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Columbia University. Dept. of Astronomy
Columbia University Department of Astronomy records, 1880-1917.
This collection contains records generated by the founding members of the modern astronomy department at Columbia University. It includes the correspondence of Professor John K. Rees, correspondence and writings of Professor Harold Jacoby, financial reports, departmental reports, curriculum outlines, student reports, and observatory ledgers. A few photographs and technical drawings of telescopes are included with the correspondence. The collection provides insight into many aspects of the department including: procuring donor support to build the observatories, the growth of the department as it went from the School of Mines to the School of Pure Sciences, the central role of the observatory within the department, contemporary astronomical events of interest to the scholarly community, the professional input sought in regard to the construction of the observatories, and public interest in the observatory and in the field of astronomy in New York City at the turn of the 20th century.
Astronomy has been taught at columbia University since 1757, and the first Professor of Astronomy was appointed in 1857. The Department of Astronomy was responsible for the first applications of photography to stellar astrometry and spectroscopy (1863), and the first use of "modern" computing engines for calculations and data reduction (1934).
Jacoby, Harold, 1865-1932
Rees, John Krom, 1851-1907.
Columbia University
Columbia University. Dept. of Astronomy
Columbia University. Observatory.
Astronomy
Astronomy -- Observations
Astronomical observatories.
AIP-ICOS
Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Butler Library, 6th Floor East, New York, NY 10027, USA.
Catalog