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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 46, April 20, 2001 *
* *
* Edited by: Wolfgang R. Dick *
* *
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Contents
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1. Acta Historica Astronomiae - a new series of books
2. Exhibition on One Thousand Years of the Art and Science of Astronomy
3. Gudrun Richardson: The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Archive Resource
4. Robert Hooke Tercentenary Conference
5. Conferences in 2001
6. New Books
Correction
Acknowledgements
Imprint
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Item 1 ENHA No. 46, April 20, 2001
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Acta Historica Astronomiae - a new series of books
--------------------------------------------------
1. Introduction
"Acta Historica Astronomiae" (ISSN 1422-8521) is a new series of books
devoted to all fields of the history of astronomy. It will comprise
monographs, proceedings of conferences, general and thematic collections of
articles, editions of manuscripts, bibliographies, inventories of
astronomical archives, as well as graduate and doctoral theses. Reprints
and translations of interesting historical works may also be published.
The issues of "Beitraege zur Astronomiegeschichte" (Contributions to the
History of Astronomy) are something like yearbooks. These will appear
irregularly, but hopefully at least once per year. "Beitraege zur
Astronomiegeschichte" contain scientific and review articles, reports
and book reviews. The first three issues include one article in English
each, the others are in German with English abstracts. The fourth issue
is in preparation for autumn this year.
2. The first volumes
All volumes appeared with Verlag Harri Deutsch, Thun and Frankfurt am Main,
paperback in format 15 x 21 cm. Among the 11 volumes which were edited so
far, three books are in English.
Vol. 1:
Wolfgang R. Dick, Juergen Hamel (Eds.): Beitraege zur
Astronomiegeschichte, Band 1 [Contributions to the History of Astronomy,
Issue 1]. 1998, 184 p., ISBN 3-8171-1568-7, 31 ill., DM 28.00
Vol. 2:
Juergen Hamel: Die astronomischen Forschungen in Kassel unter Wilhelm IV.
[Astronomical research in Kassel under Wilhelm IV]. Mit einer
wissenschaftlichen Teiledition der Uebersetzung des Hauptwerkes von
Copernicus 1586 [With a scientific partial edition of the first translation
of 1586 of Copernicus' main work].
1998, 175 p., ISBN 3-8171-1569-5, ill., DM 28.00
Vol. 3:
Peter Brosche, Wolfgang R. Dick, Oliver Schwarz, Roland Wielen (Eds.):
The Message of the Angles - Astrometry from 1798 to 1998. Proceedings of
the International Spring Meeting of the Astronomische Gesellschaft, Gotha,
May 11-15, 1998. 1998, 276 p., ISBN 3-8171-1588-1, ill., DM 38.00
Vol. 4:
Klaus-Dieter Herbst: Astronomie um 1700 [Astronomy around 1700].
Kommentierte Edition des Briefes von Gottfried Kirch an Olaus Roemer vom
25. Oktober 1703 [Annotated edition of the letter by Gottfried Kirch to
Olaus Roemer of October 25, 1703].
1999, 143 p., ISBN 3-8171-1589-X, ill., DM 24.00
Vol. 5:
Wolfgang R. Dick, Juergen Hamel (Eds.): Beitraege zur
Astronomiegeschichte, Band 2 [Contributions to the History of Astronomy,
Issue 2]. 1999, 226 p., ISBN 3-8171-1590-3, 14 ill., DM 32.00
Vol. 6:
Peter Kroll, Constanze la Dous, Hans-Juergen Braeuer (Eds.):
Treasure-Hunting in Astronomical Plate Archives. Proceedings of the
International Workshop held at Sonneberg Observatory, March 4 to 6, 1999.
1999, 266 p., ISBN 3-8171-1599-7, ill., DM 38.00
Vol. 7:
Reinhard E. Schielicke, Klaus-Dieter Herbst, Stefan Kratochwil (Eds.):
Erhard Weigel - 1625 bis 1699 : Barocker Erzvater der deutschen
Fruehaufklaerung [Erhard Weigel - 1625 to 1699 : Baroque patriarch of the
early German Enlightenment]. Beitraege des Kolloquium anlaesslich seines
300. Todestages am 20. Maerz 1999 in Jena [Proceedings of the colloquium
held in Jena on March 20, 1999, on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of
his death]. 1999, 174 p., ISBN 3-8171-1600-4, 16 ill., DM 28.00
Vol. 8:
Wolfgang R. Dick, Klaus Fritze (Eds.): 300 Jahre Astronomie in Berlin und
Potsdam [300 Years of Astronomy in Berlin and Potsdam]. Eine Sammlung von
Aufsaetzen aus Anlass des Gruendungsjubilaeums der Berliner Sternwarte [A
collection of papers on the occasion of the anniversary of the foundation
of the Berlin Observatory].
2000, 252 p., ISBN 3-8171-1622-5, 27 ill., DM 32.00
Vol. 9:
Klaus Hentschel, Axel D. Wittmann (Eds.): The Role of Visual
Representations in Astronomy: History and Research Practice.
Contributions to a Colloquium held at Goettingen in 1999.
2000, 148 p., ISBN 3-8171-1630-6, 36 ill., DM 24.00
Vol. 10:
Wolfgang R. Dick, Juergen Hamel (Eds.): Beitraege zur
Astronomiegeschichte, Band 3 [Contributions to the History of Astronomy,
Issue 3]. 2000, 251 p., ISBN 3-8171-1635-7, 80 ill., DM 32.00
Vol. 11:
Ernst-August Gussmann, Gerhard Scholz, Wolfgang R. Dick (Eds.): Der
Grosse Refraktor auf dem Potsdamer Telegrafenberg [The Great Refractor at
the Telegrafenberg in Potsdam]. Vortraege zu seinem 100jaehrigen Bestehen
[Papers on occasion of its 100th anniversary]. 2000, 136 p., ISBN
3-8171-1642-X, 29 ill., DM 22.00
3. How to order
In Germany the titles of the series Acta Historica Astronomiae may be
ordered in every bookshop. Some volumes are available within one or two
days.
Outside Germany large bookshops dealing with foreign books will accept your
orders.
Orders are also possible directly to Fachbuchhandlung Harri Deutsch,
Versandabteilung, Graefstrasse 47, D-60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany,
Tel.: +49 69 775021, Fax: +49 69 7073739, e-mail:
buchhandlung@harri-deutsch.de, URL: http://www.harri-deutsch.de/.
Postage: inside Germany DM 5.00, for orders of DM 100 or more postage is
free. Please ask for postage prices outside Germany. Credit cards will be
accepted. This bookshop accepts also subscriptions to the complete series;
please send these to the address given above, attention: Mr. Gebhardt.
Orders may also be sent to Antiquariat & Buchhandlung Gerhard Renner,
Postfach 1648, D-72439 Albstadt-Tailfingen, Germany, Tel.: +49 7432 5114,
Fax: +49 7432 5567, e-mail: buch@antiquar-renner.com, URL:
http://www.antiquar-renner.com/. Credit cards will be accepted. Please
ask for postage prices.
Orders are also possible to German Internet bookshops like Amazon.de
(www.amazon.de) and Lehmanns Online Bookshop (www.lob.de).
4. Instructions for authors and editors
For scientific books of this type the printing costs have to be paid by the
authors or the editors. "Acta Historica Astronomiae" offers high printing
quality at comparatively low costs for the authors and low selling prices.
Books in German or English will be accepted, parts of the texts may be also
in other languages. The author(s) or editor(s) should be able to provide
camera-ready manuscripts in the demanded form. Instructions for this and
other details will be provided.
For the "Beitraege zur Astronomiegeschichte" no page charges are demanded,
but donations are welcome. Articles in German or English will be accepted.
Due to the large number of papers offered, preference will be given to
contributions in German and to English contributions dealing with the
history of astronomy in the German-speaking areas in the widest sense.
Instructions for authors are available.
Please contact the editors before sending in manuscripts:
Wolfgang R. Dick (Otterkiez 14, 14478 Potsdam, Germany, e-mail:
wdi@potsdam.ifag.de) or Juergen Hamel (c/o Archenhold-Sternwarte, Alt
Treptow 1, 12435 Berlin, Germany, e-mail: jhamel@astw.de).
5. Further information
More information including Tables of Contents, English abstracts,
and partially complete papers is available at
http://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~pbrosche/aa/acta/
or from the editors.
...........................................................................
Item 2 ENHA No. 46, April 20, 2001
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Exhibition on One Thousand Years of the Art and Science of Astronomy
--------------------------------------------------------------------
(From: "Elektronische Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte" Nr. 55,
17. April 2001, Item 3.)
Vintage telescopes, astronomy manuscripts dating back to the 13th
century, a Moon rock and NASA pictures of distant galaxies are displayed at
the Huntington Library, San Marino, Calif., in an exhibit exploring
humanity's quest to understand the cosmos.
The exhibit, called "Star Struck: One Thousand Years of the Art and
Science of Astronomy," features images taken by NASA/JPL planetary missions
over the past four decades, along with historic astronomical instruments
and important works by Galileo, Cassini, Huygens and other early
astronomers.
"NASA and JPL have been part of creating a new era of observing the
universe by sending probes to the planets in our solar system and putting
telescopes in space that can observe the universe in much greater detail,"
said Dr. Edward Stone, director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in
Pasadena. Stone advised the Huntington Library in assembling the exhibit.
The three astronomical themes included in the exhibit, Stone said,
are: What is our place in the universe? How do we observe the universe to
understand that? What have we seen that has allowed us to understand better
our place in the universe?
Visitors to the exhibit, which runs until May 13, will also see the
first hand-drawn star map of the southern hemisphere and a 1913 letter from
Albert Einstein asking astronomer George Ellery Hale, founder of the Mount
Wilson and Palomar Mountain observatories, to review his new theory of
general relativity.
This exhibit is the first in "The Universe" series of space-related
events in the Pasadena area in coming months. Other institutions and
organizations taking part are the California Institute of Technology,
Armory Center for the Arts, Art Center College of Design, Norton Simon
Museum, One Colorado, Pacific Asia Museum and Southwest Chamber Music.
For hours, admission and more information on the Huntington Library,
see http://www.huntington.org . For information on space exploration and
astronomical objects, see JPL's website at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov . JPL, a
NASA center, is a division of Caltech.
Source: JPL Press Release, February 6, 2001
Contact: JPL -- Martha J. Heil (818) 354-0850
Huntington Library -- Dan Lewis (626) 405-2141
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Item 3 ENHA No. 46, April 20, 2001
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The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Archive Resource
------------------------------------------------
By Gudrun Richardson, London, UK
(From: "Elektronische Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte" Nr. 55,
17. April 2001, Item 4.)
The Sackler Archive Resource is developed by the Royal Society Library and
generously funded by the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Trust. The Resource
is a biographical database of Fellows of the Royal Society from its
inception in 1660 to the present day (excluding the current Fellowship) and
includes some 8,000 figures from the history of science. Names such as Sir
Christopher Wren (FRS 1663), Sir Humphry Davy (FRS 1803) and Charles Darwin
(FRS 1839) appear alongside their contemporaries who have been all but lost
to history. The aim of the five-year project is to bring together the
diverse printed sources relating to the history of the Fellowship into a
fully searchable database. Election certificates are being transcribed,
allowing users to search for research interests and also to identify links
between individual scientists through candidates' proposers. Other
biographical elements include education, career details and family
relationships; other information includes references to obituaries of
Fellows published by the Royal Society. The next aim of the project is to
scan portraits of Fellows and attach these to the biographical records.
The Resource is now available via the Royal Society's website:
www.royalsoc.ac.uk/library/index.html , under the link "Online catalogues".
Also available is the library catalogue of the Royal Society, a collection
of history of science and science policy, built around the Royal Society's
work and Fellows.
Work on the Sackler Archive Resource is ongoing and additional information
would be most welcome. Comments regarding either the Resource or the
library catalogue can be sent to: sackler@royalsoc.ac.uk
Author's address:
Gudrun Richardson (Miss)
Researcher (Raymond and Beverly Sackler Archive Resource)
tel + 44 (0) 20 7451 2602
fax + 44 (0) 20 7930 2170
email gudrun.richardson@royalsoc.ac.uk
Registered Charity No 207043
The Royal Society - promoting excellence in science
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk
...........................................................................
Item 4 ENHA No. 46, April 20, 2001
...........................................................................
Robert Hooke Tercentenary Conference
------------------------------------
London, UK, 7-9 July, 2003
A major international conference is being organised under the auspices of
Gresham College, London, to commemorate the tercentenary of the death of
the natural philosopher and polymath Robert Hooke (1635-1703).
Sessions will be devoted to the full range of Hooke's life, work, milieu
and legacy; there will also be ancillary activities, including visits to
buildings designed by him. Offers of papers are invited from those
actively engaged in research on Hooke.
Please send details, including the proposed title and a synopsis, to the
organisers Prof. Michael Cooper at m.a.r.cooper@city.ac.uk and Prof.
Michael Hunter at m.hunter@history.bbk.ac.uk
Those who would like to attend and wish to be kept informed of plans as
they develop should send their details to the administrator Mrs Julie
Jones at julie.jones6@btinternet.com.
[Source: http://depts.washington.edu/hssexec/meetings/hooke.html]
...........................................................................
Item 5 ENHA No. 46, April 20, 2001
...........................................................................
Conferences in 2001
-------------------
(From: "Elektronische Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte" Nr. 54,
12. April 2001, Item 6. Partial translations by the editor.)
Further conferences in the year 2001 were reported in previous issues of
ENHA. For a complete list of all meetings announced see the following URL:
http://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~pbrosche/hist_astr/ha_meet.html
May 7-11, 2001, Ostseebad Zingst, Germany
6. Tagung der Fachsektion Geschichte der Mathematik der Deutschen
Mathematiker-Vereinigung [6th Meeting of the Special Section for
History of Mathematics in the German Association of Mathematicians]
Information: Prof. Dr. Peter Schreiber, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universitaet,
Institut fuer Mathematik und Informatik, D-17487 Greifswald, Germany,
Tel.: 03834-864621, e-mail: schreibe@mail.uni-greifswald.de
May 24-27, 2001, Stimpfach-Rechenberg, Germany
30. Jahrestagung des Arbeitskreises Sonnenuhren in der Deutschen
Gesellschaft fuer Chronometrie [30th Annual Meeting of the Sundial
Working Group in the German Society of Chronometry]
Contacts: Rolf Wieland, Baumgartenweg 5, D-74589 Satteldorf, Germany
September 7-8, 2001, St. Georgen am Laengsee/Kaernten, Austria
11. Jahrestagung der Arbeitsgruppe Sonnenuhren im Oesterreichischen
Astronomischen Verein [11th Annual Meeting of the Sundial Working Group
in the Austrian Astronomical Society]
Information: Helmut Sonderegger, Sonnenstr. 24, A-6805 Feldkirch,
Austria, e-mail: h.sonderegger@vlbg.at
...........................................................................
Item 6 ENHA No. 46, April 20, 2001
...........................................................................
New Books
---------
(From: "Elektronische Mitteilungen zur Astronomiegeschichte" Nr. 54,
12. April 2001, Item 7. Partial translations by the editor.)
Baumunk, Bodo-Michael; Buelow, Ralf (Eds.): Weltraum. Sonnen, Monde,
Galaxien: Aufbruch ins Unbekannte [Universe. Suns, moons, galaxies:
Departure into unknown worlds. - In German]. Berlin: Henschel Verlag,
2000. 128 p., 153 ill., ISBN 3-89487-346-9, 24 x 27 cm, hardbound DM 24.90
(Sieben Huegel - Bilder und Zeichen des 21. Jahrhunderts: [14. Mai - 29.
Oktober 2000 im Martin Gropius-Bau Berlin; eine Ausstellung der Berliner
Festspiele]; Bd. 3)
[Accompanying book for the exhibition "Seven Hills - Pictures and Signs of
the 21st Century", 14 May - 29 October 2000 in Berlin, vol. 3]
Berichte der Kepler-Kommission, Heft 11 [Reports of the Kepler Commission,
Issue 11. - In German]. Muenchen: Bayerische Akademie der
Wissenschaften, 2000. 63 p., 21 x 29.5 cm, paperback
[Contents: S. Ebbersmeyer, P. M. Schenkel: Register zu Band 11,2 der
Gesammelten Werke Johannes Keplers; H. Kothmann: Bericht ueber die Arbeit
am Katalog der Kepler-Handschriften. Teil 3. F. Allmer: Kepler -
nochmals aus Graz vertrieben? - Through exchance of publications only.]
Blaauw, Adriaan: Archives of the International Astronomical Union - Union
Astronomique Internationale. Inventory for the years 1919 - 1970. [Paris]:
IAU, 1999. XIII, 42 p., paperback
[Distribution: Prof. Dr. Adriaan Blaauw, Kapteyn Astronomical Institute,
Box 800, NL-9700 AV Groningen; e-mail: blaauw@astro.rug.nl]
Chinnici, Ileana: La Carte du Ciel : correspondance inedite conservee dans
les archives de l'Observatoire de Paris. Paris: Observatoire de Paris;
Palermo: Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo G. S. Vaiana, 1999. xviii,
475 p., [56] p. de pl., 17 x 24.5 cm, 80 ill., ISBN 2-901057-40-3,
FF 150,-, Euro 22.87 (pb)
[Edition of the correspondence on the "Carte du Ciel" in the original
languages (French, English, 6 letters in German).]
Friedmann, Alexander: Die Welt als Raum und Zeit [The world as space and
time] (1923). Translation from Russian [into German], introduction and
annotations by Georg Singer. Thun, Frankfurt a. M.: Verlag Harri
Deutsch, 2000. LXXVIII, 155 p., 12 x 19 cm, ISBN 3-8171-3287-5, paperback
DM 40.00 (Ostwalds Klassiker der exakten Wissenschaften ; 287)
Haupt, Hermann; Holl, Peter: Datenbank Oesterreichischer Astronomen / Data
base of Austrian astronomers (1330 - 2000). CD-ROM. Wien: Verlag der
Oesterreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2000. ISBN 3-7001-2939-4,
oeS 490.00, DM 67.00.
[Data on about 300 astronomers, who lived or live in contemporary Austria,
or who had a relation to this country. In German.]
Hein-Weingarten, Katharina: Das Institut fuer Kosmosforschung der Akademie
der Wissenschaften der DDR. Ein Beitrag zur Erforschung der
Wissenschaftspolitik der DDR am Beispiel der Weltraumforschung von 1957 bis
1991 [The Institute for Space Research of the Academy of Sciences of the
GDR. A contribution for the study of the science policy of the GDR by the
example of space research from 1957 to 1991. - In German]. Berlin:
Duncker & Humblot, 2000. 359 p., 16 x 23.5 cm, ISBN 3-428-10038-7,
paperback DM 98.00
Herschel, Wilhelm: Ueber den Bau des Himmels. Abhandlungen ueber die
Struktur des Universums und die Entwicklung der Himmelskoerper [On the
construction of the heavens. Papers on the structure of the universe and
the development of the heavenly bodies. - In German]. Introduction and
annotations: Juergen Hamel. Thun, Frankfurt am Main: Verlag Harri
Deutsch, 2001. 203 p., ill., 12 x 19 cm, ISBN 3-8171-3288-3, paperback DM
38.50 (Ostwalds Klassiker der exakten Wissenschaften ; 288)
Hertzsprung, Ejnar: Zur Strahlung der Sterne. Drei Arbeiten [On the
radiation of the stars. Three works. - In German]. Introduction and
annotations: Dieter B. Herrmann. 5th ed. Thun, Frankfurt am Main:
Verlag Harri Deutsch, 2001. 90 p., ISBN 3-8171-3410-X, paperback DM 16.80
(Ostwalds Klassiker der exakten Wissenschaften ; 255)
Hoehepunkte mittelalterlicher Astronomie. Georg von Peuerbach und die
Folgen. Ausstellung im Schloss Peuerbach, 27. April - 2. November 2000
[Highlights of medieval astronomy. George von Peuerbach and the
consequences. Exhibition in the Peuerbach Palace, 27 April - 2 November
2000. - In German]. Raab: Verlag Wambacher, 2000. [XVI], 285 p., 21.5 x
29.5 cm, numerous ill., mostly in colour, ISBN 3-85360-003-4, hardbound
oeS 390.00 + postage
[Distribution: Tourismusverband Peuerbach, Rathausplatz 1, 4722
Peuerbach, Austria, Tel. 07276/2255-0, Fax 2255-20, e-mail:
stadt@peuerbach.ooe.gv.at]
Holmberg, Gustav: Reaching for the stars : studies in the history of
Swedish stellar and nebular astronomy 1860-1940. Lund: History of Science
and Ideas, Lund University, 1999. 243 p., ISBN 91-628-3837-7, pb
(Ugglan: Lund Studies in the History of Science and Ideas ; 13)
Kretzer, Olaf: Astronomische Erscheinungen in der "Thueringischen
Chronica" des Johann Binhard (1613). Eine astronomische Analyse
[Astronomical phenomena in the "Thuringian Chronica" of Johann Binhard
(1613). An astronomical analysis. - In German]. Bad Langensalza: Verlag
Rockstuhl, 2000. [29] p., 21.5 x 30 cm, ISBN 3-934748-24-4, paperback
DM 24.80
[Very simple layout, printing and binding.]
Schaldach, Karlheinz: Roemische Sonnenuhren. Eine Einfuehrung in die
antike Gnomonik [Roman sundials. An introduction into ancient gnomonics.
- In German] . 2nd improved ed. Thun, Frankfurt am Main: Verlag Harri
Deutsch, 1998. 123 p., 66 ill., tabs., ISBN 3-8171-1565-2, paperback
DM 29.80
...........................................................................
Correction
----------
ENHA 45 was distributed with a wrong number in the header. Please replace
"Number 44, April 11, 2001" by "Number 45, April 11, 2001".
...........................................................................
Acknowledgements
----------------
For information we thank the author Gudrun Richardson, and in addition:
Volker Bialas, Adriaan Blaauw, Ralf Buelow, Juergen Hamel, Hermann Haupt,
Gustav Holberg, Olaf Kretzer, Karl Schwarzinger, Georg Singer, Helmut
Sonderegger, Michael Toepell, Rolf Wieland, Osservatorio Astronomico di
Palermo, Tourismusverband Peuerbach, Verlag Duncker & Humblot.
...........................................................................
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
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/astoria.html
Chairman: Prof. Dr. Peter Brosche, Observatorium Hoher List der
Sternwarte der Universitaet Bonn, D-54550 Daun, Germany,
Tel.: +49(0)6592 2150, Fax: +49(0)6592 985140
Secretary: Dr. Wolfgang R. Dick, Otterkiez 14, D-14478 Potsdam,
Germany, 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 200 100 20
Please sign with: "Fuer Arbeitskreis Astronomiegeschichte"
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