomy 30
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* *
* ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER FOR THE HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY *
* *
* Published by the Working Group for the History of Astronomy *
* in the Astronomische Gesellschaft *
* *
* Number 30, July 10, 1998 *
* *
* Edited by: Wolfgang R. Dick *
* *
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Contents
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1. Meeting of the Working Group for the History of Astronomy in Heidelberg
2. James Caplan: Historical Conservation at the Marseille Observatory
3. NCHALADA's 47th Meeting
4. New Books
Acknowledgements
Imprint
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Item 1 ENHA No. 30, July 10, 1998
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Meeting of the Working Group for the History of Astronomy in Heidelberg
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(From: "Elektronische Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte" Nr. 32,
8. Juli 1998, Item 1. Translation by the editor.)
The meeting will take place on Monday, September 14, 1998, as the splinter
meeting "History of Astronomy" in the framework of the International
Scientific Annual Conference of the Astronomische Gesellschaft (AG) in
Heidelberg. The place of the meeting will be the campus of Heidelberg
University (Neuenheimer Feld 308). It will start between 9 and 10 a.m. and
will end around 4 p.m. After the splinter meeting a general assembly of
the members of the working group will take place, guests are welcome. There
will be the possibility to obtain some history of astronomy books during
the meeting.
Coordinator of the meeting is Dr. Reinhold Bien, Astronomisches
Rechen-Institut, Moenchhofstr. 12-14, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany,
Phone: (06221) 405-120, Fax: (06221) 405-297, e-mail:
reinhold@ari.uni-heidelberg.de . Please send your requests concerning the
meeting and your registration to the coordinator. He will also allocate
the time for oral presentations (probably not more than 20 min per paper).
Please register also in the case that you will not present a paper, so
that you may be informed about the exact time and place of the meeting and
may receive the programme.
For Sunday evening an informal gathering is being planned. Please
inform Mr. Bien wether you would like to take part in this gathering.
Papers may be presented in English or German, but English is to be
preferred. Submissions of papers received after July 29 may be taken
into account only in the case that time for presentations will still be
available. The abstracts of the papers may be published in Volume 14
of AG Abstract Series. The abstracts are to be written using the new
macro of the AG (http://www.astro.uni-jena.de/Astron_Ges/agamacro.html
or available by e-mail from the coordinator). The editor will accept
only contributions in the requested form, in English and without
illustrations, sent by e-mail as LaTeX source code (not zipped, not coded,
and not as MIME or tar files) to the coordinator and the editor
(schie@astro.uni-jena.de) before July 29. In the case that you are not
able to write your abstract in LaTeX and/or cannot send it by e-mail,
please contact Mr. Bien in advance for asking about the possiblity to
send it in another form and about the necessary date of submission. The
abstracts will be available around mid-August through the Astrophysics
Data System (ADS).
Participants taking part exclusively in this splinter meeting do not have
to pay the conference fee. They have to find their accomodation
themselves, and should register only with Mr. Bien.
Those who wish to take part in the complete conference of the AG have to
register also with the LOC: Dr. Gerhard Klare, Landessternwarte
Heidelberg-Koenigstuhl, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany, Phone:
06221/509208 oder 509249, Fax: 06221/509202, e-mail:
e.baer@lsw.uni-heidelberg.de . In this case the conference fee is
DM 100.00 for members of the AG, DM 50.00 for students and DM 120.00 for
non-members.
At mid-August the detailed programme of the meeting will be available at
http://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~pbrosche/aa/treffen1998.html . At this
address further information about the conference and about Heidelberg
is given already now.
After the founding meeting of 1863 and the conferences in 1900, 1928, and
1950, Heidelberg serves for the fifth time as the meeting place for the
AG, this time on occasion of the 100th anniversary of the observatory
(Landessternwarte) Heidelberg-Koenigstuhl. The observatory my be visited
on one afternoon during the conference, probably on Wednesday. Detailed
information will be given in the programme of the splinter meeting which
will be sent to registered participants at the beginning of September.
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Item 2 ENHA No. 30, July 10, 1998
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Historical Conservation at the Marseille Observatory
----------------------------------------------------
By James Caplan, Marseille
(From: "Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte" Nr. 12, Juni 1998, p. 1.)
A brief history
The Marseille Observatory was founded in 1702 by the Jesuits, in the
Sainte Croix convent near the Vieux Port, and was subsidized by the King
and the Royal Navy. The first director was Laval, followed by Pezenas
until 1763, when the Jesuits were expelled from France. During most of
the old observatory's subsequent history it was state-controlled, and
was at times called the Naval Observatory. The first non-Jesuit director
was Saint-Jacques de Silvabelle; he was followed by Thulis, Blanpain,
Gambart and Valz. Franz Xaver von Zach, a frequent visitor to Marseille,
played an indirect role in the observatory's history in the decades
around 1800. Jean-Louis Pons, the observatory concierge who became a
noted comet hunter, was a protege of Zach.
In the 1860s, Le Verrier, then director of the Paris Observatory, wished
to build an observing station in the south of France. Upon Valz's
retirement, he took over control of the Marseille Observatory, giving
the building to the City of Marseille in exchange for the present
observatory site on the Plateau Longchamp (at that time at the edge of
the built-up area). During ten years the Marseille Observatory was
directed by Le Verrier as an annex to the Paris Observatory. The old
observatory's instruments were transferred to the new site, although few
of them were used since new equipment was furnished (including an 80-cm
Foucault telescope). The Marseille Observatory again became independent
of the Paris Observatory in 1873. Today it is associated with the
Universite de Provence and with the CNRS.
The 'Groupe Patrimoine'
The Marseille Observatory's 'Groupe Patrimoine' works towards the
protection, inventory and (in some cases) reversible restoration of the
observatory's historical heritage, and makes it available for display
and consultation. This material includes instruments, books and the
observatory's archives. They would like to make the
astronomical/historical community aware of this collection.
As often happens, the historical material has suffered in the past from
negligence and inadequate protection. But since 1990 most of the old
instruments (including telescopes, repeating circles, etc., mostly from
the old observatory) have been gathered together in a small 'museum'.
(As part of a separate operation, the Foucault Telescope is on display
in a space principally dedicated to public outreach programmes.) The
collection of a few hundred old books from the observatory library is
kept in the museum. The archives are at present at the Archives
departementales in Marseille where they were recently inventoried, and
where a large part is now being microfilmed; but in a few months they
will be returned to the observatory and stored adjacent to the museum.
The book catalogue in a preliminary form is available on their Web site;
the inventory of the archives should be posted soon.
The Web site can be consulted at
http://www-obs.cnrs-mrs.fr/patrimoine/patrimoine.html
where one can also find information about the history of the observatory
in the form of old texts that are not otherwise easily accessible. Soon
there will be information about the instrument collection. The Groupe
Patrimoine regret that there is not yet much historical information
posted, but within the limited time they have been able to devote to
this effort, they have judged urgent to give priority to the
*protection* of the material and have therefore rather neglected the
historical research which of course is the ultimate goal.
Much remains to be done. For example, now that the basic structure of
the archives has been defined by professional archivists, they plan to
do a computer-searchable extension containing much more information
about individual items. Also they hope to digitize the microfilms for
computer consultation, thus by-passing classical microfilm readers.
Contacts, visits and moral support are welcome! Contact the Groupe
Patrimoine (James Caplan, Gerard Lemaitre and Marie-Louise Prevot) at
Observatoire de Marseille, 2 place Le Verrier, 13248 Marseille Cedex 4,
France, e-mail: patrimoine@observatoire.cnrs-mrs.fr, telephone
+33-4-9504-4189.
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Item 3 ENHA No. 30, July 10, 1998
...........................................................................
NCHALADA's 47th Meeting
-----------------------
The Northern California Historical Astronomy Luncheon and Discussion
Association's 47th meeting will be on Saturday, November 7, 1998, at Chabot
Observatory, 4917 Mountain Blvd., Oakland, USA. Topics: 10 AM - 12:30 PM:
"Ole Roemer". 2-5 PM: "Horizon Markers in Archaeoastronomy".
Further details from: Norm Sperling, nsperling@global.california.com.
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Item 4 ENHA No. 30, July 10, 1998
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New Books
---------
(From: "Elektronische Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte" Nr. 32,
8. Juli 1998, Item 3. Translations by the editor.)
A measure of time. 25th anniversary Trevor Philip & Sons. London: Trevor
Philip & Sons, [1997]. 52 p., 22 x 28.5 cm, numerous ill. (all in colour),
GBP 15.00 (hb).
[Catalogue of clocks, sundials, instruments (including astronomical),
globes and models in museums, private collections and in the shop, sold or
offered by London's leading dealer of antique scientific instruments.
Address: Trevor Philip & Sons Ltd, 75a Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6NP, UK,
Tel: 0171-930 2954, Fax: 0171-321 0212.]
Allmer, Franz: Simon Stampfer. 1790-1864. Ein Lebensbild. [Simon Stampfer.
1790-1864. An account of his live. - In German] Graz, 1996. 133 p.,
Paperback ATS 200.00 (Mitteilungen der geodaetischen Institute der
Technischen Universitaet Graz ; Folge 82).
[Distribution: Geodaetische Institute, Technische Universitaet Graz,
Steyrergasse 30, A-8010 Graz, Austria. Order Code: 274/1-82.
About Stampfer see also below: Schuster und Strasser: Simon Stampfer.]
Brosche, Peter (Hrsg.): Astronomie der Goethezeit : Textsammlung aus
Zeitschriften und Briefen Franz Xaver von Zachs. [Astronomy during the
time of Goethe. Collection of texts from journals and letters of Franz
Xaver von Zach. - In German] 2nd, rev. ed. Thun, Frankfurt am Main: Verlag
Harri Deutsch, 1998. 230 p., 24 illus., facsimiles, 12 x 19 cm,
ISBN 3-8171-3400-2, Pb DM 38.00 (Ostwalds Klassiker der exakten
Wissenschaften ; Bd. 280)
Dorschner, Johann: Astronomie in Thueringen. Skizzen aus acht
Jahrhunderten. Mit besonderer Beruecksichtigung der DDR-Zeit und der neuen
astronomischen Forschungslandschaft im Freistaat Thueringen. [Astronomy in
Thuringia. Sketches rom eight centuries. With special emphasis on GDR
times and the new astronomical research landscape in the Freistaat
Thuringia. - In German] Jena: Jenzig-Verlag, 1998. ca. 140 p., 50 illus.,
ISBN 3-910141-32-3, ca. DM 25.00.
[To appear probably in August 1998.]
Gosteli, Leo; Boschung, Urs; Brosche, Peter (Eds.): Astronom, Weltbuerger,
Blasensteinpatient. Franz Xaver von Zachs Briefe an Rudolf Abraham von
Schiferli 1821-1832. [Astronomer, cosmopolitan, bladder stone patient.
Franz Xaver von Zach's letters to Rudolf Abraham von Schiferli 1821-1832. -
In German] Basel: Schwabe & Co. Verlag, 1998. 382 p., SFr 45.00,
DM 54.00 (Gesnerus, Swiss Journal of the History of Medicine and Sciences,
Supplementum ; 45).
[Distribution: Schwabe & Co. AG, Steinentorstrasse 13, CH-4010 Basel, Tel.
++41/+61/278 95 65, Fax ++41/+61/278 95 66, e-mail: verlag@schwabe.ch,
URL: http://www. schwabe.ch/ ]
Hamel, Juergen: Geschichte der Astronomie. Von den Anfaengen bis zur
Gegenwart. [History of astronomy. from the beginnings to present time. -
In German] Basel: Birkhaeuser Verlag, 1998. 352 p., 19 colour und 92
b/w illus., ISBN 3-7643-5787-8, Hardbound SFr 58.00, DM 68.00
Hamel, Juergen: Bibliographia Kepleriana : Verzeichnis der gedruckten
Schriften von und ueber Johannes Kepler. Ergaenzungsband [zur 2. Auflage].
[Bibliographia Kepleriana : Inventory of the printed papers by and about
Johannes Kepler. Complementary volume [to the 2nd ed.]. - In German.]
Muenchen: Verlag C.H.Beck, 1998. 192 p., ISBN 3-406-01687-1,
hardbound ca. DM 138.00; ISBN 3-406-01689-8, paperback ca. DM 118.00.
[Additions to the Kepler bibliography compiled by Max Caspar.]
Hentschel, Klaus: Zum Zusammenspiel von Instrument, Experiment und
Theorie : Rotverschiebung im Sonnenspektrum und verwandte spektrale
Verschiebungseffekte von 1880 bis 1960. [On the interaction of instrument,
experiment and theory : Redshift in the solar spectrum and related
spectral effects 1880 to 1960. - In German] Hamburg: Verlag Dr. Kovac,
1998. 1030 p., 15 x 21 cm, 170 illus., ISBN 3-86064-730-X, hb DM 295.00
(Schriftenreihe Naturwissenschaftliche Forschungsergebnisse ; 58)
[Habilitation work 1995; ca. 6000 entries in the list of references;
further information: http://www.gwdg.de/~khentsc/habil.html .]
Herrmann, Dieter B.: Der Stern von Bethlehem. Die Wissenschaft auf den
Spuren des Weihnachtssterns. [The Star of Bethlehem. The science
investigates the Christmas Star. - In German] Berlin: Paetec, Gesellschaft
fuer Bildung und Technik, 1997. 96 p., 15 illus., 12 x 19 cm,
ISBN 3-89517-665-6, hb DM 34.80
Huettermann, Armin: Tobias Mayer Museum Marbach. Museumsfuehrer.
[Tobias Mayer Museum Marbach. Guide through the museum. - In German]
Marbach am Neckar: Tobias Mayer Museum e.V., 1998. 78 p., 15.5 x 22.5 cm,
numerous illus., pb DM 15.00 (Schriftenreihe des Tobias Mayer Museum
e.V.; Nr. 24)
[With a biography of Mayers by Erwin Roth (p. 61-75).]
Huettermann, Armin: Tobias Mayer und seine Familie. Katalog zur Ausstellung
vom 17.2.1998 bis 15.3.1998 im Rathausfoyer Marbach am Neckar. [Tobias
Mayer and his family. Catalogue of the exhibition from February 17, 1998,
to March 15, 1998, in the lobby of the Town Hall of Marbach am Neckar. -
In German] Marbach am Neckar: Tobias Mayer Museum e.V., 1998. 60 p.,
16.5 x 24 cm, numerous illus., pb DM 10.00 (Schriftenreihe des Tobias
Mayer Museum e.V. ; Nr. 25)
Huettermann, Armin (Hrsg.): Biografie Tobias Mayer. In der Transkription
von Menso Folkerts, mit biografischen Ergaenzungen. [Biography of Tobias
Mayer. In the transcription by Menso Folkerts, with biographical
additions. - In German] Marbach am Neckar: Tobias Mayer Museum e.V., 1998.
40 p. + 28 p. faksimiles, 17.5 x 21 cm, pb/hb DM 25.00.
[Autobiography of Mayer as facsimile (faithful copy in a separately
bound volume) and in transcription. Together in a nicely designed cover.
A fine edition.
Distribution of all three books: Tobias Mayer Museum e.V., Torgasse 13,
71672 Marbach am Neckar, Germany Tel./Fax (07144) 16942]
Iven, Mathias (Hrsg.): Von den Sternen auf die Erde. 110 Jahre Urania.
Eine Festschrift. [From the stars to Earth. 100 years of Urania. A
festschrift.- In German] Berlin, Milow: Schibri-Verlag, 1998. 75 p.,
13.5 x 19 cm, numerous illus., ISBN 3-928878-79-4, pb DM 14.80.
[Contains also contributions about Wilhelm Foerster, Max Wilhelm Meyer and
Werner von Siemens.]
Johannes Keplers Beitrag zur deutschen Fachsprache. [Contributions by
Johannes Kepler to the German scientific language. - In German]
Muenchen: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1998. 55 p.
(Berichte der Kepler-Kommission ; Heft 9).
[Contains besides a contribution by Hella Kothmann on the theme of the
booklet three short notices on Kepler research und reception.
Distribution: Through exchance of publications only.]
Rund um die Sternwarte Sonneberg. [Around the Sonneberg Observatory. -
In German.] Hildburghausen: Verlag Frankenschwelle, 1998. 103 p.,
15 x 21.5 cm, numerous illus., ISBN 3-86180-071-3, hb DM 18.80
(Sonneberger Geschichten ; Bd. 3).
[Contents: Cuno Hoffmeister (p. 6-66), Allerlei Unterhaltsames [anecdotes
about Sonneberg astronomers] (p. 67-94), timeline.]
Schuster, Peter; Strasser, Christian: Simon Stampfer, 1790-1864. Von der
Zauberscheibe zum Film. [Simon Stampfer, 1790-1864. From the magic disk to
the movie. - In German] Salzburg: Land Salzburg, Landespressebuero, [1998].
223 p., 17 x 24 cm, numerous illus., facsimiles, ISBN 3-85015-154-2,
paperback (Schriftenreihe des Landespressebueros, Serie
"Sonderpublikationen" ; Nr. 142)
[Biography of the Austrian geodesist and astronomer Simon Stampfer,
who invented as pioneer of cinematography the stroboscopic disks.
Free copies available from Buergerbuero (Tel. 0662/8042-2035 or
2036), Kaigasse 39, or from Landespressebuero (Tel. 0662/8042-2047),
Chiemseehof, A-5010 Salzburg, Austria.]
Strumpf, Manfred: Gothas astronomische Epoche. [Gotha's astronomical
epoch. - In German] Horb am Neckar: Geiger-Verlag, 1998. 96 p.,
21 x 20 cm, numerous illus., ISBN 3-89570-381-8, hb DM 29.80.
[Distribution: Verein Gothaer Sternwarten e.V., c/o M. Strumpf,
Heinoldsgasse 10, D-99867 Gotha, Germany, e-mail: MaStrumpf@aol.com.
Price including postage DM 33.00, payable by cheques.]
Wutzke, Ulrich: Durch die weisse Wueste : Leben und Leistungen des
Groenlandforschers und Entdeckers der Kontinentaldrift Alfred Wegener.
[Through the white desert : The live and achievements of Alfred Wegener,
explorer of Greenland and discoverer of the continental drift. - In
German.] Gotha: Justus Perthes Verlag, 1997. 240 p., 73 illus.,
ISBN 3-623-00354-9, hb 54.00 (Edition Petermann)
[Partial contents: Student years (p. 15-22; also about Wegener's
history of astronomy dissertation); Moon craters (p. 144-147).]
...........................................................................
Imprint
-------
Electronic Newsletter for the History of Astronomy (ENHA)
Published by the Working Group for the History of Astronomy in the
Astronomische Gesellschaft
Editor: Dr. Wolfgang R. Dick <wdi@potsdam.ifag.de>
All items without an author's name are editorial contributions.
Articles as well as information for the several sections are appreciated.
Subscription for ENHA is free. Readers and subscribers are asked for
occasional voluntary donations to the working group.
Copyright Statement:
The Electronic Newsletters for the History of Astronomy may be freely
re-distributed in the case that no charge is imposed. Public offer in
WWW servers, BBS etc. is allowed after the editor has been informed.
Non-commercial reproduction of single items in electronic or printed media
is possible only with the editor's permission.
Arbeitskreis Astronomiegeschichte / Working Group for the History of
Astronomy:
URL: http://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~pbrosche/aa/aa.html
Chairman: Prof. Dr. Peter Brosche, Observatorium Hoher List der
Sternwarte der Universitaet Bonn, D-54550 Daun, Germany,
Tel.: (++6592) 2150, Fax: (++6592) 985140
Secretary: Dr. Wolfgang R. Dick, Bundesamt fuer Kartographie und
Geodaesie, Aussenstelle Potsdam, Postfach 60 08 08, D-14408 Potsdam,
Germany, Tel.: (++331) 316 618, E-mail: wdi@potsdam.ifag.de
Bank Acct. of the Working Group of the Astronomische Gesellschaft:
Acct # 333 410 41, Sparkasse Bochum (BLZ 430 500 01)
Contributions from foreign countries: acct # 162 18-203, Postgiroamt
Hamburg, BLZ 200 400 20
Please sign with: "Fuer Arbeitskreis Astronomiegeschichte"
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