Electronic Newsletter for the History of Astronomy - Number 2


*************************************************************************** * * * ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER FOR THE HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY * * * * Published by the Work Group for the History of Astronomy * * in the Astronomische Gesellschaft * * * * Number 2, February 28, 1994 * * * * A translation of * * * * ELEKTRONISCHE MITTEILUNGEN ZUR ASTRONOMIEGESCHICHTE * * Nr. 2, 6. Februar 1994 * * * * Edited by: Dr. Wolfgang R. Dick * * * * Translated by: Donald Bellunduno <76450.1741@CompuServe.COM> * * * *************************************************************************** Annual Report 1993 ------------------ (To be published in "Mitteilungen der Astronomischen Gesellschaft") Work Group for the History of Astronomy in the Astronomische Gesellschaft 1. Membership Up until the 1st. December, 1993, the work group has acquired 104 subscribing members and in addition 200 friends of the "Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte". 2. Meetings and publications of the work group Splinter-meeting on the "Development of Astrophysics," on October 1, 1993 in Bochum (34 participants, 20 lectures and posters; Abstracts in Astronomische Gesellschaft Abstract Series No. 9, 1993) Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte: Nr. 2, June 1993; Nr. 3, Special issue Nr. 1, December 1993. Editor: W. R. Dick Membership list, December 1993 3. Publications by members of the work group Because of space constrictions, we will be listing neither those publications which have appeared in well-known astronomical magazines, nor those which stems from fellow-workers of the Astronomical Institutes publishing yearly reports in Mitt. AG. Among those fellow-workers are: R.BIEN und R.JAEHRLING (Heidelberg, ARI), P.BROSCHE und E.H.GEYER (Bonn, Sternwarte), H.W.DUERBECK (Muenster), H.-J.SCHMIDT (Potsdam, WIP-Projektgruppen Astronomie). BIALAS, V.: Columbus 1492 - Beginn einer neuen Weltordnung [Columbus 1492 - beginning of a new world order]. Topos 1, 39, 1993 BIALAS, V.: Wissenschaft muss zum Ganzen zurueckfinden. Zur Revision des Galilei-Urteils durch den Vatikan. [The whole of science must be completely redicovered. On the revision of the Vatican's judgement of Galileo.] Phys. Bl. 49, 879, 1993 BIALAS, V., GROESSING, H. (Eds.): Johannes Kepler, Gesammelte Werke [collected works], Vol. XI, 2: Calendaria et Prognostica/Astronomica minora/Somnium. Muenchen: Verlag C.H.Beck, 1993. 563 S. BUSCHMANN, E.: 200 Jahre franzoesische Gradmessung zur Bestimmung der Laenge des Meters [200 Years of French arc measurements to determine the length of the meter]. Allgemeine Vermessungs-Nachrichten 100, 84, 1993 BUSCHMANN, E.: Ernst Kohlschuetter zum Gedenken [In memory of Ernst Kohlschuetter]. Allgemeine Vermessungs-Nachrichten 100, 200, 1993 DICK, W.R.: Martin Bartels als Lehrer von Carl Friedrich Gauss [Martin Bartels as teacher of Carl Friedrich Gauss]. Mitteilungen der Gauss-Gesellschaft e.V. Goettingen 30, 59, 1993 DICK, W.R.: F. W. Bessel und die russische Wissenschaft - Anmerkungen zum Aufsatz von K. K. Lavrinovic [F. W. Bessel and Russian Science - Comments on an article by K. K. Lavrinovic]. NTM, Neue Serie 1, 259, 1993 HAMEL, Juergen: Zentralkatalog alter astronomischer Drucke in den Bibliotheken der deutschen Bundeslaender Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thueringen und Sachsen [Central catalog of old astronomical prints in the libraries of the German Federal Counties of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thueringen and Sachsen]. Teil 5 [Part 5]. Berlin-Treptow: Archenhold-Sternwarte 1993 HAMEL, J.: Wissenschaft auf Abwegen? Ideologie und Wissenschaft in der Wirkungsgeschichte der Kantschen Kosmogonie bis um 1800 [Science gone astray? Ideology and science in the History of movement in Kantian Cosmology up until 1800]. In: H.Kattenstedt (Ed.): "Grenz-Ueberschreitung", Wandlungen der Geisteshaltung. Bochum 1993, p. 33 HAMEL, J., TIEMANN, K.-H. (Eds.): Alexander von Humboldt ueber das Universum. Die Kosmosvortraege 1827/28 in der Berliner Singakademie [Alexander von Humboldt on the Universe. The lectures on the cosmos 1827/28 in the Berliner Singakademie]. Frankfurt a.M., Leipzig: Insel Verlag, 1993. 235 S. HARTL, G., MAERKER, K., TEICHMANN, J., WOLFSCHMIDT, G.: Planeten - Sterne - Welteninseln. Astronomie im Deutschen Museum [Planets - Stars - World islands. Astronomy in the German Museum]. Muenchen: Deutsches Museum, 1993. 248 S. HENTSCHEL, K.: The discovery of the redshift of solar Fraunhofer lines by Rowland and Jewell in Baltimore around 1890. Historical Studies in the Physical and Biological Sciences 23, 219, 1993 HENTSCHEL, K.: The conversion of St. John: A case study on the interplay of theory and experiment. Science in Context 6, 137, 1993 HERBST, K.-D.: Messen mittels Mikrometer in Astronomie und Technik [Measurements with the micrometer in astronomy and technology]. Dresdener Beitraege zur Geschichte der Technikwissenschaften [Dresden contributions to the History of the Science of Technology] 21, 90, 1993 HOLL, M.: Pater [Father] Angelo Secchi S. J. (1818-1878). Sonne [Sun] 17, 51, 1993 HOLL, M.: Astronomische Gedenktage [Astronomical days of reflection] (Cuno Hoffmeister, Walter Baade/ Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve, Pater Angelo Secchi S.J./ Pieter Zeeman, Rudolf Wolf). Sternkieker [Stargazer], pp. 18, 80, 184, 1993 LOCHER, K.: New arguments for the celestial location of the decanal belt and for the origins of the S3h-hieroglyph. In: Sesto Congresso Internazionale di Egittologia. Atti. Vol. II, Torino 1993, p. 279 MARWINSKI, T.: Christian Gotthilf Salzmann's populaere Himmelskunde. Auszuege aus dem "Boten aus Thueringen" von 1798 bis 1800 [Christian Gotthilf Salzmann's popular Astronomy. Extracts of the "Messengers from Thueringen" from 1798 to 1800]. Weimar, 1993. 40 S. STRUMPF, M.: Zur Baugeschichte der Gothaer Sternwarten [On the historical buildings of the Gotha Observatories]. Gothaer Museumsheft 1993, Beitraege zur Regionalgeschichte, S. 35 TIEMANN, K.-H.: Die Popularisierung der Wissenschaften durch Alexander von Humboldt [The poplarization of science through Alexander von Humboldt]. In: M.Guntau, P.Hardetert, M.Pape (Eds.): Alexander von Humboldt, Natur als Idee und Abenteuer, Ausstellungsband. Essen 1993, S. 107 WOLFSCHMIDT, G.: The Doppler Effect in 19th century astronomy. Acta Polytechnica 33, 13, 1993 WOLFSCHMIDT, G.: Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) - Revolutionaer wider Willen. Begleitbuch zur Ausstellung im Bayerischen Hauptstaatsarchiv 1993 [Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) - unwilling revolutionary. Accompanying book to the exhibit in the Bavarian State's main archive 1993]. Publikationsreihe der Ost- und Westpreussenstiftung in Bayern, Bd. 23, Muenchen, 1993. 150 S. WOLFSCHMIDT, G.: Nicolaus Copernicus - Renaissance-Gelehrter und Revolutionaer wider Willen [Nicolaus Copernicus - Renaissance-Scholar and unwilling revolutionary]. Copernicus - Das Magazin fuer die Universitaeten Berlins 1, 16, 1993 P.Brosche, W.R.Dick ........................................................................... Conference Calendar ------------------- 16. February, Berlin H.W.Duerbeck: On the History of the exploration of our Solar System. Archenhold-Observatory Berlin-Treptow, 8 pm (Archenhold-Observatory, Alt-Treptow 1, 12435 Berlin, Tel. 030-2318080) 27.-29. May, Chambery and Geneve, Switzerland Societe Internationale de L'Astrolabe, Reunion 1994 (Societe Internationale de L'Astrolabe, 24, rue du Buisson Richard, F-78600 Le mesnil-Le-Roi) 23.-26. September, Halle 77th Annual Assemly of the Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Geschichte der Medizin, Naturwissenschaft und Technik [German Society for the History of Medicine, Natural Science and Technology], Subject-theme "Subjectivity and Science" (Dr. P. Voswinckel, Institut fuer Medizin- und Wissenschaftsgeschichte, Koenigstrasse 42, D-23552 Luebeck, Tel. 0451-75732, Fax 0451-74689) 5.-9. Dezember, Sonneberg IAU Colloqium 151, Flares and Flashes, A multi-wavelength approach to short-term phenomena. In honour of the 65th birthday of G.A.Richter and W.Wenzel. (Dr.H.W.Duerbeck, Astronomisches Institut der Westfaelischen Wilhelms-Universitaet, Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 10, D-48149 Muenster, E-mail: iauc151@cygnus.uni-muenster.de or MPE::IAUC151) # # # To all astrohistorians >From Joe Tenn, Chair, ASP History Committee The "106th annual meeting" of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific will be held in Flagstaff, AZ, USA, June 25 - July 1, 1994. During this meeting, in celebration of the centennial of one of our host institutions, the Lowell Observatory, the ASP history committee will present the following sessions on the history of astronomy: Tuesday morning 28 June 1994: THE LOWELL OBSERVATORY IN TWENTIETH CENTURY ASTRONOMY (6 invited lectures) Tuesday afternoon, 28 June: PREHISTORIC ASTRONOMY (one invited lecture; contributed papers welcome) Wednesday, 29 June: ARCHAEOASTRONOMY TOUR Carpool to local sites of astronomical interest. Thursday morning 30 June: HISTORY OF PLANETARY ASTRONOMY 3 invited lectures Thursday afternoon,30 June: HISTORIC ASTRONOMY contributed papers welcome All are invited to attend the history sessions whether or not they attend other sessions of the ASP meeting. (Other sessions include scientific symposia on "Completing the Inventory of the Solar System" and "Multiple Telescope Robotic Observatories," public lectures, star parties, teachers' workshops, and tours). If you wish to present a paper (poster or 15-minute talk) on any topic in the history of astronomy, please contact: Joseph S. Tenn Department of Physics & Astronomy Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA 94928-3609 USA Internet: joe.tenn@sonoma.edu phone: 707-664-2594 fax: 707-664-2505 For further information regarding the overall ASP meeting, please contact the ASP office: Astronomical Society of the Pacific 390 Ashton Avenue San Francisco, CA 94112 U.S.A. Internet: asp@bkyast.berkeley.edu phone: 415-337-1100 fax: 415-337-5205 ........................................................................... Museums and Exhibits -------------------- In early summer 1994 a new scientific/historic museum will be opened on the University Campus in Aarhus, Denmark. It consists of three buildings: A division for scientific history, a division for the history of medicine, and in the middle a planetarium. This museum unifies two museums, which were before divided in Aarhus. Address: Dr.scient.K.P.Moesgaard, Direktor, STENO Museum, C.F.Moellers Alle, bygn. 100, Universitetsparken, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Tel.: +45 8942 3975, Fax: +45 8942 3995. (Source: Nachrichtenblatt der Deutschen Gesellschaft fuer Geschichte der Medizin, Naturwissenschaft und Technik, 43 (1993) 3, S. 169f.) ........................................................................... New Books --------- Betts, Jonathan: John Harrison. Greenwich: National Maritime Museum, 1993. Pp. 25. L 3.95. Bialas, Volker; Groessing, Helmuth (Eds.): Johannes Kepler Gesammelte Werke [collected works], Vol. XI, 2: Calendaria et Prognostica/Astronomica minora/Somnium. Bearbeitet von Volker Bialas und Helmuth Groessing. Muenchen: Verlag C.H.Beck, 1993. 563 S. Brather, Hans-Stephan (Ed.): Leibniz und seine Akademie. Ausgewaehlte Quellen zur Geschichte der Berliner Sozietaet der Wissenschaften [Leibniz and his Academy. Selected sources on the History of the Berlin Academy of Science] 1697-1716. Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, 1993. XLIV, 471 S. ISBN 3-05-001795-3, DM 198,-. [also on the Berlin Observatory] Grant, Edward: Planets, Stars, and Orbs. The Medieval Cosmos, 1200-1687. Cambrige: Cambridge University Press, 1993 (?). Pp. 900. $ 69.95. HAMEL, Juergen: Zentralkatalog alter astronomischer Drucke in den Bibliotheken der deutschen Bundeslaender Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thueringen und Sachsen [Central catalog of old astronomical prints in the libraries of the German Federal Counties of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thueringen and Sachsen]. Teil 5 [Part 5]. Berlin-Treptow: Archenhold-Sternwarte 1993, pp. 379-464 HAMEL, J., TIEMANN, K.-H. (Eds.): Alexander von Humboldt ueber das Universum. Die Kosmosvortraege 1827/28 in der Berliner Singakademie [Alexander von Humboldt on the Universe. The lectures on the cosmos 1827/28 in the Berliner Singakademie]. Frankfurt a.M., Leipzig: Insel Verlag, 1993. 235 S. ISBN 3-458-33240-5, DM 16,80. Hawking, Stephen: Einsteins Traum. Expeditionen an die Grenzen der Raumzeit [Einstein's Dream. Expeditions on the Borders of Time and Space]. Aus dem Englischen von [Translated from English by] H. Kober. Reinbeck bei Hamburg: Rowohlt Verlag, 1993. 192 S. DM 36,-. [Autobiography] Helmert, Friedrich Robert: Akademie-Vortraege [Academy-Lectures]. (Nachrichten aus den Karten- und Vermessungswesen, Reihe I, H.Nr. 109) Frankfurt a.M.: Verlag des Instituts fuer Angewandte Geodaesie, 1993. 369 S. [Sales Department: Institut fuer Angewandte Geodaesie, Aussenstelle Berlin, Stauffenbergstrasse 13, D-10785 Berlin; Contains among others: Recommendation for the election of F.R.Helmert to OM of the 16. November 1899 of Hermann Carl Vogel among those, election recommendation for Sir George Howard Darwin to KM of 1908 by F.R.Helmert (both from archive sources)] Hetherington, Norriss S. (Ed.): Encyclopedia of Cosmology. Historical, Philosophical, and Scientific Foundations of Modern Cosmology. (Garland reference library of the humanities, vol. 1250) New York, London: Garland Publishing, 1993. ISBN 0-8240-7213-8 Linsky, Jeffrey F.; Serio, Salvatore; (Ed.): Physics of solar and stellar coronae: G.S. Vaiana Memorial Symposium. Proceedings of a conference of the International Astronomical Union, held in Palermo, Italy, 22-26 June, 1992. (Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Vol. 184) Dordrecht, Boston, London: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1993. Pp. XIV, 650. ISBN 0-7923-2346-7 Litvinova, E.F.: V.Ya.Struve. Ego zhizn' i uchenaya deyatel'nost' [W.Struve. His life and scientific work; in Russian]. S.-Peterburg: Redakciya filosofsko-relig. i literat. al'manakha "Revers", 1993. Pp. 74+8. [p. 66-74: English summary; about Struve, F.G.W. (1793-1864); Reprint of a book published in 1893] Mucke, Hermann (Ed.): Sonnenuhren. Schrift des 19. Sternfreundeseminars 1991 des Planetariums der Stadt Wien [Sun Dials. Script of the 19th. seminar of the friends of the stars of the Planetarium of the City of Wien]. Wien, 1993. 166 S. OeS 195,-. Osterbrock, Donald E.: Pauper & Prince: Ritchey, Hale, and big American telescopes. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press, 1993. Pp. XVIII, 362. ISBN 0-8165-1199-3, $ 45.00. Pedersen, Olaf: Early Physics and Astronomy. A Historical Introduction. Second edition. Cambrige: Cambridge University Press, 1993. Pp. X, 413. ISBN 0-521-40899-7, L 19.95 (pbk), 0-521-40340-5 (hbk). [Revised edition; first published by Macdonald and James and American Elsevier 1974] Robertson, Peter: Beyond southern skies. Radio astronomy and the Parkes telescope. Cambrige: Cambridge University Press, 1993. Pp. XI, 357. ISBN 0-521-41408-3, L 40.00, $ 75.00. Sharov, Alexander S.; Novikov, Igor' Dmitrievich: Edwin Hubble, the Discoverer of the Big Bang Universe. Translated by Vitaly Kisin. Cambrige: Cambridge University Press, 1993. Pp. XV, 187. ISBN 0-521-41617-5, L 19.95. The Stargazer of Tow Law. Tow Law (GB): The Tow Law Local History Group, 1993. Pp. 53. ISBN 0-9519036-0-8, L 2.50. [Sales: 27 Attlee Estate, Tow Law, Co. Durham DL13 4LG, Great Britain; on Espin, T.H.E.C.] Tropp, Eduard Abramovich; Frenkel', Viktor Yakovlevich; Chernin, Artur Davidovich: Alexander A. Friedman: The man who made the universe expand. Translated by Alexander Dron and Michael Burov. Cambrige: Cambridge University Press, 1993. Pp. X, 267. ISBN 0-521-38470-2, L 30.00/$49.95. Wilhelms, Don E.: To a Rocky Moon. A Geologist's History of Lunar Exploration. Tucson, London: The University of Arizona Press, 1993. Pp. XX, 479. ISBN 0-8165-1065-2, $ 29.95. WOLFSCHMIDT, G.: Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) - Revolutionaer wider Willen. Begleitbuch zur Ausstellung im Bayerischen Hauptstaatsarchiv 1993 [Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) - unwilling revolutionary. Accompanying book to the exhibit in the Bavarian State's main archive 1993]. Publikationsreihe der Ost- und Westpreussenstiftung in Bayern, Bd. 23, Muenchen, 1993. 150 S. 2nd edition: Copernicus-Forschungsstelle im Institut fuer Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Muenchen 1993 ........................................................................... Personnel --------- Dr. Klaus Hentschel (Goettingen), member of the work group in the History of Astronomy, was in March awarded the Paul-Brugge-Prize of the Hans R. Jenemann Foundation. The prize which grants the winner 10.000 DM, is given for works on the history of scientific instruments. (Source: Nachrichtenblatt der Deutschen Gesellschaft fuer Geschichte der Medizin, Naturwissenschaft und Technik, 43 (1993) 3, S. 115f.) On the 24th. of Sept. the Rudolf-Kellermann-Prize was granted to Marcus Popplow, M.A., Heidelberg, for his work "Von der machina zur Maschine? Zur Verwendung von lat. machina im Mittelalter und in der Fruehen Neuzeit [From machina to the machine? The use of Latin word machina in Middle Ages and in early modern times]", in which he also gave a new interpretation of the cosmological texts from the Middle Ages on the concept: "machina mundi". (ib., pp. 122 and 125-127) The mathematician Maria Reiche, (born in Germany, and 90 years old) has for the last ten years studied and protected the famous Nazca Figures in Peru [Naturwissenschaftliche Rundschau 46, 155 (1993)]. In May 1993 she was awarded the highest honor by the Order of the Sun in Lima, Peru. From her subsequent geometric inspection, and abundant calculations of the scratch-pictures of animals, she has determined that a calendar for cultivation and determining the positions of the heavenly bodies exists on the figures. (Source: Naturwiss. Rdsch. 46(1993)12, S. 493) ........................................................................... ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ---------------- For information we thank: V.Bialas (Muenchen), E.Buschmann (Potsdam), H.W.Duerbeck (Muenster), K.Locher (Gruet, Switzerland), G.Wolfschmidt (Muenchen). Thanks are also due to Julian A. Smith (Toronto, Candada) for a critical reading of the English version. ........................................................................... IMPRINT ------- Electronic Newsletter for the History of Astronomy (ENHA) Published by the Work Group for the History of Astronomy in the Astronomische Gesellschaft A translation of "Elektronische Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte" Editor: Dr. Wolfgang R. Dick Translated by: Mr. Donald Bellunduno <76450.1741@compuserve.com> All news which is not mentioned by name are editorial contributions. Articles as well as information for the several sections will be gladly received. Subscription for the ENHA is free, in order to obtain a subscription inside Germany, one must first obtain a subscription for the Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte (MA). [Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte: Price: DM 1.50 / issue plus postage and packing costs outside FRG: free Subscription: Send in DM 2.50 (one issue) or DM 5.00 (Nos. 4-5) in stamps to the editor Editor: Dr. W. R. Dick, Otterkiez 14, D-14478 Potsdam, Tel.: (+331) 863199 ] Astronomische Gesellschaft / Astronomical Society: Chairman: Prof. Dr. Hanns Ruder, University of Tuebingen, Theoretical Astrophysics and Computational Physics, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, D-72076 Tuebingen Secretary: Dr. G. Klare, Landessternwarte, Koenigstuhl, D-69117 Heidelberg Arbeitskreis Astronomiegeschichte / Work Group for the History of Astronomy: Chairman: Prof. Dr. Peter Brosche, Observatorium Hoher List der Sternwarte der Universitaet Bonn, D-54550 Daun, Tel.: (+6592) 2150, Fax: (+6592) 2937 Secretary: Dr. Wolfgang R. Dick, Institut fuer Angewandte Geodaesie, Aussenstelle Potsdam, Postfach 60 08 08, D-14408 Potsdam, Tel.: (+331) 316 619, E-mail: wdi@potsdam.ifag.de (in the event I am not reachable at this address, please use the following address: dick@gfz-potsdam.de oder wdick@aip.de) Secretary for Public Work: Dr. Gudrun Wolfschmidt, Deutsches Museum, Museumsinsel 1, D-80538 Muenchen, Tel.: (+89) 2179 277, Fax: (+89) 2179 324, E-mail: t7911ac@sunmail.lrz-muenchen.de Bank Acct. of the Work Group of the Astronomische Gesellschaft: Acct # 261 917, Sparkasse Mannheim (BLZ 670 501 01) Contributions from foreign countries, please sign with: "Fuer Arbeitskreis Astronomiegeschichte" to: acct # 162 18-203, Postgiroamt Hamburg, BLZ 200 400 20 ***************************************************************************


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