The observing weather during July has considerably improved over previous months and satisfactory observing progress was made. 117 spectrograms were obtained on 26 nights and parts of nights. These, however, include one exposure of 20 hours and three of over 6 hours each on nebulae. The progress of the office work is also satisfactory and considerable advance was made towards the completion of the absolute magnitude and the O-type star programmes.
Director J. S Plaskett was absent for 9 days of holiday leave. He obtained 17 spectrograms on three nights and assisted with 20-hour exposure one night. Measured 45 plates for radial velocity. He wrote and prepared for publication a paper on the “Optical Parts of the Victoria Spectrograph“. Obtained the spectroscopic orbit and carried through least-squares solution of the O-type binary BD +56 2617. The usual administrative and correspondence duties.
[Plaskett spoke at the summer school for teachers at the Victoria High School. The public was also invited to his talk, Ed.]
Research Astronomer W. E. Harper obtained 24 spectrograms on 4 nights. Continued the work on the absolute magnitudes making revision thereto. Administrative work during 9 days absence of the Director. Took 7 days of holiday leave.
[Harper gave talks to the Boys’ Work Division of the YMCA during July, Ed.]
Astronomer R. K. Young obtained 28 spectrograms on 4 nights. Continued work on absolute magnitude revising curves and preparing tables for the final compilation of the catalogue
Astronomer H. H. Plaskett [Note his promotion from Assistant Astronomer, Ed.] obtained 4 spectrograms, one of 20 hours and three of about 6 hours each on 6 nights. Corrected the proof of Volume II, Number 12 of the Publications. Worked at intensity relations in nebular spectra and at the arrangement of lines in series preparing a report for the for “Nature“.
Clerk-Stenographer Miss H. R. Keay handled the usual correspondence, plates, accounts, reports. Read the proof of Volume II, Number 12. She typed the paper “Optical Parts of the Victoria Spectrograph“.Continued copying the record of publications into anew loose-leaf book. She was absent on holiday leave for 7 days.
Observing Assistant W. H. Christie obtained 34 spectrograms on 7 nights and measured 36 spectrograms for radial velocity. Made a preliminary catalogue of B-type stars and completed the radial velocity catalogue as far as 16 hours RA
Instrument Maker Foreman T. T. Hutchison assisted with night observations on 16 nights. Spent about 5 days in repainting the telescope tube. Did the usual work of maintenance of the mechanism.
[The monthly “Talks on Astronomy” column in the Daily Colonist was written by J. S. Plaskett and was titled “The Constitution of the Stars“., Ed.]