Plaskett Report for January 1926


A tabulation has been made of the number of nights on which plates were secured each month for the past seven years. The average for the month of January is 89 plates and the average number of nights 11. While plates were secured on 11 nights this month yet on 6 of these a total of only 12 plates was secured. On the other 5, a total of 57 was obtained, making a combined total for the month of 69 as compared with the seven-year average of 89. The month has thus been much poorer than the average for observing.

[An article in the Victoria Daily Times reported on an address given to the American Astronomical Society, Ed.]

Sat, Jan 23, 1926 – 23 · Times Colonist (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) · Newspapers.com

Director J. S. Plaskett worked 1 night securing 1 spectrogram. Measured 25 spectrograms for radial velocity. Compared spectra of  Sagittarii and HD 45901 to determine relations between them. Handled the usual administrative work and correspondence.

Assistant Director W. E. Harper worked 3 nights securing 34 plates. Measured for radial velocity 34 plates. Reading “Stellar Atmospheres” by Payne and seeking for criteria for absolute magnitudes for A-type stars other than sharp and fuzzy lines.

Research Astronomer H. H. Plaskett worked 3 nights obtaining 10 spectra. Completely revised the determination of line intensities in NGC 7027. This involved a correction for collimator vignetting, and new corrections for the variation of Schwarzschild’s constant p with wave length and for line widths.

Assistant Astronomer J. A. Pearce observed on 4 nights and obtained 24 plates. Measured 21 spectrograms for radial velocity. Completed the orbits (spectroscopic and photometric) for HD 1337

Astronomical Computer S. N. Hill measured and reduced for radial velocity 46 B-type spectrograms (Mr. Pearce’s programme), 5 B-type and 4 O-type spectrograms (Dr. Plaskett’s programme).

Senior Clerk Typist Miss H. L. Keay handled the usual plates accounts, reports and correspondence. Typed Dr. Plaskett’s two binary orbits, HD 191201 and Boss 3354.

Instrument Maker Foreman T. T. Hutchison assisted in observing on 10 nights. Repaired the shutter cable.

[W. E. Harper gave a public talk this month.. Ed]

Daily Colonist article announcing that W. E. Harper would be speaking at Victoria College on February 9, 1926.