6. Commission des Télégrammes Astronomiques

From June 8, 1928 (date of the last report) up to the present date the Bureau has distributed 813 telegrams and published 175 circulars (Nos. 207-381). In two periods the number of telegrams and circulars has been particularly great: the Pluto- and comet-period in the spring of 1930 and the asteroid- and comet-period in the spring of 1932.Again the Bureau has been supported by a great many colleagues and institutions.As heretofore the leading principle in our work has been as far as possible to procure provisional data for the continuous observation of new objects. Following this line the telegraphic service has been used when necessary to secure new discoveries, while in all cases possible the circulars have been depended on. Thus, as before, in dubious cases we have to begin with sending a telegram to a few correspondents only, asking for control. In cases of rediscovery of periodic comets and in other cases, when there was no risk of losing the object, we have distributed the announcement through the circulars.</jats:p

6. Commission des Télégrammes Astronomiques

From June 4,1932 (date of the last report) up to the present date the Bureau has distributed 452 telegrams and published 153 circulars (Nos. 382-534).Again the Bureau has been supported by a great many colleagues and institutions.As heretofore, the leading principle in our work has been as far as possible to procure provisional data for the continuous observation of new objects. Following this line the telegraphic service has been used when necessary to safeguard new discoveries, while in all cases possible the circulars have been depended on. Thus, as before, in dubious cases we have, to begin with, sent a telegram to a few correspondents only, asking for control. In cases of rediscovery of periodic comets and in other cases, when there was no risk of losing the object, we have distributed the announcement through the circulars.</jats:p

3. Commission des Notations, des Unités et de L’économie Des Publications

At the Paris meeting in 1935 the following resolutions of Commission 3 were adopted by the Union:1.Que la liste préliminaire de notations préparée par le Président de la Commission soit, après certaines modifications, imprimée dans les Transactions de l’Union à titre de liste recommandée provisoirement, et que les astronomes intéressés à la question soient invités a adresser au Président de la Commission les changements qu’ils y suggéreraient.2.Que l’Union donne son approbation à la publication d’un complément mentionnant les changements et additions à la liste des Observatoires et des Astronomes publiée en 1931, sous les auspices de l’Union, par l’Observatoire Royal d’Uccle.3.Que l’Union consacre, si possible, une somme n’excédant pas cinq cents francs or, à aider la publication de ce complément.The provisional list of notations was printed, as an appendix to the report of Commission 3, Trans. I.A.U. 5, 18, 1935. A number of astronomers communicated to the President of the Commission suggestions of changes. On the basis of these suggestions a corrected list of notations was prepared.Reprints of this list were circulated to the various observatories and suggestions of changes invited. In response to this a number of suggestions were received.</jats:p

35. Commission de la Constitution des étoiles

The Commission has found no opportunity for acting collectively during the last three years. The study of the constitution of the stars has been advanced by individual contributions, which it would be impracticable and undesirable to guide officially.Whilst much useful work has been done, it would be difficult to point to any outstanding development in the study of the interior of the stars during this period. But there is a prospect of great advances in the near future. From 1932 onwards experimental physicists in all countries have been largely occupied with the phenomena of transmutation of the elements, and it is clearly possible to determine in the laboratory most of the quantitative data as to the rate of the subatomic processes (especially those due to the encounters of protons and electrons with nuclei) and the consequent liberation of energy, for which astronomers have long been waiting.</jats:p

3. Commission des Notations, des Unités et de l’économie des Publications

At the Cambridge meeting in 1932 the following resolutions of Commission 3 were adopted by the Union:1.Que l’équinoxe de 1900.0 soit adopté pour tous catalogues qui ne sont pas catalogues de précision et que quand on désirera plus tard de changer l’équinoxe celui de 2000.0 soit adopté.2.Que les abréviations (à 4 lettres) des noms des astérismes qui se trouvent dans le Catalogue of Bright Stars (Schlesinger) soient approuvées à l’exception de cinq astérismes qui seront représentés par Arie, Cane, Dlph, Tria, Tr Au (v. Trans. LA.U. 4, 221, 1932).3.Que la Commission favorise l’établissement d’une notation uniforme dans l’astronomie, à moins qu’il n’y ait pas de conflit avec de notations semblables dans les sciences alliées.With the publication of the volume Délimitation Scientifique des Constellations and the Atlas Céleste, and the adoption of standard sets of three-letter abbreviations (Rome 1922) and four-letter abbreviations (Cambridge 1932) for the constellations, important work was brought to a close. The main task now before Commission 3 appears to be the working out and publication of a set of notations covering the whole field of astronomy.</jats:p

3. Commission des Notations, des Unités et de L’Économie des Publications

At the meeting held at Leiden on July 13, 1928, the Union approved the recommendation of Commission 3 to adopt new boundaries for the constellations north of 12°·5 south declination, these boundaries being, in each case, hour circles or parallels of declination. The Union also approved of a grant to cover the cost of publishing an atlas showing these new boundaries. The boundaries were defined by Mr Delporte of the Uccle Observatory from whom this proposal originally came. Mr Delporte’s boundaries were carefully examined at Yale Observatory in order to make sure that no variable stars would have their designations changed, and that a minimum of stars having Baeyer or Flamsteed designations would be moved to other constellations. After making a few minor alterations on these accounts, Mr Delporte sent his manuscript to the General Secretary, under whose supervision the Cambridge University Press published, in 1930, a volume entitled, Délimitation Scientifique des Constellations. At the suggestion of the present writer this volume extends not merely to 12°·5 south declination, but from pole to pole. Gould had, for the most part, defined the southern constellations by hour circles and parallels; in the few cases where this had not been done, Mr Delporte revised the boundaries accordingly.</jats:p

35. Commission de la Constitution des Étoiles

The Commission has found no opportunity of acting collectively in the last triennial period. Progress in the theoretical study of the constitution of the stars must be mainly a matter of individual effort; and it would be impracticable and undesirable to seek uniformity of views and methods.A brief reference may here be made to some of the problems now especially engaging attention. In this connection I would call attention to a valuable Report on “Die Theorie des Sterninnern und die Entwicklung der Sterne” (Ergebnisse der exakten Naturwissenschaften, Bd. XVI, 1937) by a member of the Commission, B. Strömgren, which deals especially with progress in the last ten years, and shows very clearly the present state of the subject.</jats:p

7. Commission de l’Astronomie Dynamique et des Tables Astronomiques

There do not appear to be at the present moment any problems in dynamical astronomy of which the solutions call for combined action and international organisation rather than private efforts of mathematicians. The only possible contents of a report of the commission under these circumstances would be a historical survey of the work done in the subject since the last meeting. I do not think that a review of this nature is the proper function of such a report. My conviction that the subject of dynamical astronomy does not at the present moment stand in need of international co-operation, has been strengthened by the fact that a circular letter sent to all members of the commission has elicited only two replies, one of which expressed doubt regarding the usefulness of international co-ordination of the subject, whilst the other intimated that the writer had no remarks to offer.</jats:p

17. Commission de Nomenclature Lunaire

At the meeting of the Commission in 1932 under the Presidency of Prof. E. W. Brown, it was resolved that the “Named Lunar Formations” presented in manuscript by Miss Blagg and Dr Müller should be printed and published. It is anticipated that the volume will be distributed before the meeting of the I.A.U. in Paris.The reference maps prepared by Mr Wesley and Miss Blagg were not recommended for immediate publication. It was thought that they might be incorporated with the series of photographic maps in preparation by the Committee of the Carnegie Institution of Washington on Study of the Surface Features of the Moon. After correspondence with Dr Wright, however, it seemed better that the maps accompanying the “Named Lunar Formations” should be published with them. The Commission again expresses its great indebtedness to Miss Blagg and Dr Müller for their arduous and painstaking labour.</jats:p