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Papers on the Nautical Almanac Office, 1938 - 1956

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 8/26

Scope and Contents

Correspondence with the Nautical Almanac Office and related papers, in fifteen sections, including the following material:

(1) Astronomical navigation tables

Correspondence with D.H. Sadler regarding George G. Hoehne's 'Practical Celestial Air Navigation Tables', 1943.

Correspondence with D.H. Sadler regarding astronomical tables, 1942.

Memorandum by Sadler titled 'Polar Navigation. A Device for Drawing Position Lines within 15 Degrees of the Pole', 1942.

(2) Five-figure tables

Correspondence concerning five-figure trigonometrical tables, 1947.

Arrangements for proof-reading, 1947.

(3) Apparent places of fundamental stars

Copy of a letter from D.H. Sadler to Dr Subbotin, U.S.S.R., proposing an extension of the programme of apparent places of stars undertaken by the Institute for Theoretical Astronomy in Leningrad, 1948.

'Computation and Checking of Apparent Places of Stars', a paper issued by the N.A.O., 1944.

(4) Miscellaneous

'Supplement to the Astronomical Ephemeris and the American Ephemeris', proposals put forward for discussion by D.H. Sadler, 1956.

Summary of 'The Unification of the Nautical Almanac and the American Ephemeris' by D.H. Sadler, 1954.

Correspondence with Sir Harold Spencer Jones, 1953, who was seeking Admiralty approval for the publication of 'Planetary Co-ordinates for the years 1960-1980 referred to the equinox of 1950.0.' and of a joint supplement to the 'Nautical Almanac' and American Ephemeris for the years 1952-1959.

Copies of two memoranda by D.H. Sadler on the aforementioned publications, 1953.

'The Star Almanac for Land Surveyors for the year 1950...Prepared by H.M. Nautical Almanac Office', 1948.

List of observations of minor planets made at the Union Observatory, Johannesburg, with the Franklin Adams Star Camera, 1946.

(5) International exchange of material

Letter from Helsinki Observatory, 1946, thanking H. Spencer Jones for the copy of the last nine months of 'Kleine Planeten' for 1946.

(6) France

Correspondence with A. Danjon, Director of the Paris Observatory, regarding observations, 1956.

(7) Stockholm

Correspondence with the Stockholm Observatory, 1944-1946, including the following material:

Correspondence with Professor Lindblad, Director of the Stockholm Observatory, regarding observations and the exchange of data, 1944-1946.

Correspondence with Professor Lindblad, 1945, regarding the election of H. Spencer Jones as a foreign member of the Swedish Academy of Sciences and also concerning the death of Sir Arthur Eddington.

(8) U.S.S.R.

Correspondence with the U.S.S.R., 1946-1949, including the following material:

Correspondence between Dr Subbotin, Director of the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy, Leningrad, and H. Spencer Jones regarding the exchange of material, 1943-1944.

Translation by Miss F.M. McBain, 1947, of the last paragraphs of the preface to the 'Annuaire Astronomique' of the U.S.S.R., 1946.

Correspondence of 1946 regarding asteroid ephemerides for 1947 and ephemerides of minor planets.

Copy of a letter from H. Spencer Jones to A.A. Mikhailov, 30 August 1945, regarding the total solar eclipse on 9 July 1945.

(9) Washington

Correspondence with Washington, 1943-1948, including the following material:

Correspondence with Captain Hellweg and W.J. Eckert regarding the exchange of data, 1943-1944.

Correspondence with the United States Naval Observatory regarding the physical ephemeris of the Moon, 1948.

(10) Germany

Correspondence with Germany, 1945-1948, including the following material:

Correspondence with Professor A. Kopff regarding the exchange of data, 1947-1945.

Correspondence with Germany concerning comets, 1947.

Correspondence with the Control Commission for Germany regarding astronomical activities in Germany, 1946.

Correspondence between H. Spencer Jones and Sir Alfred Egerton regarding the Rechen Institute being divided into two sections, one at Heidelberg in the America zone, the other in Berlin in Russian Zone, 1946.

Correspondence regarding the proposed re-allocation of astronomical computations normally undertaken by the Berliner Jahrbuch, 1945.

(11) Work of HMS 'Vernon'

Correspondence regarding 'HMS Vernon' and the Department of Scientific Research and Experiment at the Admiralty, 1940-1942, including the following material:

Correspondence with H. Spencer Jones regarding naval mine-sweeping, 1940.

Details of a calculation for work on HMS 'Vernon', prepared by D.H. Sadler, 1940.

(12) 7- and 8-figure tables

Correspondence regarding the publication of 7- and 8-figure tables with argument in arc, including the following material:

Memorandum by D.H. Sadler on seven-figure trigonometrical tables with argument in seconds of arc, 1949.

Memorandum by D.H. Sadler on seven-figure trigonometrical tables with argument in seconds of arc, regarding both 7- and 8-figure tables, 1939.

Correspondence between E.S. Pearson and the Astronomer Royal regarding the computation of the 7- and 8-figure tables, 1939.

Correspondence with D.H. Sadler regarding 'Tracts for Computers No. XXIII' and Dr L.J. Comrie's work, 1939.

Correspondence with Professor Peters, Berlin, regarding the 7- and 8-figure tables and the mention of the Nautical Almanac Office on the title page, 1938.

Paging scheme and introduction to 7-figure trigonometrical tables for every second of time, 1938.

Specimens of various types to be used in the 7-figure trigonometrical tables, 1938.

(13) Miscellaneous correspondence

Memorandum by D.H. Sadler on 'The Calculation of Decca Lattices. The Extent of N.A.O. Responsibilities', 1955.

Memorandum by the Astronomer Royal on 'The Conformity of the American Ephemeris and the (British) Nautical Almanac', 1954.

Correspondence with the Hydrographer regarding the depositing of Crown copyright tables with the Royal Society, 1950.

Correspondence with the Director of Scientific Research regarding the evacuation of an enemy technicians to the United Kingdom, 1945.

'Depression of Sun Below Horizon. Latitudes N.45° - N.60°', prepared by the N.A.O., 1944.

Correspondence regarding the computing equipment for the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, 1944.

Report on the proposal that the N.A.O. should undertake computational work for the Director of Scientific Research, 1944.

Correspondence between D.H. Sadler and H. Spencer Jones, 1939, regarding the second volume of 'Planetary Co-ordinates' for the equinox of 1950.

(14) Work for other departments

Papers on sound-ranging problems and work for the Ordnance Board, 1942-1950, including the following material:

'Computation of wind and temperature graphs for use in the gun sound ranging - report', 1942.

Correspondence on the proposal of a star almanac for land surveyors, 1948.

(15) Scientific Computing Advisory Committee

Report on the work being done by the Scientific Computing Advisory Committee, 1945.

Statement of the organisation of the N.A.O. and the Admiralty Computing Service, 1944.

Copy of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research 'Report of Interdepartmental Technical Committee on a Proposed Mathematical Station', 1944.

Copy of the Department of Scientific Research and Experiment, Admiralty Computing Service, third report on activities, 31 January 1944.

Summary of the position of computational work for the Department of Scientific Research, Advisory Committee on Scientific Computing, at the National Mathematical Laboratory, 1943.



















































































































































Dates

  • Creation: 1938 - 1956

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

From the Management Group:

Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).

Extent

1 bundle(s) (1 bundle)

Language of Materials

English

Former / Other Reference

Q11

Finding aid date

2006-04-24 14:55:49+00:00

Includes index.

Repository Details

Part of the Cambridge University Library Repository

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