Stars, one spectrum at a time
Three University of Michigan Observatory publications from 1937–1939 cover stellar spectra, solar observations and instrumentation.
The story
The University of Michigan’s observatory reported its research in a numbered series of publications from Ann Arbor, and this group brings three of them together: Volume VI of 1937, Volume VII of 1939 and a separately issued part of Volume VIII. Between them they show how astronomers were measuring the stars and the Sun just before the Second World War.
In Volume VI, Allan D. Maxwell works out the orbit and predicted positions of an asteroid, and Dean B. McLaughlin studies eclipsing binaries, pairs of stars that pass in front of one another as seen from Earth. In Volume VII, Robert R. McMath describes, with illustrations, the tower telescope at the McMath-Hulbert Observatory, alongside work on solar prominences, sunspots and the colour temperatures of stars. The part from Volume VIII is Robley C. Williams’s international comparison of standard lamps, the reference lights used in measuring the temperatures of stars.
These copies came from the University of Virginia library, whose perforated stamps they carry. They are fragile: the stiff grey card covers are worn and soiled, the spines and edges have deteriorated, the sewing is frayed or broken, and some gatherings are loose. Whether every page, plate and foldout is present has not been checked.
Details
- Date
- 1937–1939; vol. VIII, no. 2 undated
- Publisher
- University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor
- Binding
- other: Large original paper gatherings in gray stiff card portfolios or boards, string tied; binding fragile, some loose
- Condition
- Three large-format paper publication units held together as a single assemblage: Volumes VI and VII with gray stiff-paper boards/portfolios and loose or exposed gatherings, plus a cord-tied separate fascicle from Volume VIII. Very considerable spine and edge deterioration, frayed or broken sewing, looseness, toning, rubbed/soiled boards, chips, creases and small tears. Library stamps/perforations, call-number notation, and pencil annotations. Presence of all required pages, illustration plates and foldouts has not been checked; describe completeness as unverified rather than complete.
- Stamp
- UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA / UV (perforated library marks)
- Mark
- QB 4 .M6 (manuscript library call number); 'Returned by Department' (stamp); 'complete' (penciled note in Volume VII)