Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Volume 46 (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. 1886 Excerpt: ...expedient to recognise the independent researches of two or more persons who have been working independently on the same subject, and who at about the same time have announced publicly the results of their separate labours. In past years much inconvenience has been experienced for want of such a power on the part of the Council, though on one occasion in 1867 means were found to justify the award of a joint Medal. But in this case the recipients were co-workers, and the Fellows, with enthusiasm, condoned that somewhat irregular act of the Council, which apparently was a departure from a course which the bye-laws had prescribed. On inspecting the new bye-law, enacted in 1871, it will be perceived that the Council are now authorised to receive the nomination of two or more persons as joint recipients of the Medal, provided that the nominees are tho simultaneous, but independent, authors of any treatise, work, research, or discovery; and the bye-law goes on to say that "should the Medal be ultimately awarded to such joint authors, workers, or discoverers, an impression of the Medal shall bo provided for and given to each of such joint recipients." The Council have therefore great pleasure in carrying out, for the first time, the terms of this new bye-law, by their award recognising the important and interesting stellar researches independently carried on by Profs. Pritchard and Pickering, as a comparatively U new subject of physical inquiry, combining new principles and apparatus in the investigation. Since the appointment of Prof. Pickering to the superintendence of the Observatory of Harvard College he has devoted much time and attention to the subject of the comparative lustre of the stars, the results of which have from time to time been communic...