Affiliation
British Astronomical Association, Variable Star Section (BAA-VSS)
Wed, 01/07/2015 - 15:59
I wonder if someone might shed some light on the discovery of Z And for me please.
In his classic book 'Symbiotic Stars', S. J Kenyon credits the discovery to Ernst Hartwig in 1901 and Pickering in that same year. Other sources I've seen credit Williamena Fleming in 1901. Is it the case that Fleming identified the new star from Harvard spectrum plates, yet the discovery officially goes to Pickering? Does anyone know of Hartwig's work on Z And? I have a reference (Astro Nachr No. 3744), but my German is worse than my English!
Many thanks,
Gary [PYG]
Hi Gary,
Pickering's paper explicitly lists Fleming as the discoverer, so it was almost certainly her rather than Pickering:
http://cdsads.u-strasbg.fr//full/1901ApJ....13..226P/0000228.000.html
I can't help with the Hartwig paper, unless you tell from the publication dates who announced it first.
Matt
Just the job Matt. Many thanks!
Maybe someone will be able to shed some light on Hartwig's role in the discovery.
Cheers,
Gary
[quote=PYG]
Does anyone know of Hartwig's work on Z And? I have a reference (Astro Nachr No. 3744), but my German is worse than my English!
[/quote]
Hartwig observed Z And in 2. August 1901 and got it's brightness 9.0. He is referring the list published in April 1901 by Pickering. In that list, the discoverer of Z And is said to be Fleming.
Best wishes,
Tõnis
Thank you very much Tonis. I think this matter is now settled!
Gary