Dudley Observatory

The 'Astronomical Journal', the first technical astronomical periodical in the United States, was established by Benjamin A. Gould in 1849. After Gould's death in 1896, his long-time associate Seth Chandler took over the editorship. In 1909, in ill health, Chandler persuaded assistant editor, Lewis Boss to become editor of the Journal. The Dudley Observatory became the publisher. After Boss's death in 1912, his son Benjamin Boss became editor, holding this position until 1941, when he arranged for the transfer of responsibility for the 'Astronomical Journal' to the American Astronomical Society.

From the description of Records of the Astronomical Journal, 1896-1941. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122591241

The Dudley Observatory, which opened in 1854, had been constructed in Albany, New York as the result of a gift from Blandina Dudley in the memory of her husband. In 1858, a public controversary arose over the mission of the institution, and shortly thereafter, the first director, Benjamin A. Gould, was terminated. His successor was not appointed until 1865, when George Hough was named director. In 1873, Dudley Observatory became part of Union University. Shortly thereafter, the Observatory discontinued observations due to a financial problem. The building was leased to the U.S. Signal Service. Three years later, in 1876, the Observtory was re-established, this time with Lewis Boss as director. It was at this time that Boss began his observation and study of the positions and motions of stars. By 1882 he had completed zone observations for Astronomischen Gesellschaft (1890). In 1893 a new observatory site was opened in Albany. In 1903, Boss finished the needed observations and published Positions and Motions of 627 Principal Stars. In 1906, The Carnegie Institution of Washington made the Dudley Observatory the Department of Meridian Astrometry. This funded the studies and observations which were eventually published in 1937 as the General Catalogue of 33,342 Stars. In order to complete the necessary observations, an observatory was built in San Luis, Argentina to record Southern Hemisphere data. The instruments were dismant.

Led in Albany and shipped by boat to the site. The observations were completed in 1911 and the instruments were returned to Albany. In 1912, Lewis Boss died and his son, Benjamin, became the director and continued to work on the star catalog. During the years before the publicatiion of the General Catalogue, several other star catalogs were published: the Preliminary General Catalogue of 6,188 Stars, the San Luis Catalogue of 15,333 Stars, and the Albany Catalogue of 20,811 Stars. The Dudley Observatory established itself as an authority on the standard stellar positions. Lewis and Benjamin Boss also contributed greatly to the study of the motion of stars. In 1909, when Lewis Boss became editor of the Astronomical Journal, the Dudley Observatory became its publisher. Two years later, upon the death of his father, Benjamin Boss became editor. In 1941, he transferred the editorship over to the American Astronomical Society.

From the description of Records / a. 1852-1958. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 86123391