Archives Online at Indiana University

• Home

• Browse

• Search

• Advanced Search

• Help

A Guide to his Papers at the Indiana University Archives

Electronic finding aid encoded by Magia Ghetu

Summary Information

Repository
Indiana University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Website: http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives

Creator
Atkinson, Robert d'Escourt, 1898-1982.

Collection No.
C74

Extent
7.4 cu. ft.

Language
Materials are in English

Abstract
Robert d'Escourt Atkinson, astronomer, physicist, and inventor, was known around the world for his work in general physics, atomic synthesis and stellar energy, precision astrometry and fundamental astronomy, instrumentation, and relativity. Consists of personal papers, research notes, published papers, and class and lecture notes of Robert d'E. Atkinson in seven series: Pre-IU, 1918-1978, containing papers and correspondence from his college days, World War II, and from his time at the Royal Observatory in England. A great deal of the Royal Observatory records are about the Observatory's move to Hurstmonceux, which Atkinson oversaw. Conferences and Meetings, 1958-1987, containing pamphlets and notes on conferences he attended; Correspondence, 1926-1981, containing personal correspondence with friends and colleagues. Prominently feature are famed astronomer and astrophysicist Henry Norris Russell and correspondence about Herman B Wells Nobel Peace Prize nomination. Publications and Papers, 1893-1980, consists both of Atkinson's papers and papers of others he chose to save; Subject files, 1924-1981, consists of notes, correspondence, and publications on relativity, Mirror Transit Circles, astrometry, and miscellaneous files; Indiana University, 1964-1981, made up of notes and correspondence from his time as a visiting professor at IU; Visual Materials, 1948-1979 containing photographs, glass and plastic slides, charts, microfiche, and a short home film.

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Advance notice required.

Biographical Note

Robert d'Escourt Atkinson, astronomer, physicist, and inventor, was known around the world for his work in general physics, atomic synthesis and stellar energy, precision astrometry and fundamental astronomy, instrumentation, and relativity.

Atkinson was born in Wales on April 11, 1898. He graduated from Hertford College in 1922 with 1st class honors in Physics. He remained at Hertford to earn his M.A. and to work as a research fellow in the Clarendon Laboratory. Atkinson earned his Ph.D. in Physics with minors in Mathematics and Astronomy in 1928 after studying at the University of Gottingen in Germany as a Rockefeller Traveling Fellow. After teaching physics at the Berlin Technische Hochscule for a year, he was appointed Assistant Professor of Physics at Rutgers University. He remained there until returning to England in 1937 as Chief Assistant at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. He was called away from this position to do "degaussing" - anti-magnetic mine work - during WWII. In 1944, Atkinson was lent out to the Ballistic Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., where he worked under famed astronomer Edwin Hubble. He stayed there for two years and then returned to Greenwich, where a large amount of his remaining years at the Royal Observatory were spent overseeing the move of the entire Observatory to Herstmonceux Castle in Sussex. He retired from the Observatory in 1964 and came to Indiana University as a visiting professor. In 1973 he became an adjunct professor and professor emeritus in 1979.

Atkinson originated many now well-known ideas in astronomy. He was the first to develop a quantitative formula for the rate of nuclear reactions in stars; he originated a new and very precise method for obtaining the moon's place with reference to the sun's. Also an inventor, he was the originator of the "Mirror Transit Circle," and designer of an axis and mirror-mounting for it. He was also the designer and maker of the Astronomical Clock for the York Minister Cathedral. These name but a few of his inventions. One of his inventions can be found on the Indiana University campus. At the south entrance of Assembly Hall stands a sundial he was commissioned to create by the Indiana University Foundation. This sundial is unique in that it allows observers to 'correct' the sun's unpunctuality by rotating the sundial around its tilted axis as needed.

Throughout his life, Atkinson received many honors for his work. He received the Eddington Medal from the Royal Astronomical Society in 1960 for his 1931 joint paper on atomic synthesis and stellar energy, now known as pioneering work in this field. In 1977, a minor planet was named for him ("Asteroid Atkinson", "1827 Atkinson", or "Minor Planet Atkinson") by the International Astronomical Union. The University of Goettingen bestowed a rare honor upon Atkinson in 1978 - a formal diploma that officially "renewed" his doctorate, 50 years after receiving his first. It was given in recognition of his work on atomic synthesis in stellar interiors.

Also involved in professional associations, Atkinson was a founder-member of the Royal Institute of Navigation and served as president of the British Astronomical Association for one year.

Atkinson passed away in Bloomington on October 28, 1982.

Arrangement

Organized in seven series: Pre-IU, Conferences and Meetings, Correspondence, Publications and Papers, Subject Files, Indiana University, and Visual Materials.

Scope and Content Note

The Robert d'Escourt Atkinson papers are comprised of 7.4 cubic feet and are divided into seven series: Pre-IU, Conferences and Meetings, Correspondence, Publications and Papers, Subject Files, Indiana University, and Visual Materials.

The Pre-IU series, 1918-1978, is arranged chronologically and is further divided into five subseries. The Education subseries, 1918-1935, contains files from Atkinson's time as a student at both Hertford and Gottingen. The second subseries, Teaching, is made up of files from the early classes he taught. World War II consists of files from his time spent "degaussing" and at Aberdeen Proving Ground. The Royal Observatory subseries is made up of files from Atkinson's remaining years at the Royal Observatory. Information on the Observatory's move to Herstmonceux Castle can be found here. Finally, the Personal subseries consists of Atkinson's resume, information on househunting, and on Hertford College.

The second series, Conferences and Meetings, 1958-1987, arranged chronologically, contains Atkinson's pamphlets and notes on conferences he attended. The series is further divided into three subseries. The American Astronomical Society subseries holds information on the meetings Atkinson attended from 1965- 1969. The second subseries, International Astronomical Union, is made up of Atkinson's notes and pamphlets from the IAU's conferences from 1964-1981. The Miscellaneous subseries contains a variety of information on conferences and symposiums attended by Atkinson. Examples include the "Conference on Observational Aspects of Cosmology" in Miami and the "2nd Texas Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics."

The Correspondence series, 1926-1981, contains a variety of Atkinson's correspondence. Some of the files contain correspondence with a particular individual, while others are from many people on a specific topic. Prominently featured are correspondence on the nomination of Pres. Herman B Wells for the Nobel Peace Prize and twenty years of correspondence with Henry Norris Russel. This series is arranged chronologically.

The Publications and Papers series, 1893-1980, consists of papers of Atkinson's and papers and clippings that Atkinson chose to keep for himself. This series is further divided into three subseries. The first, Papers by Atkinson, is made up of his own work from 1922-1980. Drafts, typescripts, and published works can be found here. Examples include, "Design and Tests of a Mirror Transit Circle Axis" and "An Introduction to the Eclipse Moon." Papers by Others contains the work of other writers that Atkinson retained. Prominent authors are G. Gamow, G. Temple, and T.Y. Thomas. Finally, the News Clippings subseries is made up of newspaper articles Atkinson clipped and saved. Included is a letter to the editor of the Indiana Daily Student that Atkinson wrote himself. The publications and papers are arranged alphabetically while the clippings are arranged chronologically.

The Subject Files, 1924-1981, consists of notes, correspondence, and publications. It is divided into four subseries: Relativity, Mirror Transit Circles, Astrometry, and Miscellaneous files. All contain notes, correspondence, and papers on the topic of the subseries heading. The Miscellaneous files contains a variety of items saved by Atkinson, including style manuals, copies of speeches, and information on organizations. The Relativity and Astrometry subseries retain Atkinson's original arrangement, while the other subseries are arranged chronologically.

The Indiana University series, 1964-1981, contains materials from Atkinson's time at Indiana University. It is broken into four subseries: I.U. Sundial, General, Students, and Teaching. The I.U. Sundial subseries contains notes and correspondence on the sundial Atkinson designed for Indiana University. Faculty meeting minutes, statements from the Wrubel Computing Center, and other miscellaneous administrative materials can be found in the General subseries. The Students subseries contains correspondence with students. Atkinson's Teaching files contains lecture notes, quizzes, and exams for the classes he taught while at IU. Prominently featured are notes for his A575 "Stellar Motions" and A790 "Relativity" courses.

In the Visual Materials series, 1948-1979, photographs, glass and plastic slides, charts, microfiche, and a short home film can be found.

• Indexing Terms

• The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in IUCAT, the IU Libraries' online catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by searching the catalog using these terms.

• • Names
  • Indiana University. Dept. of Astronomy --History --20th century --Sources.
  • Indiana University, Bloomington. Dept. of Astronomy --History --20th century --Sources.
  • Royal Greenwich Observatory --History --20th century --Sources.
  • Indiana University. Dept. of Astronomy.
  • Indiana University, Bloomington. Dept. of Astronomy.
  • Royal Greenwich Observatory.
  • Atkinson, Robert d'Escourt, 1898-1982 --Correspondence.
  • Atkinson, Robert d'Escourt, 1898-1982 --Archives.
  • Russell, Henry Norris, 1877-1957 --Correspondence.
  • Wells, Herman B --Correspondence.
  • Wells, Herman B. Correspondence. Selections.
  • Russell, Henry Norris, 1877-1957. Correspondence. Selections.
• • Topics
  • Astronomy teachers --Indiana --Blooomington --Archives.
  • Astronomy teachers --Indiana --Blooomington --Correspondence.
  • Astronomy teachers --Indiana --Bloomington --Biography.
  • Astrophysicists --Indiana --Bloomington --Biography.
  • Astrophysicists --Indiana --Bloomington --Archives.
  • Astrophysicists --Indiana --Bloomington --Correspondence.
  • Stars --Masses --Research.
  • Astrometry --Research.
  • Astrophysics --Study and teaching (Higher) --Indiana --Bloomington.

Separated Material

Photographs transferred to Archives Photo Collection: 1. I. A. U. Symposium, group photo, Heidelberg, 1970 (filed under "Astrometry"); 2. Atkinson and Herman B Wells at IU Sundial, no date, (filed under "Atkinson").

Oversized objects removed for flat storage.

Administrative Information