Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific Volume 17 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 Excerpt: ... evidence of this we may cite the great zone catalogue undertaken by the Astronomische Gesellschaft; the measurement of an arc of longitude in central Europe, of which he was a specially zealous advocate; also the preliminary deliberations concerning the photographic survey of the sky, the international meter commission, etc. Over many of the conferences called to further these projects he presided as chairman. He served as president of the Astronomische Gesellschaft, of which he was a charter member, from i867 to i878. The Geodetic Survey of the great Russian empire, in so far as it depended upon the observatory, he advanced to the best of his ability. That geographical researches also appealed to him he proved by participating in the founding of the Imperial Geographical Society of St. Petersburg. Struve provided with a father's care for those connected with the observatory, and could always devise means when needed to improve their material position. He did his utmost, too, to make the social life of our little isolated community as agreeable as possible. By reason of his active association with other men, foreigners as well as Russians, Struve won for himself an unusually large circle of friends. That he did not lack enemies as well is not to be wondered at, in view of his striking personality. A large number of astronomers from the New World as well as from the Old honored him with visits during his directorate. As a matter of course, the visits from Russians were the most numerous. Nearly all of our professors of astronomy of the last few decades have been graduated from the school of Pulkowa, and at every opportunity have shown their deep, unchanging reverence for the head of the institution in which they began their scientific work. Pulkowa, April, ...