The weather was considerably below the average for the month though a total of 116 plates was secured on 21 nights as compared with an average for six years of 126 on 18 nights. Many of the plates were, however, of bright stars on which it was found necessary to work by reason of the poor seeing. The 25th of the month was the hottest day on record here, the temperature being 95. Forest fires, which at one time seriously threatened the observatory, helped to curtail observation by reason of the surrounding pall of smoke.

Director J. S. Plaskett on leave in England.

Assistant Director W. E. Harper obtained 29 plates on 5 nights and measured 42 spectra for radial velocity. Determined the orbit of 65 Geminorum. Addressed the Kiwanis Club on “Our Knowledge of the Stars”. Handled the usual administrative duties and extra ones by reason of fire hazard.

Tue, Jun 23, 1925 – 9 · Times Colonist (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) · Newspapers.com

Astronomer H. H. Plaskett worked 6 nights securing 23 plates including one long exposure of Vega. Preparation for wedge work occupied most of the daytime, including the design of an accurate collimator diaphragm, the study of diffraction losses in the spectroscope and the loss of the light as a function of polarization and wave length.

Assistant Astronomer J. A. Pearce obtained 34 plates on 5 nights and measured 13 plates for radial velocity. Weekly clock corrections. Made up 2 90-oz bottles of developer and 3 90-oz bottles of hypo. Attended the Portland meeting of AAAS June 16th-20th inclusive and presented 2 papers (1 for Dr. Plaskett). Prepared abstracts of papers for Science. Did some work on binary star statistics.

Engineering Clerk W. H. Christie observed on 5 nights and obtained 30 spectra. He measured and reduced 5 spectrograms. he worked on periods of two spectroscopic binaries. Commenced least-squares solution for the elements of one of these.

Astronomical Computer S. N. Hill measured and reduced 44 spectrograms for radial velocity. Some work on binary statistics and in library

Senior Clerk Typist Miss H. R. Keay handled the usual plates, correspondences, accounts and reports. Read the proof of Volume III, Numbers 5, 6,7, and 8. Typed an article for the Journal of the RASC.

Engineer Foreman T. T. Hutchison assisted in observing on 18 nights. Repaired the shutter cable.