Abstract
This Chapter recounts Charles Olivier’s efforts, from 1911 to 1918, to enroll observers in a volunteer meteor research association, the American Meteor Society (AMS). It documents his outreach to existing astronomical and meteorological organizations whose members were potentially interested in meteoric astronomy and who possibly could be coaxed to join.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Source for his appointment: Full Text of Agnes Scott College Bulletin: 1912–1913: http://archive.org/stream/agnesscott19121913agne/agnesscott19121913agne_djvu.txt. Accessed 11/8/13. Olivier’s presence on the faculty is also recorded in the college’s Bradley Observatory faculty listing: Agnes Scott College, Bradley Observatory, Emeritus Faculty http://www.agnesscott.edu/bradleyobservatory/faculty-staff/emeriti-faculty/index.html. Accessed 11/7/13.
The claim about “advantages” was printed in the college’s 1912 annual yearbook, the Silhouette: Full text of “Silhouette (1912)” The 1912 Silhouette also contained the administration’s pledge to keep resident student enrollment to 300 or less. The year book was found at: http://archive.org/stream/silhouette191200agne/silhouette191200agne_djvu.txt. Accessed 11/8/13.
- 2.
Ibid. and for 1913, the source is: Full Text of Agnes Scott College Bulletin: 1912–1913, op.cit.
- 3.
“Silhouette 1912,” op.cit.
- 4.
Agnes Scott College Bulletin: 1912–1913, op. cit. above, on p. 76.
- 5.
- 6.
Olivier, C.P., Meteor Notes, PA, volume 50, 1942, p. 436.
- 7.
Olivier, C., Observations of Perseids in 1915, Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, volume 27, 1915: 224–226.
- 8.
Simpson, Thomas McNider, Observations of Comet 1902d (Giacobini), Astronomical Journal, volume 23, 1903; p. 104.
- 9.
Simpson’s vital statistics are from Virginia Gravestones, http://virginiagravestones.org/view.php?id=5321&printer_friendly=true. Graduated in 1901 from Randolph–Macon College, and later became math professor and faculty dean there, http://www.rmc.edu/Offices/president/inauguration/regalia.aspx. Vanderbilt Fellow 1901–05 in (Olivier 1933). Doctorate in 1917, Mathematics Genealogy Project, http://genealogy.math.ndsu.nodak.edu/id.php?id=6054. All Web sites were accessed on 12/30 and 31/2011. Friendship and fraternity brother with Olivier: 1916 and 1918 dated letters to Olivier were addressed ‘Dear Charlie,’ and closed with ‘fraternally.’ Simpson’s two letters were found in a storage box marked ‘1910–1920’ in the AMS Archives. Charles Olivier and Simpson belonged to Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Simpson’s biographical facts and dates of faculty appointments are in his brief biography in Who Was Who in America, Volume IV, Chicago: Marquis Who’s Who, Inc., 1968; p. 866.
- 10.
Olivier, C.P., 175 Parabolic Orbits and other results deduced from over 6200 meteors; Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, N.S. Vol. 22, Part 1, 1911, Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, p. 13.
- 11.
Olivier, C.P., Orionids at University of Virginia, PA, volume 12, 1904, pp. 680–681.
- 12.
Smith’s undergraduate years are documented in Directory of Living Alumni of University of Virginia, 1931: http://xtf.lib.virginia.edu/xtf/view?docId=2005_Q1/uvaBook/tei/boo2179313.xml;chunk.id=d28;toc.depth=1;toc.id=d9;brand=default. Smith’s given name, ‘James,’ his listing as UVA instructor and possessing an M.A., are from 1910 University of Virginia Record, dated February 1910, under “Officers of Instruction and Administration” on p. 24. This information was found online at UVA’s Library site, http://xtf.lib.virginia.edu/xtf/view?docId=2005_Q2_1/uvaBook/tei/; his Vanderbilt fellowship dates were from Olivier, 1933, p. 297, in References. Notice of his appointment at Hampden-Sydney College is from Notes of the American Mathematical Society, February 1911, p. 270, which was found at http://www.ams.org/bull/1911-07-05/…/S0002-9004-1911-0205702.pdf. Smith’s variable star work is mentioned in Mitchell, 1935, volume 6, on p. 8. All Web sites mentioned here were accessible on 12/29/2011. Smith’s birth and death dates were found using Ancestry.com’s genealogical resources. His birthdate was found in the World War 2 Registration records (from National Archives data), using the name ‘J. Brookes Smith.’ His date of death (September 1963) was found under ‘James Smith’ in the Social Security Death Index, when the birthdate of March 11, 1885, was entered into the Ancestry search engine. Insurance industry occupational information was found in the 1920 and 1930 US Censuses, as well as the WW2 Registration. His signature on the Registration card suggests that he preferred ‘J. Brookes Smith’ as his identifier. Ancestry.com data was accessed on 1/14/2012. Smith’s tracing paper star maps were found in an AMS Archives storage box marked ‘1910–1920.’ Upton’s Star Atlas: Upton, Winslow, Star Atlas Containing Stars Visible to the Naked Eye. Boston: Ginn & Company, 1896.
- 13.
Graham’s vital statistics are from Family Tree Maker at Genealogy.com and the dates came up after ‘Palmer H. Graham married Kathleen Knight’ was entered in the Google search engine. Family Tree Maker is at http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/. Graham is listed as number 3275 under ‘Descendants of John Decrabtre’. This site was updated on 7/8/2010 and was accessed on 12/22/2011.
Graham’s A.B. degree from Emory and Henry College, in addition to having the M.A. from UVA: enter ‘p h graham astronomy Agnes Scott college’ into the Google engine and select from the options ‘Full text of Agnes Scott College Bulletin’ Catalogue 1916’ which is attributed to Archive.org (accessed 1/1/2012). In addition, Prof. Graham’s 1953 retirement announcement stated that he was an Emory and Henry College graduate in 1909 and that he earned his M.A. from UVA in 1914. Graham’s NYU retirement announcement was provided by NYU Archives at the Brobst Library at http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/arch. Contact Archives at university.archives@library.nyu.edu.
Graham’s Fellowship years are mentioned in Olivier (1933).
His candidacy for the Ph.D. is mentioned in University of Virginia Alumni News, volume 3, No. 5, p. 57 on 11/11/1914. The News was published by the Colonnade Club at UVA.
Joining Agnes Scott College in 1916 was also verified in the same manner as his A.B. and M.A. degrees above. The document was from the Agnes Scott College Bulletin, Catalogue 1916–1917, under the heading ‘Officers and Instructors 1916–1917’. This information was accessed on 1/1/2012.
Second Lieutenant in WWI information from, Air Service Journal, volume 1, 12/27/1917, p. 793. This source resulted from entering ‘lieut palmer h graham’ in the Google search engine. The information was on page, http://books.google.com/books?id=Zsc_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA793&lpg=PA793&dg=lieut+palmer+h+graham&source=bl&ots=zeQagHRTBV&sig=r2ok1.
Appointed to NYU in 1920, from Notes and News, American Mathematical Monthly, volume 27, No. 10 (October 1920), pp. 382–384, published by Mathematical Association of America; Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2972572. The text read, “Professor P.H. Graham, of Agnes Scott College, has been appointed instructor in mathematics in Washington Square College, NYU.”
The description of Prof. Graham’s NYU career is taken from his retirement announcement in 1953, access to which was described above.
- 14.
Mitchell, S. A. “Parallaxes of 260 Stars derived from photographs.” In Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, volume 3, 1–695. Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia, 1921.
This source was accessed on 11/9/2012 from, http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1921PMcCO…2..157M.
- 15.
Mitchell, S.A. “Stellar Parallax Work at the McCormick Observatory.” In Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, volume 2, 157–164. Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia, 1921. This source was accessed on 11/9/2012 from, http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1921PMcCO…3….1M.
- 16.
Leonard, F.C., Popular Astronomy (PA), vol. 19, pp. 455–456.
- 17.
Wilson, H.C., P.A., vol. 19, p. 586.
- 18.
Olivier listed members in a notice in Monthly Register of the Society for Popular Astronomy (MRSPA) in a letter dated March 28, 1912. Source: Leonard, F. and H. Levinson, Eds., MRSPA, Volume 4, No. 3, January and February, 1912, p. 20, List of Members of the Meteor Section.
- 19.
Olivier printed identical meteor reports in Monthly Register of the SPA and in Popular Astronomy, to ensure that SPA members received acknowledgment in their club’s journal. He continued this practice until the SPA disbanded during World War I.
- 20.
Nels Bruseth and Alan Craig were early members of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) which began as did the AMS, as a section of the SPA. Craig was the earliest AAVSO participant, in April 1912. By October 1, 1912 he had contributed 281 magnitude estimates and by October 1, 1913 he contributed 983 more. Nels Bruseth reported 84 variable star magnitude estimates in September 1913. Source for 1912: Olcott, WT, Annual Report of the AAVSO for the year ending October 10, 1912, PA, volume 20, 1912, p. 615; for 1913: Olcott, Annual Report for year ending October 10, 1913, PA, volume 21, 1913, p. 591.
- 21.
Olivier, Charles P. “Meteor Notes from the American Meteor Society.” Popular Astronomy, volume 45, 1937: 159.
- 22.
A short biography of Latimer Wilson is in Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers (Hockey, et al., 2007, volume 2, pp. 1226–1227; New York: Springer). Wilson’s work for Kodak, see: Wilson, L., Popular Astronomy, 1919, volume 27, p. 478; for an example of one planetary photographic study: Wilson, L J, Photographing Jupiter, Popular Astronomy, 1927, volume 35, p. 359; re: AMS membership: Olivier, CP, Meteor Notes, Popular Astronomy, 1929, volume 37, p. 467; re: photographing Leonids: Olivier, CP, Meteor Notes, Popular Astronomy, 1933, volume 41, pp. 337–338; re: 1936 Perseids: Olivier, CP, Meteor Notes, Popular Astronomy, 1936, volume 44, p. 502; being regional director: Popular Astronomy, volume 46, p. 154.
- 23.
Online sources document Nels Bruseth’s life. His vital statistics: www.nwhikers.net/forums/index.php. Once at this site, go to the ‘Pacific NW history’ link and then enter ‘Bruseth’ in the search box. This site was accessed on 11/29/2011. Bruseth’s biography is on University of Washington’s Special Collection library site: http://digital.lib.washington.edu/findingaids/view?docId=BrusethNels0228.xml. It was accessed on 11/7/2012. In re: Bruseth’s 1913 meteor total, Olivier’s and the author’s counts differ. The author’s count is 556 meteors accumulated over 33 observation sessions. Olivier appears to have labeled as “intermittent work” the nights when Bruseth observed less than a full hour and for nights when clouds were present. The author’s count was made from data in 126PO, pp. 459–460. Bruseth’s data for 1914 and 1915 are cited in Olivier, 349 Parabolic Orbits, in endnote above. The statistic “63 % of AMS’ 1914 data” was also computed from data in Olivier, 349 Parabolic Orbits.
- 24.
Olivier, Charles P. “Report of the American Meteor Society for 1923 and 1924.” Popular Astronomy, volume 33, 1925: 240–243.
- 25.
Alan Craig’s WW1 draft registration revealed his full name, birth date, residence, and occupation in 1918. All this information was found in Ancestry.com’s online database, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918, Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2005. Ancestry’s online data came from US Selective Service System, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918, Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), M1509. His registration location was Los Angeles County, California; Roll: 1531190; Draft Board 1. Data about his life in 1910, 1920, and 1930 also came from Ancestry.com’s online database, but originally from the US Censuses at NARA. His date and place of death were also found in Ancestry.com which obtained its data from the State of California, California Death Index, 1940–1997, Sacramento, CA: State of CA Dept. of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics. All Ancestry.com data was accessed on 1/14/2012. Alan Craig’s zodiacal light report was in Craig, Alan P.C., Annual Report…Section for the study of Aurorae…in the SPA; Popular Astronomy, 1913, volume 21, pp. 600–606. His telescopic meteor work was mentioned in: Olivier, Charles P., Report of the American Meteor Society for 1923 and 1924, Popular Astronomy, volume 33, 1925, p. 241. It is also available at http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1925PA…..33..240O.
- 26.
James Hanahan’s career is documented in the following sources. (1) Reports of Cases Heard…by the Supreme Court, volume 16, List of Attorneys; 1883, Columbia, SC: R.L. Bryan Co, Google eBooks.; (2) The Southeastern Reporter, volume 79, 1914, St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Co., Google eBooks; (3) Monthly Register of the SPA, Listed members of Nebula Section, volumes 4–8, Chicago: SPA; and (4) Glanville, W.E.; Zodiacal Light Observations, Popular Astronomy, volume 37, 1929, pp. 493–4; at the http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/ site. All the foregoing online sources were available on 8 Nov 2011. Hanahan’s full name, birth date and date of death were given in his death record, which was accessed on the Ancestry.com Web site on 1/16/2012: South Carolina Death Records, 1821–1955, Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2008. The original source was State of South Carolina, South Carolina Death Records, Columbia, South Carolina from the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.
- 27.
E.A. McDonald’s history came from the following sources. (1) Rev. E.A. McDonald (obituary), Ames Daily Tribune and Times, Ames, Iowa, Saturday, June 6, 1936, online on the IAGenWebProject; (2) The Presbyterian Ministerial Directory, 1898, volume 1, Edgar Sutton Robinson, editor, Cincinnati: Armstrong and Fillmore; (3) 105th Annual Report of Home Missions, Presbyterian Church in the USA General Assembly, 1907, New York: Presbyterian Church; (4) McDonald, EA, Observations of the Planets in Porto Rico, Popular Astronomy, 1911, volume 19, pp. 189–190; and (5) Craig, APC, Annual Report of the Section for the Study of Aurorae, etc., Popular Astronomy, 1913, volume 21, pp. 600–606. Discovering his birth year and full name was the result of a long search on Ancestry.com’s online database: both were found in the Mack family tree listings, to which he was related by marriage to Susan Elizabeth Smith.
- 28.
46 % of AMS data: The total number of meteors observed 1911–1913 (2817) was used to calculate this statistic. This total is listed on p. 460 of 126PO (also known as Olivier, C., 126 Parabolic Orbits of Meteor Streams, Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, volume 2, pages 457–475. Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia, 1914). 57 % of AMS data: This statistic was derived from the grand total number of meteors seen by SPA members (=1308, as in the text above), minus 102 ‘miscellaneous’ meteors seen by Bruseth and Craig on p. 460 (1308 − 102 = 1206); and this result, 1206, was divided by the total number of meteors reported by all 1912–1913 observers cited in 126PO (=2121): 1206/2121 = 0.56.9 %.
- 29.
AAS Meetings before there was an AAS: the pre-history of the society’ Osterbrock, Donald E., in The AAS’ First Century, David H. DeVorkin ed., Washington, D.C.: American Astronomical Society; pp. 3–16.
- 30.
Ibid., pp. 16–19.
- 31.
Much more about Abbe is written in the next chapter about the Weather Bureau.
- 32.
Who Was Who In America, volume 1, Chicago: AN Marquis Co; 1943, p. 952.
- 33.
The Pickering Years, David H. DeVorkin, in The AAS’ First Century, David H. DeVorkin ed., Washington, D.C.: AAS; pp. 24 and 27.
- 34.
Olivier, C., Results of the Yale Photographic Meteor Work, 1893–1909, Astronomical Journal, volume 46, No. 1061, 1937, pp. 41–57.
- 35.
In 1909 the LMC had additional members: EC Pickering, his brother William H. Pickering and Edward Emerson Barnard.
- 36.
Progress Report of the LMC, to the AASA, dated August 17, 1909; by Cleveland Abbe, Chairman. From the Charles P. Olivier (CPO) correspondence file of the American Philosophical Society (APS).
- 37.
AAS Meetings, to December 1920, Brant Sponberg, Edited and expanded by Paul Routly. http://had.aas.org/aashistory/7meetings.html. Select #18 on the Web site to access this source. Accessed September 23, 2012.
- 38.
Astronomical and Astrophysical Society of America, Popular Astronomy, volume 20, 1912, p. 131.
- 39.
In 2012, the author made several phone calls to Atlanta institutions of higher learning. There is no Atlanta college known by this name and no present metropolitan Atlanta college’s online history mentions “Georgia Technical College” as an earlier name. In particular, a historian at Georgia Institute of Technology, “Georgia Tech,” denied that GIT was ever known as “GTC.” The Piedmont Hotel was demolished in 1966: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piedmont_Hotel. Accessed September 23, 2012.
- 40.
Philip Fox to CPO, dated November 11, 1913, APS correspondence file; and AASA, Report of the 16th Meeting, Popular Astronomy, volume 22, 1914, p. 129.
- 41.
126 Parabolic Orbits of Meteor Streams (126 PO), Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, volume 2, 1914; Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia.
- 42.
Olivier, C., The American Meteor Society in 1916; Popular Astronomy, volume 25, 1917, p. 166; and AAS Meetings, to December 1920, 19th Meeting, Brant Sponberg, Edited and expanded by Paul Routly. http://had.aas.org/aashistory/7meetings.html. To access this reference, click on “19” for Meeting 19, after you have obtained the Web site. Then, read the description of events at the meeting. Accessed September 19, 2012.
- 43.
Joel Stebbins to CPO, APS’ C.P. Olivier Correspondence file, Philadelphia, PA. Olivier also reported his promotion in Report of the American Meteor Society, PA, volume 26, 1918, pp. 191–192.
- 44.
Olivier, C., Report of the Committee on Meteors, Popular Astronomy, volume 28, 1920, pp.13–14.
- 45.
Ibid., p. 14.
- 46.
A passage in Popular Astronomy reveals how Frank Schlesinger was able to obtain development money for a research device and for his research at Yale Observatory. Very likely, his prominence in the AAS and the National Academy of Sciences aided his requests for funds. “…we are constructing in our shops at New Haven a third measuring engine suitable for these (photographic parallax) plates, which we expect to be ready for use by January, 1931. This engine is being constructed with the help of a grant from the National Research Council, and the plates at New Haven are being measured with the help of grants from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and from the Watson Fund of the National Academy of Sciences.” (Schlesinger, F., Reports of Observatories 1929–1930; Yale University Observatory, Popular Astronomy, volume 39, 1931, p. 272.)
- 47.
Olivier sent a copy of the ten-point list to AAS President Frank Schlesinger in a letter dated August 18, 1920. So, Olivier’s priority list for meteor research was in his hands before calendar year 1921.
- 48.
Olivier, C., 349 Parabolic Orbits of Meteor Streams (and Report of AMS for 1914–1918), Publications of Leander McCormick Observatory, volume 2, 1921, pp. 224–225.
- 49.
Olivier, C., The American Meteor Society in 1916, PA, volume 25, p. 165.
- 50.
Olivier, C., 349 Parabolic Orbits of Meteor Streams (and Report of AMS for 1914–1918), Publications of Leander McCormick Observatory, volume 2, 1921, p. 209.
- 51.
Olivier and Young met while they were graduate student Fellows at Lick Observatory in 1910. Lick Bulletins authored by Olivier and Young bear dates from January to October, 1910 and show that the men were in residence at Lick during the same year. Lick Observatory Bulletins, volumes 5 and 6, Berkeley California: The University Press, 1910; pp. 182 and 185 of volume 5 and pp. 66, 73, 75 and 76 of volume 6.
- 52.
Letter to CPO from Reynold K. Young in AMS Archives.
- 53.
A Gnomonic Star Atlas, JRASC, volume 9, 1915, pp. 7–10 plus 13 maps; and A Meteor Star Atlas, Publications of Dominion Observatory, volume 2, 1915, pp. 159–164 plus 20 maps.
- 54.
Olivier, C., Meteoric Astronomy, Popular Astronomy, volume 23, 1915, pp. 356–360.
- 55.
Mitchell, S., Systematic Observation of Meteors, Scientific American, volume 113, July 10, 1915, p. 48.
- 56.
Olivier, C., Results of Meteor Observations for July and August, 1915, PA, volume 23, pp. 567–568.
- 57.
Olivier, C., The American Meteor Society in 1916, PA, volume 25, 1917, pp. 163–166.
- 58.
Bernhard H. Dawson to CPO, May 5, 1916, APS Correspondence file of CPO.
- 59.
Olivier, C, Report of the American Meteor Society, Popular Astronomy, volume 22, 1914, p. 91.
- 60.
Olivier, C, 1921, op.cit., pp. 226–232.
- 61.
EB Frost to Charles P. Olivier, letter dated November 2, 1917, APS correspondence file of CPO.
- 62.
Olivier, C, Annual Report of the American Meteor Society for 1918, Popular Astronomy, volume 28, 1920, pp. 15–16.
- 63.
Olivier, C, 1921, op. cit., pp. 205–209.
- 64.
Frank Schlesinger (FS) to Charles P. Olivier (CPO), letter of June 25, 1931; CPO to FS, dated November 9, 1931, APS correspondence File for Charles P. Olivier; Olivier, CP, Meteor Notes, PA, volume 39, 1931, p. 605.
- 65.
Olivier wrote a thank you letter to Russell as evidenced by a letter from Russell on June 23, 1922. The letter was in the American Philosophical Society’s Olivier letter files. Apparently Olivier attempted to lure Russell into an investigation of stationary radiants. Russell responded, “As to the question of stationary radiants, I may look into the matter someday, but I have really too much on hand at present to justify excursions into new fields. (However) I am decidedly of the opinion that further observational evidence is necessary before we can be sure of their reality. You have done admirable work in pointing out the unsoundness of Denning’s methods.”
- 66.
H.N. Russell to CPO, letter dated April 21, 1922, APS file of CPO’s correspondence.
- 67.
Olivier, Report of the AMS for 1922, PA, volume 30, p. 174; Report of the AMS for 1919–1925, Publications of the L. McCormick Observatory, volume 5, 1929 and 1935, pp. 17 and 25.
- 68.
Dr. Olivier was also an expert in double star and long-period variable star research and published scientific papers in both topics. He was a member of the International Astronomical Union’s Double Star Commission.
- 69.
Williams, Thomas R. and Michael Saladyga, Advancing Variable Star Astronomy (AVSA), 2011, New York: Cambridge University Press; pp. 23 and 27. The author wishes to acknowledge Drs. Thomas R. Williams, past President of the AAVSO and Michael Saladyga AAVSO’s archivist, for providing invaluable historical information about the AAVSO during the preparation of this chapter.
- 70.
Williams and Saladyga, AVSA, p. 23 and AAVSO annual reports for years ending 1915 and 1916: PA, vol. 23, p. 616; and vol. 24, p. 601.
- 71.
Olivier, 349PO/Report of the American MS for 1914–1918; Publications of Leander McCormick Observatory, vol. 2, 1921, pp. 203 and 226.
- 72.
‘Dual member’ is the author’s concept and neither the AMS nor the AAVSO used this term or made efforts to identify such members. For simplicity, the author is omitting reference to the SPA in this definition, even though that organization existed during the years Craig, Bruseth and Eaton belonged to the AMS and AAVSO. Sources for Craig and Bruseth were: Olivier, 126 Parabolic Orbits; and Olcott; Annual Reports of the AAVSO for 1912, 1913 and 1914, PA, vols. 20–23. Sources for Eaton: Ann’l Rep of the AAVSO for the year ending 1916; PA, vol. 23, p. 616; and Olivier, 349 Parabolic Orbits/ AMS during 1914–1918, Publications of the L McCormick Obsy, vol. 2, Charlottesville VA: UVA; 1921; pp. 203 and 226–227.
- 73.
Williams and Saladyga, AVSA, p. 22.
- 74.
George Waldo, Jr; the Ninth Annual Meeting of the AAVSO, PA, vol. 28, 1920, pp. 623–624. And Dr. Michael Saladyga, AAVSO archivist, in an email to the author, dated 3/19/2012, reported that AAVSO headquarters had received a “… plea for meteor observations to be sent to AAVSO observers.” as early as June 1920. The ‘plea’ may have taken the form of AMS Bulletin 1 which Olivier addressed to the organization’s members. Saladyga is coauthor of the definitive centennial history of the AAVSO, Advancing Variable Star Astronomy, Cambridge U Press, 2011.
- 75.
The nine were T.C.W. Bouton; Chandra, R.G.; McAteer, C.Y.; Olcott, W.T.; Peltier, L.C.; Peters, J.L.; Suter, R.O., Jr; Vrooman, H.W.; and Watson, P.S. Professional astronomers belonging to the AAVSO contributed another 34 meteors: Alden, H.L.; Campbell, L.; and Young, Miss A.S. UVA astronomers Mitchell, S.A. and Olivier contributed another 8 meteors, for a grand total of 88.
- 76.
Olivier, Report of the American Meteor Society for 1920 and 1921, Popular Astronomy, volume 30, 1922, pp. 153–155.
- 77.
The data cited came from Olivier’s Annual Reports of the AMS for the years 1920–1947 in PA.
- 78.
Olivier, Report of the AMS for 1919–1925, Publications of Leander McCormick Observatory, volume 5, pp. 45–49. This monograph was first published in 1929 but the online version on the SAO-ADS Web site was a later edition published in 1935.
- 79.
Olivier is listed as an AAVSO member who contributed VS estimates in 1931: Campbell, Leon, Monthly Report of the AAVSO, PA, volume 39, 1931, p. 347.
- 80.
Councilorship: AVSA, p. 347; membership as prerequisite to Councilorship: email to RT from TRW, dated 3/18/2012; and consultation with CPO by HS: APS letter; HS to CPO, 1/27/1936.
- 81.
Williams and Saladyga, AVSA, p. 225 and Olivier, CP; Report on the Department of Astronomy and the two Astronomical Observatories during the directorship of Charles P. Olivier;’ typewritten document dated 1952 March 9, p. 4.
- 82.
Millikan, Frank Rives., Joseph Henry: Father of the Weather Service. Joseph Henry Papers Project. https://siarchives.si.edu/sites/default/files/pdfs/jhpp/JHP_Father_of_the_Weather_Service.pdf. Accessed February 22, 2016.
- 83.
Monthly Weather Review (MWR), volume 14, pp. 23 and 85–86. Hagan is best known as the author of a star atlas for variable star observations, Atlas Stellarum Variabilium, used in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. A brief biography and extended discussion of his atlas is in Williams and Saladyga, Advancing Variable Star Astronomy, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge U Press; 2011, p. 16ff.
- 84.
Heidorn, Keith C. The Weather Doctor (Web site:) “Weather People and History, Cleveland Abbe: Ol’ Probabilities of the U.S. Weather Bureau.” http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/history/cabbe.htm copyright 2001. On the Weather Doctor site, locate and click on ‘Weather People and History” link. Then on that page, click on “Cleveland Abbe” on left sidebar. Accessed February 22, 2015.
- 85.
Abbe’s career path was found in Who Was Who in America, volume 1, fifth printing 1962, Chicago: A.N. Marquis Co; p. 1. Another biography is by Nathan Reingold in Dictionary of Scientific Biography, American Council of Learned Societies, New York: Scribners, 1970 edition; Volume 1, p. 6.
- 86.
Many examples of Abbe’s postcards are in the AMS Archives in a storage box labeled ‘AMS 1898–1907.’
- 87.
Abbe, Cleveland; Bright Meteors; MWR, volume 35, p. 120. A short biography of Henry Allen Peck is in Who Was Who in America, volume 1, 1897–1942, Chicago: A.N. Marquis Co, 1943, fifth printing 1962, p. 952. A special memorial edition of Syracuse University’s Syracuse Daily Orange was published on November 18, 1921 praising Dr. Peck’s character and contributions to the University. Several articles give some biographical information. The University Archives does not contain any of Peck’s papers or correspondence.
- 88.
Peck, H.A; MWR, volume 35, 1908, pp. 121–123, 447–449, and 508–510; and volume 36, 1909, pp. 142–144.
- 89.
Harkness, William, MWR, vol. 27, 1899, pp. 9–11.
- 90.
Abbe, Cleveland; Bright Meteors, MWR, volume 35, March 1907, p. 120.
- 91.
A brief biography of Trowbridge is in Who Was Who in America, Volume 1, 1897–1942, Chicago: A.N. Marquis Co, 1943, fifth printing 1962, p. 254.
- 92.
Trowbridge, C.C., MWR, volume 37, January 1909, pp. 11–13.
- 93.
Abbe, C., To Observers of Meteors: MWR, volume 41, January 1913, p. 162.
- 94.
Olivier, CP, American Meteor Society, MWR, vol. 42, November 1914, p. 623.
- 95.
Olivier, CP, Directions for Observing Meteors, MWR, vol. 43, June 1915, pp. 263–264.
- 96.
Olivier, CP; Obituary Notice: Fellow Cleveland Abbe; Monthly Notices Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS), volume 77, February 1917, pp. 290–292. In another gesture of support of young Olivier’s career, Abbe recommended that Olivier be named a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letter from C. Abbe to A.S. Eddington, dated December 13, 1913 (in the Olivier correspondence file of the American Philosophical Society).
- 97.
Olivier, Meteor Notes from the AMS, Popular Astronomy, volume 50, 1942, pp. 265–267.
- 98.
Olivier, CP, ‘Work of the AMS, 1914–15’ in MWR, volume 44, 1916, p. 326.
- 99.
Anonymous, Records of the Hydrographic Office (Record Group 37), Section 37.3 General Records of the Hydrographic Office 1754–1950 (History), National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, D.C. from a NARA Web site accessed on February 22, 2016: http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/037.html#37.3.
- 100.
Dick, Steven J., Matthew Fontaine Maury, in Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers, Volume 2, New York: Springer, 2007, p. 750.
- 101.
PA, volume 33, 1925, pp. 240–241.
- 102.
The AMS Archive box marked “1920s” contained at least one typed 1923 report sent to Olivier by F.B. Bassett, Captain, US Navy; Hydrographer from the Hydrographic Office in Washington D.C. In addition, a handwritten fireball report, dated July 12, 1927, was first sent to “Govt Hydrographic Office, Washington, D.C.” by J.E. McGurk, 2nd Officer of the S/S Trinidadian and forwarded to Olivier was in the same Archives box. So it seems that there were multiple formats by which fireball data were sent to AMS Headquarters by the Hydrographic Office.
- 103.
NARA, Hydrographic Bulletins, 1889–1954 at http://research.archives.gov/description/1520434, accessed on October 12, 2012. However, this page was not available on February 22, 2016 and was removed from the Web site because NARA Web personnel change information displayed periodically.
- 104.
Olivier, Meteor Notes from the AMS, PA, volume 54, 1946, p. 141.
- 105.
Ibid.
- 106.
Olivier, Methods for Computing the Heights and Paths of Fireballs and Meteors: Supplement to the Pilot Chart of the North Atlantic Ocean for 1931, Washington, D.C.: Hydrographic Office, 1931. Dr. Olivier wrote that his formulas were “on the back of” the Pilot Chart.
- 107.
PA, volumes 33, 1925, p. 241; 36, 1928, p. 133; and 37, 1929, p. 176.
- 108.
Olivier, Meteor Notes, PA, volume 39, 1931, pp. 37 and 41.
- 109.
Olivier, Fireball of June 22, 1927, PA, volume 37, 1929, pp. 133–134.
References
Friends at McCormick Observatory
Mitchell, S., H. Alden, et. al., Observations of 204 Long Period Variables made between 1902-33 with the 26-inch Refractor of the McCormick Observatory, Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, Volume 6. Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia, 1935, pp. 1-198
Olivier, C., Report of the American Meteor Society, Popular Astronomy(PA), volume 21, 1913; pp.89-91.
Olivier, Charles P. 126 Parabolic Orbits of Meteor Streams, Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, volume 2, Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia, 1914, pp. 457-475.
Olivier, C. 349 Parabolic Orbits of Meteor Streams, Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia, 1920 (and 1921), pp. 200-268 and especially pp. 264-265.
Olivier, C., Ormond Stone, Popular Astronomy (PA), volume 41, 1933, pp. 295-298
Society for Practical Astronomy
Olivier, C., Report of the American Meteor Society, Popular Astronomy (PA), Volume 21, 1913, pp. 89-91.
Olivier, C., Report of the American Meteor Society (for 1913), PA, Volume 22, 1914, pp. 90-91.
Olivier, C., 126 Parabolic Orbits of Meteor Streams, Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, Volume 2, Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia, 1914, pp. 457-475.
Olivier, C., 349 Parabolic Orbits of Meteor Streams, Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, Volume 2, Part 7, Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia, 1920; pp. 226-229.
American Astronomical Society
Olivier, C., 126 Parabolic Orbits of Meteor Streams, Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, volume 2; Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia, 1914.
Olivier, C., 349 Parabolic Orbits, Report of the AMS for 1914-1918, Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, volume 2, 1921.
Olivier, C., Report of the AMS for 1919-1925, Publications of the L. McCormick Observatory, volume 5, 1929 and 1935; pp. 1-49.
American Association of Variable Star Observers
All AMS sources below were authored by Charles P. Olivier and were published in Popular Astronomy(PA)
Notice to the American Meteor Society, volume 27, 1919, p. 122
The following articles share the title stem ‘Report of the American Meteor Society for (year)’
1919, volume 28, 1920, pp. 153-4
1920, volume 29, 1921, pp. 137-8
1920 and 1921, volume 30, 1922, pp. 153-5
AMS Sources for the year…
1922, volume 31, 1923, pp. 172-175
1923 and 1924, volume 33, 1925, pp. 240-3
1925, volume 34, 1926, pp. 165-9
1926, volume 35, 1927, p. 287
1927, volume 36, 1928, p. 133
1928, volume 37, 1929, p. 176
The following AMS sources are entitled ‘Meteor Notes’ or ‘Meteor Notes from the AMS,’ and they are the Annual Reports for (year)
1929, volume 38, 1930, pp. 174-7
1930, volume 39, 1931, pp. 149-152
1931, volume 40, 1932, pp. 94-7 and supplement pp. 163-5
1932, volume 41, 1933, pp. 110-3
1933, volume 42, 1934, pp. 154-7
1934, volume 43, 1935, pp. 178-180
1935, volume 44, 1936, pp. 213-4
AAVSO sources are from Annual Reports of the AAVSO in Popular Astronomy
1919: Eaton, HO; volume 27, 1919, p.691
1920 Eaton, HO; volume 28, 1920, p. 555
1921 Walker, Arville D; volume 29, 1921, pp. 590-1 and Eaton, HO; PA, volume 30, 1922, p.582
1922 Eaton, HO; volume 30, 1922, pp. 582 and 660
1923 Eaton, HO, volume 31, 1923, p.617 and Eaton HO, PA, volume 32, 1924, p. 656
1924 Eaton, HO; volume 32, 1924, p.656
1925 Campbell, Leon; volume 33, 1925, pp. 563 and 619
1926 Campbell, Leon, volume 35, 1927, pp.61-2
1927 Anonymous, volume35, 1927, pp. 584-5
1928 Anon., Annual Report for the year ending Oct. 1928, volume 36, pp. 618-9
1929 Campbell, L, volume 37, 1929, pp. 596-7 and vol. 38, 1930, p. 110
1930 Campbell, L; volume 38, 1930, p. 616 and volume 39, 1931, pp. 53-4 and 101
1931 Campbell, L, volume 39, 1931, pp. 603-4 and volume 40, 1932, pp.45, 109.
1932 Campbell, L. volume 40, 1932, pp. 644-5;
1933 Campbell, L. volume 41, 1933, pp. 576-8;
1934 Campbell, L; volume 42, 1934; pp. 332, 390-1, 463-4, 592-3 and volume 43, 1935, pp. 59-60 and 115-6.
1935 Campbell, L. volume 43, 1935, pp. 237-8, 305-6, 453, and 593-4
New Members Join the American Meteor Society, 1915–1918
Olivier, C., Report of the American Meteor Society, Popular Astronomy, Volume 21, 1913, p. 90
Olivier, C., Report of the American Meteor Society, Popular Astronomy, Volume 22, 1914, p. 91
Olivier, C., Results of Meteor Observations for July and August, 1915, Popular Astronomy, Volume 23, 1915, pp. 567-568.
Olivier, C., 126 Parabolic Orbits of Meteor Streams, Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, Volume 2, Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia, 1914, pages 457-475.
Olivier, C., Notice to the American Meteor Society, Popular Astronomy, volume 27, 1919, pp.122-123.
Olivier, C., 349 Parabolic Orbits of Meteor Streams, Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, Volume 2, Part 7, Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia, 1920, pp. 226-239.
Olivier, C., Report of the American Meteor Society for 1919-1925, Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, Volume 5, Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia; 1929 and 1935, pp. 8-14.
Membership Roster and Statistical Summary for the Years 1915–1918
Olivier, Charles P., 349 Parabolic Orbits, Report of the AMS for 1914-1918, Publication of the Leander McCormick Observatory, volume 2, 1921, Charlottesville, VA: U of VA; pp. 203-204.
Outcomes From Olivier’s Membership Efforts 1911–1918
Olivier, C., Report of the American Meteor Society, Popular Astronomy (PA), Volume 21, 1913, pp. 89-91.
Olivier, C., Report of the American Meteor Society, PA, Volume 22, 1914, pp. 90-91.
Olivier, C., 126 Parabolic Orbits of Meteor Streams, Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, Volume 2, Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia, 1914, pp. 457-475.
Olivier, C., Results of Meteor Observations for July and August, 1915, PA, Volume 23, 1915, pp. 567-568
Olivier, C., Report of the American Meteor Society in 1916, PA, Volume 25, 1917, p. 164
Olivier, C., Report of the American Meteor Society in 1917, PA, Volume 26, 1918, p. 199
Olivier, C., Annual Report of the American Meteor Society for 1918, PA, Volume 28, 1920, p16
Olivier, C., 349 Parabolic Orbits of Meteor Streams, Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory, Volume 2, Part 7, Charlottesville, Virginia: University of Virginia, 1920; pp. 201-229.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Richard Taibi
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Taibi, R. (2017). Enrollment Began. In: Charles Olivier and the Rise of Meteor Science. Springer Biographies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44518-2_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44518-2_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-44517-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-44518-2
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)