Identity area
Reference code
AU ANUA 117
Title
Date(s)
- 1925 - 1956 (Creation)
Level of description
Series
Extent and medium
1.0 m (5 type 1 boxes)
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Sir Richard van der Riet Woolley was born at Weymouth, Dorset, England on 24 April 1906. He was educated at the Universities of Cape Town (MSc) and Cambridge (BA 1928, PhD 1931, ScD 1951). He held a Commonwealth Fund Fellowship, Mt Wilson Observatory, California 1929-1931; Isaac Newton Student, Cambridge 1931-1933; and appointed to Chief Assistant, Royal Observatory, Greenwich 1933-1937; John Couch Adams Astronomer, University of Cambridge 1937-1939. Woolley was Director, Commonwealth Solar Observatory at Mount Stromlo (later renamed Mount Stromlo Observatory) from December 1939 to December 1955, and appointed Professor of Astronomy, Australian National University from 5 July 1950 to 31 December 1955. In 1957 the Commonwealth Observatory was renamed the Mount Stromlo Observatory and joined the ANU as a department within the Research School of Physical Sciences. From 1 January 1957, Woolley was appointed Honorary Professor. His fellowships and awards included President, Royal Astronomical Society 1963-1965; President, ANZAAS 1955; Fellow, Royal Society 1953; and Foundation Fellow, Australian Academy of Science 1954. Woolley was appointed as Astronomer Royal, United Kingdom 1956-1971 and Director of the South African Astronomical Observatory 1972-1976. He died on 24 December 1986.
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Commonwealth Solar Observatory was established in January 1924, one of its purposes being the study of solar phenomena. By 1950 the Observatory's name had changed, becoming the Commonwealth Observatory. In 1957 the observatory located at Mount Stromlo became part of the Australian National University as the Department of Astronomy in the Research School of Physical Sciences.
Repository
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The correspondence files are organised into an alphanumeric subject system and cover addresses and visits by the Commonwealth Astronomer, visits to the Observatory, meetings of the Board of Visitors (Advisory Board) and annual reports. There are some staff files and photographs of observations, eg comets, on some files.
Accruals
System of arrangement
Alphanumeric
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Researchers must sign an access agreement
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Dates of creation revision deletion
Prepared by Maggie Shapley on 5 October 2007