The Plaskett Reports


John Stanley Plaskett

Founder and first Director of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory

John Stanley Plaskett (JSP) often complained about the Ottawa ‘meddlers’ and the idiosyncrasies of the bureaucracy. He was very protective of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory and any attempts by individuals in Ottawa to control any aspect of the observatory.

One of his administrative tasks was the preparation of monthly work reports which were submitted to the Deputy Minister, Department of the Interior, Ottawa. The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory Historical Collection contains copies of these monthly reports for the period from late 1921 through to 1933. These reports offer a unique glimpse into the work of the observatory and its staff members during this period. I have entered the text almost verbatim as it appeared in these reports but have added some additional material and links to flesh them out and provide the reader with more information.

This page contains links to summaries of many of these monthly reports with some of the details fleshed out with additional information.  At some point scans of the original reports will be added.

November 1921December 1921January 1922February 1922March 1922
April 1922May 1922June 1922July 1922August 1922
September 1922October, 1922November 1922December 1922January 1923
February 1923March 1923April, 1923May 1923June 1923
July 1923August 1923September 1923October 1923November 1923
December 1923January 1924February 1924March 1924April 1924
May 1924June 1924July 1924August 1924September 1924
October 1924November 1924December 1924January 1925February 1925
March 1925April 1925May 1925June 1925July 1925
August 1925September 1925October 1925November 1925December 1925
January 1926February 1926March 1926April 1926May 1926
June 1926July 1926August 1926September 1926October 1926
November 1926December 1926January 1927February 1927March 1927
April 1927May 1927June 1927July 1927August 1927
September 1927October 1927November 1927December 1927January 1928
February 1928March 1928April 1928May 1928June 1928
July 1928August 1928September 1928October 1928November 1928
December 1928January 1929February 1929March 1929April 1929
May 1929June 1929July 1929August 1929September 1929
No report availableNovember 1929December 1929January 1930February 1930
March 1930April 1930May 1930June 1930July 1930
August 1930September 1930October 1930November 1930July 1930
January 1931February 1931March 1931April 1931May 1931
June 1931July 1931August 1931September 1931October 1931
November 1931December 1931January 1932February 1932March 1932
April 1932May 1932June 1932July 1932August 1932
September 1932October 1932November 1932December 1932January 1933
February 1933March 1933

Dennis Crabtree – Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics