American Astronomical Society, Historical Astronomy Division, Records of the Secretary/Treasurer, 1974-2000 (bulk 1985-1992)
Repository
American Institute of Physics. Center for History of Physics.
College Park, MD 20740
Papers created by
American Astronomical Society. Historical Astronomy Division. Office of the Secretary/Treasurer.
Size of collection
2.75 linear feet (6 boxes)
Short description of collection
This division of the American Astronomical Society was founded in 1980 with the objective to "advance interest in topics relating to the historical nature of astronomy." Most of the records date from 1985 to 1992, and include minutes of meetings and committee nominations, newsletter files, extensive bibliographies of contemporary publications on the history of astronomy, and financial records. The addition to records contains meeting notes and agendas, correspondence, rules and by-laws, and records of the Doggett prize.
Language(s) of collection
English
Unit ID
AR 1994-355; AR 2007-800
This division of the American Astronomical Society was founded in 1980 as the Historical Astronomy Division. According to the by-laws, its objective is to "advance interest in topics relating to the historical nature of astronomy." Historical astronomy includes the history of astronomy, archaeoastronomy, and the application of historical records to modern astrophysical problems. The division organizes meetings to provide a forum for discussion of recent developments in historical astronomy; assists the AAS in the commemoration of important historical anniversaries; and actively seeks to preserve important archival materials for the use of future historians of astronomy.
Full membership is open to any member of the American Astronomical Society by application and payment of dues. Affiliate membership is available to those who have membership in other professional societies with an interest in the history of astronomy, such as the History of Science Society, etc., and various anthropological associations.
While the collection includes material from 1980 to 1994, most of the records date from 1985 to 1992. Minutes of HAD meetings and committee nominations are included in the newsletter files, since these were reported in the newsletter. Of special interest are the extensive bibliographies of contemporary publications on the history of astronomy prepared by Ruth Freitag of the Library of Congress who was a member of HAD. The financial records also contain the 1983-1986 audited financial statements of AAS. The addition to records contains meeting notes and agendas, correspondence, rules and by-laws, and records of the Doggett prize.
Permission of an officer of the Historical Astronomy Division required for access to records less than 50 years old.
Researchers must have an approved access application on file in order to access archival materials. https://www.aip.org/history-programs/niels-bohr-library/item-request.
These papers have been indexed in the International Catalog of Sources for History of Physics and Allied Sciences (ICOS) using the following terms. Those seeking related materials should search under these terms.
Persons
DeVorkin, David H., 1944-
Freitag, Ruth S.
Subject terms
Astronomy -- History.
Astronomy -- Societies, etc.
Astrophysics -- History.
Astrophysics -- Societies, etc.
Genre terms
Newsletters.
The initial accession was received in two file cartons from David DeVorkin in late 1994. One box contained most of the newsletter files, survey and nominations information, and some subject specific files. The other box held most of the financial information, additional newsletter files and a few more subject files. Many of the folders were not titled or had very general titles, such as "HAD Business," "HAD Dues," or "Newsletter." Some papers were not in files.
In order to facilitate access to the collection, it was reordered into appropriately titled files and placed into a framework of fours series: I. Membership Records, II. Newsletters, III. Subject Files, and IV. Financial Records. The files are arranged chronologically within the series, except for the subject files which are alphabetical. Staples, clips, and rubberbands were removed; thermo-fax paper was photocopied and the originals removed; and the documents were rehoused in acid-free folders and document cases for preservation.
In January 1996 an additional half carton of records relating to his tenue as Secretary/Treasurer was received from DeVorkin. These included AAS meetings and HAD business meeting files, abstracts of papers, and correspondence from 1988, 1991, 1992, and 1993, and newsletter files relating to issues #18 - 25. Since these materials seemed to fill in gaps in the original records, they were processed, refoldered and integrated into that collection in November 1997. They can be found in Series I and II. In 2007 another small addition was received from DeVorkin. These files were appended as a separate series.
- Duplicates and multiple drafts
- Mailing labels
- Blank forms
- Blank stationery
- Bank deposit slips
- Photocopies of checks
- Canceled checks
- Ballots
- Membership change of address forms
Gift of David DeVorkin in 1994, 1996, and 2007.
This collection was processed by Sandra Johnson in October 1995.
A second deposit was received in January 1996 from DeVorkin and integrated into the collection in November 1997. The third deposit was received in 2007 and added to the collection.
Cite as: [Folder title, date; Folder number, Box number], American Astronomical Society, Historical Astronomy Division. Records of the Secretary/Treasurer, 1974-2000. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library, College Park, MD, 20740 USA.
Photographs from AAS-HAD in the Emilio Segrè Visual Archives; AAS-HAD Addition to records: obituary files, 1995-1998; H.A.D. News; AAS-HAD Conference on astronomy and the state [sound recording], 1994; AAS-HAD Additions to records, 1898-1998 (bulk: 1996-1998).
Title
Finding Aid to the American Astronomical Society, Historical Astronomy Division, Records of the Secretary/Treasurer, 1974-2000(bulk 1985-1992)
Publisher
American Institute of Physics. Center for History of Physics.
One Physics Ellipse
College Park, MD 20740
nbl@aip.org
February 5, 2005
Encoding Information
Machine-readable finding aid encoded in EAD 2002 by Katherine A. Hayes on February 5, 2005. Any revisions made to this finding aid occurred as part of the editing and encoding process.
| Box 1 |
Folder 1 |
Charter members 1980-81 |
|
Folder 2 |
Correspondence 1981-84 |
|
Folder 3 |
Nominating Committee 1982 |
|
Folder 4 |
Membership survey 1985 |
|
Folder 5 |
Correspondence 1985 |
|
Folder 6 |
Membership inquiries 1985-89 |
|
Folder 7 |
Correspondence and lists 1988 |
|
Folder 9 |
Correspondence 1989 |
|
Folder 10 |
Membership survey 1989 |
|
Folder 11 |
Correspondence 1990 |
|
Folder 12 |
Correspondence 1991 |
|
Folder 13 |
HAD affiliates 1992 |
|
Folder 14 |
Membership list 1992 |
|
Folder 15 |
AAS meeting 1982 |
|
Folder 16 |
AAS meeting 1984 |
|
Folder 17 |
AAS meeting/HAD registration 1984 |
|
Folder 18 |
AAS meeting 1986 |
| Box 2 |
Folder 1 |
AAS meeting 1987 |
|
Folder 2 |
AAS meeting 1988 |
|
Folder 3 |
HAD Executive Committee January 1988 |
|
Folder 4 |
AAS meeting 1989 |
|
Folder 5 |
AAS meeting 1990 |
|
Folder 6 |
AAS meeting/local arrangements 1990 |
|
Folder 7 |
HAD business meeting January 1991 |
|
Folder 8 |
AAS meeting May 1991 |
|
Folder 9 |
AAS meeting 1992 |
|
Folder 10 |
HAD business meeting 1992 |
|
Folder 11 |
Joint HAD/DDA meeting June 1992 |
|
Folder 12 |
AAS Meeting June 1992 |
|
Folder 13 |
AAS meeting 1993 |
|
Folder 14 |
AAS meeting 1994 |
| Box 3 |
Folder 1 |
Newsletter May 1985 |
|
Folder 2 |
Newsletter September 1985 |
|
Folder 3 |
Newsletter November 1985 |
|
Folder 4 |
Newsletter/correspondence 1985 |
|
Folder 5 |
Newsletter May 1986 |
|
Folder 6 |
Newsletter September 1986 |
|
Folder 7 |
Newsletter December 1986 |
|
Folder 8 |
Newsletter March 1987 |
|
Folder 9 |
Newsletter November 1987 |
|
Folder 10 |
Newsletter #8 May 1988 |
|
Folder 11 |
Newsletter #9 September 1988 |
|
Folder 12 |
Newsletter #10 October 1988 |
|
Folder 13 |
Newsletter #11 March 1989 |
|
Folder 14 |
Newsletter #12 May 1989 |
|
Folder 15 |
Newsletter #13 August 1989 |
|
Folder 16 |
Newsletter #14 November 1989 |
|
Folder 17 |
Newsletter #15 April 1990 |
|
Folder 18 |
Newsletter #16 August 1990 |
|
Folder 19 |
Newsletter #17 September 1990 |
|
Folder 20 |
Newsletter #18 March 1991 |
| Box 4 |
Folder 1 |
Newsletter #19 May 1991 |
|
Folder 2 |
Newsletter #20 August 1991 |
|
Folder 3 |
Newsletter #21 October 1991 |
|
Folder 4 |
Newsletter #22 February 1992 |
|
Folder 5 |
Newsletter #23 May 1992 |
|
Folder 6 |
Newsletter #24 September 1992 |
|
Folder 7 |
Newsletter #25 November 1992 |
| Box 4 |
Folder 8 |
General correspondence 1984-86 |
|
Folder 9 |
General correspondence 1987-90 |
|
Folder 10 |
Amateur astronomers 1985 |
|
Folder 11 |
Annual report 1985 |
|
Folder 12 |
Council meeting 1990 |
|
Folder 13 |
Edwin Hubble eyepiece 1989-90 |
|
Folder 14 |
Obituary notices 1989 |
|
Folder 15 |
One-paper rule 1985 |
|
Folder 16 |
Preservation information 1980 |
|
Folder 17 |
Preservation survey 1982 |
|
Folder 18 |
Preservation correspondence 1980-83 |
|
Folder 19 |
Preservation correspondence 1984 |
|
Folder 20 |
Preservation/Atherton Seidell Endowment Foundation 1985 |
|
Folder 21 |
Preservation/National Park Service 1989 |
| Box 5 |
Folder 1 |
Financial records 1985 |
|
Folder 2 |
Financial records 1986 |
|
Folder 3 |
Financial records 1987 |
|
Folder 4 |
Financial records 1988 |
|
Folder 5 |
Financial records 1989 |
|
Folder 6 |
Financial records 1990 |
|
Folder 7 |
Financial records 1991 |
|
Folder 8 |
Financial records 1992 |
|
Folder 9 |
AAS Financial statements 1982-83 |
|
Folder 10 |
AAS Financial statements 1984 |
|
Folder 11 |
AAS Financial statements 1985 |
|
Folder 12 |
AAS Financial statements 1986 |
| Box 6 |
Folder 1 |
AAS prizes 1974-1989 |
|
Folder 2 |
Historical Astronomy Division (HAD) prizes 1979-1998 |
|
Folder 3 |
Historical Astronomy Division (HAD) papers - distribution 1981-1997 |
|
Folder 4 |
Historical Astronomy Division (HAD) - rules and by-laws, Doggett Prize 1986-1998 |
|
Folder 5 |
AAS obituaries 1990-1994 |
|
Folder 6 |
Observatory reports 1991 |
|
Folder 7 |
Mailing lists/membership 1991-1992 |
|
Folder 8 |
Historical Astronomy Division (HAD) obituaries and note log 1996 |
|
Folder 9 |
Historical Astronomy Division (HAD), Smithsonian Institution - email data dumps 1996 |
|
Folder 10 |
Historical Astronomy Division (HAD), Smithsonian Institution - note log data dumps 1996 |
|
Folder 11 |
Doggett Prize 1997 |
|
Folder 12 |
Historical Astronomy Division (HAD) report at the American Institute of Physics (AIP) 1997 |
|
Folder 13 |
Historical Astronomy Division (HAD) rules and regulations 1997 |
|
Folder 14 |
Doggett Prize 1997 |
|
Folder 15 |
Doggett Prize - thank you correspondence 1997-1998 |
|
Folder 16 |
Doggett Prize - thank you correspondence 1997-1998 |
|
Folder 17 |
Historical Astronomy Division (HAD) Nominations Committee - history 1998 |
|
Folder 18 |
American Astronomical Society (AAS) Council June 1998 |
|
Folder 19 |
Doggett Prize fund 1999 |
|
Folder 20 |
Gingerich, Owew - correspondence and biographical information 1999-2000 |
|
Folder 21 |
Doggett Prize 2000 |
