Jones sent an invitation to Hagihara Yusuke (Director of the Tokyo Astronomical
Observatory), but he was unable to attend the meeting the time.
In February 1949, Strömgren, with the consent of the executive committee,
suggested to Hagihara that he might take the first step toward the readmission of
Japan. Indeed, by the time of the GA of 1952 in Rome, membership had been
reestablished. Subsequently, Hagihara served twice as vice-president (1961–1964,
1964–1967) of the IAU.
3.2 Tokyo Astronomical Observatory and Astronomy
The Tokyo Astronomical Observatory (TAO), currently the National Astronomical
Observatory of Japan) (NAOJ), has been the center of astronomy in Japan since its
foundation.
While its early phase was discussed in Chap. 2, a brief history of the TAO up to
the early Showa era is summarized here (Tokyo University 1987).
The TAO was established in 1888 on the campus of Tokyo Imperial University in
Hongo (本郷) and moved to Azabu (麻布) in 1893, both in Tokyo. The number of
staff was first limited to 8 and gradually increased up to 12 by 1922. The main
routine activities were time keeping, calendar making, and observations on positional works and solar observations.
In 1924, the TAO moved to Mitaka, west of Tokyo, and the staff increased to
15 members, and new instruments were constructed gradually from two transit
instruments to a 20 cm equatorial refractor, a 20 cm comet seeker, and the Tower
Telescope equipped with a 60 cm coelostat and high-dispersion spectrograph (1928).
A Zeiss 65 cm equatorial refractor (1929) and others were successively constructed,
and astrophysical observations also started along with positional astronomical
observations.
By 1944, the number of staff increased up to 32, and observational activity
expanded, including the position of stars with two transit instruments, photographic
observations of asteroids and comets with an astrograph, solar spectroscopy with
65 cm coelostat, and others. Expeditions of solar eclipse and some theoretical works
were also promoted (Fig. 3.2).
In February 1945, the main building was destroyed by fire, and a large amount of
observed data, measuring machines, and clocks were lost in the fire. Also, in the
same year, a plan was put in place to evacuate works related to calendar making and
time keeping to Nagano Prefecture to avoid air attacks of US armed forces, but the
war ended before the evacuation. Up to this time, the TAO had a classical system,
similar to most European observatories in the nineteenth century. The observatory
adopted an engineer-technician system for carrying out routine activities, nominally
without research staff.
Table 3.2 shows past directors, along with their specific fields. The director was
mostly a positional astronomer, reflecting the primary function of the observatory.
3.2 Tokyo Astronomical Observatory and Astronomy
47
Observatory), but he was unable to attend the meeting the time.
In February 1949, Strömgren, with the consent of the executive committee,
suggested to Hagihara that he might take the first step toward the readmission of
Japan. Indeed, by the time of the GA of 1952 in Rome, membership had been
reestablished. Subsequently, Hagihara served twice as vice-president (1961–1964,
1964–1967) of the IAU.
3.2 Tokyo Astronomical Observatory and Astronomy
The Tokyo Astronomical Observatory (TAO), currently the National Astronomical
Observatory of Japan) (NAOJ), has been the center of astronomy in Japan since its
foundation.
While its early phase was discussed in Chap. 2, a brief history of the TAO up to
the early Showa era is summarized here (Tokyo University 1987).
The TAO was established in 1888 on the campus of Tokyo Imperial University in
Hongo (本郷) and moved to Azabu (麻布) in 1893, both in Tokyo. The number of
staff was first limited to 8 and gradually increased up to 12 by 1922. The main
routine activities were time keeping, calendar making, and observations on positional works and solar observations.
In 1924, the TAO moved to Mitaka, west of Tokyo, and the staff increased to
15 members, and new instruments were constructed gradually from two transit
instruments to a 20 cm equatorial refractor, a 20 cm comet seeker, and the Tower
Telescope equipped with a 60 cm coelostat and high-dispersion spectrograph (1928).
A Zeiss 65 cm equatorial refractor (1929) and others were successively constructed,
and astrophysical observations also started along with positional astronomical
observations.
By 1944, the number of staff increased up to 32, and observational activity
expanded, including the position of stars with two transit instruments, photographic
observations of asteroids and comets with an astrograph, solar spectroscopy with
65 cm coelostat, and others. Expeditions of solar eclipse and some theoretical works
were also promoted (Fig. 3.2).
In February 1945, the main building was destroyed by fire, and a large amount of
observed data, measuring machines, and clocks were lost in the fire. Also, in the
same year, a plan was put in place to evacuate works related to calendar making and
time keeping to Nagano Prefecture to avoid air attacks of US armed forces, but the
war ended before the evacuation. Up to this time, the TAO had a classical system,
similar to most European observatories in the nineteenth century. The observatory
adopted an engineer-technician system for carrying out routine activities, nominally
without research staff.
Table 3.2 shows past directors, along with their specific fields. The director was
mostly a positional astronomer, reflecting the primary function of the observatory.
3.2 Tokyo Astronomical Observatory and Astronomy
47