Harvard Observatory

Harvard Observatory 

a scientific research institution of Harvard University (USA). Founded in 1839, it includes an astronomical observatory located on the university grounds (since 1844) and radio astronomical and meteorite stations at other locations in the USA. Since 1955 it has been affiliated with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Mass. The Harvard Observatory’s major instruments include a 1.5-m reflector, 60-cm and 80-cm Schmidt telescopes, and an 18-m radio telescope. Its research is concentrated on the study of variable stars; the photometric and spectrophotometric study of stars, nebulas, and galaxies; radio astronomical investigations; the study of the problem of the internal structure of stars; and cosmology. A unique library of over 500,000 glass-plate negatives has been collected by the observatory. The first detailed spectral classification of stars (the so-called Harvard classification of star spectra) was worked out at the Harvard Observatory. In addition, the “period-luminosity relationship” of cepheids was discovered there. Vast catalogs of stellar magnitudes, stellar spectra, and galactic clusters have been compiled.

REFERENCES

Gerasimovich, B. P. “Observatoriia Garvardskogo kolledzha.” In Russkii astronomicheskii kalendar’ (yearbook). Nizhny Novgorod, 1930.
Eremeeva, A. I. Vydaiushchiesia astronomy mira. Moscow, 1966.
Bailey, S. L. History and Work of Harvard Observatory 1839-1927. New York-London, 1931. (Harvard Observatory monographs, no. 4.)

A. I. EREMEEVA