Records of the Harvard College Observatory Director Edward C. Pickering, 1854-1926

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Records of the Harvard College Observatory Director Edward C. Pickering, 1854-1926

https://id.lib.harvard.edu/ead/hua43018/catalog

Edward Charles Pickering (1846-1919), a physicist and astronomer, was the director of the Harvard College Observatory from 1876 to 1919, as well as, Phillips Professor of Astronomy and Geodesy (1876-1887) and Paine Professor of Practical Astronomy (1887-1919). Pickering’s records as Observatory Director, consisting chiefly of correspondence, document the research activities and administration of the Harvard College Observatory from 1854 to 1926. During Pickering’s administration, the Observatory's principal areas of research included programs in photometric, photographic, and spectroscopic stellar investigations. Pickering built an extensive library of photographic plates at Harvard, established an observing station in Arequipa, Peru, to achieve worldwide coverage of the sky, and employed women to carry out the Observatory's photographic and spectroscopic programs.

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Harvard University Archives.

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SNAC Resource ID: 8183981

Harvard University Archives.

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Harvard College Observatory

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In 1839, the Harvard Corporation appointed William Cranch Bond the first Astronomical Observer to the University, thereby taking the first step in establishing the Harvard College Observatory, after which the first telescope was installed in 1847. Scholars and students had studied astronomy at Harvard since the seventeenth century, but it wasn’t until a large comet sparked public interest in 1843 that donors began donating funds to build an observatory. During the tenure of the Harvar...

Harvard University

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Harvard College was founded by a vote of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts on October 28, 1636 that allocated “400£ towards a schoale or colledge.” Subsequent legislative acts established the Board of Overseers, but it was the Charter of 1650 that created the Harvard Corporation as the College's primary governing board and defined its composition and authority. The College Charter became a contentious target for College officials, the Massachusetts Governor and General C...

Holden, Austin.

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Pickering, Edward C. 1846-1919.

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Douglas, H. E.

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Bruce, M. W.

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American astronomical society

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Founded in 1899 as the Astronomical and Astrophysical Society of America, in 1914 the name was changed to the American Astronomical Society. Its purpose is the advancement of astronomy and closely related branches of science. The Society became an Associate Member of the American Institute of Physics in 1958, and has been a full Member Society since 1966. It is also affiliated with the International Astronomical Union. From the description of Records of the Education Office, 1962-198...

Bond, George Phillips, 1825-1865

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Bond (Harvard, Class of 1845) was director of the Harvard College Observatory. From the description of Papers of George Phillips Bond, 1851-1865 (inclusive). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 76972763 ...

Bruce, Catherine Wolfe

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United States. Naval Observatory

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Organizational History 1830 Establishment of the Depot of Charts and Instruments, Washington, D.C. 1843 1844 Construction of the observatory on its present site 1846 Publication of the first ...

Gilman, D. C. (David Coit)

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