Seth C. Chandler

Seth C. Chandler was born in Boston in 1846. After attending high school, Chandler became a personal astronomical assistant to Benjamin A. Gould, Jr. from 1863 to 1869. From 1870 to 1885 he was employed as a life insurance actuary. Also during this time, between 1880 and 1885, he continued his astronomical studies at Harvard College Observatory. Between 1886 and 1904, Chandler conducted private astronomical investigations in Cambridge, MA. During this time, he made one of his most important discoveries. He determined by observations that there was a variation in latitude. The period of the precession of the earth around the axis was found to be 428 days instead of 305 days. Chandler also advanced the knowledge of variable stars and comets. He classified approximately 500 variables in his catalogues. In 1891, he received his LL.D. from DePauw University.

From 1896 to 1912, Dr. Chandler was editor of the Astronomical Journal. Although in the early days of his editorship, he revived the periodical to high standards, towards the end of his tenure his ill health led to the deterioration of the journal. When Lewis Boss took over the editorship in 1912, he was delivered mail by Chandler's estate that had not been opened in 4-5 years. Publication had practically ceased.

Dr. Chandler had remained for all his life a close friend of Lewis Boss and had maintained an ongoing professional relationship with the Dudley Observatory as well. He died on New Year's Eve, 1913.

 

The Papers of Seth C. Chandler, 1883-1910

The Papers of Seth C. Chandler were given by bequest to the Dudley Observatory upon his death. Dr. Chandler had enjoyed a professional and personal relationship with the Observatory for all of his astronomical career. These papers were found among the institutional archives of the Observatory. Researchers should also review the Records of the Dudley Observatory and the Records of the Astronomical Journal for additional materials on Seth C. Chandler.

Size: 1.66 linear feet (4 boxes).

Restrictions: None. Manuscripts cannot be used for publication without regard for common law literary rights, copyright laws, and laws pertaining to libel.

Content Note

The Papers of Seth C. Chandler include correspondence, manuscripts and observational data. The paper are organized chronologically into series identified by form. The papers before processing were in no recognizable order. This arrangement has been initiated at the discretion of the processing archivist. It should be noted that Dr. Chandler completed the publication of Benjamin A. Gould's final work, Resultados del Observatorio Nacional Argentino En Cordoba (15 vols., 1879-1896.). These materials, owing to the authorship of the original work, are included with the Papers of Benjamin A. Gould, Jr.

The Papers of Seth C. Chandler

 Container List

Box #	Folder #	Form	Folder Title
1	1	Correspondence	Letter from Yendell. 1893. Telegrams from Pickering. 1907.
	2	Manuscript	"Observations of Variables in 1883-84."
	3	Manuscript	"Definitive Orbits of the Companions of Comet 1889V."
	4	Manuscript	"Catalogue of Variable Stars." c1889.
	5	Manuscript	"Known Variable Under Observation, 1889."
	6	Manuscript	"Suspected Variables for Immediate Observation." c1889.
	7	Manuscript	"Investigation of the Light Variations of U Cephei." c1889
	8	Manuscript	"Sheet Catalogue of Doubtful Variables." c1889.
	9	Manuscript	"Second Catalogue of Variable Stars, 1893."
	10	Manuscript	"Second Catalogue of Variable Stars, 1893; Supplementary List."
	11	Manuscript	"Supplement to Second Catalogue of Variable Stars, 1894."
	12	Manuscript	"The Psychology of Legerdemain."
	13	Manuscript	"Glimpses at the Future of Astronomy."
2	1	Manuscript	"Uranometry, Systematic Differences." 1904.
	2	Manuscript	"Uranometry." c1904.
	3	Manuscript	"Uranometry. Notes and Corrections to Various Authorities." c1904.
	4	Manuscript	"Northern Uranometry Ledger." c1904.
	5	Manuscript	"Northern Uranometry Record." c1904.
	6	Manuscript	"Northern Uranometry; General Description...." c1904.
	7	Manuscript	"Northern Uranometry; Provisional Catalogue of January 1904. 3466 Stars."
	8	Manuscript	Latitude Studies. c1905.
	9	Manuscript	"Polar Motion; Definitive Research; 1910."
	10	Manuscript	Biographical Essay.
	11	Manuscript	"B.A. Gould, Jr.; Notes for biography."
3	1	Observational Data	1883.
	2	Observational Data	Latitude. 1883.
	3	Observational Data	"Reductions of Observations; Miscellaneous; SCC; 1883."
	4	Observational Data	Observations on Comet Barnard. 1885.
	5	Observational Data	Misc. recorded data. 1885.
4	1	Observational Data	"Unconfirmed Variables and Miscellaneous." c1883-1903. [1]
	2	Observational Data	"Unconfirmed Variables and Miscellaneous." c1883-1903. [2]
	3	Observational Data	"Unconfirmed Variables and Miscellaneous." c1883-1903. [3]
	4	Observational Data	"Unconfirmed Variables and Miscellaneous." c1883-1903. [4]
	5	Observational Data	Observational Records with Notes. c1905-1910.
	6	Observational Data	Observational Records with Notes. c1905-1910.