RASNZ, New Zealand Astronomical Society publications

Descriptive Data

Archives IdentifierCM005Date Range1923-1952DescriptionThis is a series of publications created by the New Zealand Astronomical Society.

Prior to the commencement of Southern Stars, the society, then known as the New Zealand Astronomical Society (NZAS), distributed a monthly publication to its membership.

NZAS Astronomical first appeared April 1923 and continued through to March 1927, the editor (likely A C Gifford) going by the pseudonym Alpha Centauri. The articles were also published in the NZ Times. NZAS Astronomical Notes commenced May 1927, the first six issues being edited by A C G Crust. E G Hogg then assumed editorship and the publication continued until being replaced by Southern Stars in 1934. The issues edited by Crust were published in Dunedin’s Evening Star, and Christchurch-based Hogg had his issues published in The Press.

These publications provided details of astronomical phenomena for the month, and recent observations. Reports of the NZAS and other astronomical societies appeared from time-to-time. Other articles of a more general nature included discussions of recent astronomical discoveries.

For about 12 years, from 1924, A C Gifford wrote articles on astronomical topics under his Omega Centauri pseudonym that were published weekly in Wellington’s Evening Post under the title In Starry Skies. These articles (or a selection of them) were compiled into 14 publications (Parts I – XIV) which were issued annually, or thereabouts, with the author being affiliated to the Wellington College Observatory (at which school Gifford was a teacher). These volumes covered topics as varied as: The Solar System, The Scenery of the Heavens, Astronomy for Girl Guides, Some Present Day Problems, and Our Galaxy and Myriads More.

During the time that Gifford was writing In Starry Skies, the NZAS published 21 Bulletins. The first six, by different authors, appeared between during the 1920s. They covered a transit of Mercury, daylight saving, the interior of the Earth, and reports of meteor observations and planning for the total solar eclipse of 1930. Most of the subsequent Bulletins were reproductions of the compiled volumes of Gifford’s In Starry Skies.

The society published an annual observers handbook for the years 1945 – 1952. Each issue listed astronomical phenomena and described the visibility of the planets. Bi-monthly star charts were published in the first five issues. Predictions of lunar occultations and moon rise/set tables appeared regularly. Other content included lists of double stars, circumpolar objects, meteor showers and comets. The details of eclipses were provided when such events were visible from New Zealand. A series illustrating lunar features spanned several issues.

This series includes Annual reports for the society over the period 1925-1929, from 1934 annual reports have been published in Southern Stars.MediumBookletCollection TypeCommunity archives

Document

NZAS, In Starry Skies - Astronomical Notes, 1924-1925

NZAS, In Starry Skies - Monuments for Millionaires, 1929

NZAS, In Starry Skies Part III - V: The Solar System, Great Astronomers of the Past, Origin of the Solar System and The Astronomical Telescope, 1925-1927

NZAS, In Starry Skies Part VI - VII: The Physicist & the Heavens, The Constellations, c.1930s

NZAS, In Starry Skies Part VIII: The Scenery of the Heavens, August 1930

NZAS, In Starry Skies IX: Astronomy for Girl Guides , February 1931

NZAS, In Starry Skies Part X: Some Observatories, September 1931

NZAS, In Starry Skies Part XI: The Heavens throughthe Field Glasses, and the Revelations of Celestial Photography, October 1932

NZAS, In Starry Skies Part XII: Some Present Day Problems, March 1934

NZAS, In Starry Skies Part XIII: The Solar System, October 1935

NZAS, In Starry Skies Part XIV: Our Galaxy and Myriads More, February 1937

NZAS Bulletin No 1: Transit of Mercury 7 May 1924

NZAS Bulletin No 2: Daylight Saving, December 1924

NZAS Bulletin No 3: Do we live in a Spiral Nebula, Is this Universe in a state of Equilibrium?, 1926

NZAS Bulletin No 4: The Interior of the Earth and its Relation to Surface Features, 1927

NZAS Bulletin No 5: Report of Section for the Observation of Meteors 1927-28, 1929

NZAS Bulletin No 6: The Total Solar Eclipse of 21-22 October 1930, 1929

NZAS Bulletins No 8 - 16, 1926-1930

NZAS Bulletins No 17 - 21, 1930-1934

NZAS Astronomical, April 1923

NZAS Astronomical, May 1923

NZAS Astronomical, June 1923

NZAS Astronomical, July 1923

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RASNZ, Publications

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Related Agencies

Controlling or Creating AgencyRoyal Astronomical Society of New Zealand

Related Series

Related SeriesRASNZ, Southern Stars journalSuccessor SeriesRASNZ, Publications

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RASNZ, New Zealand Astronomical Society publications