[BAA Comets] 1949N1 Bappu-Bok-Newkirk

[amar sharma]

Dear comet-eers,

This is such an honor to have the 1000th image of the BAA comet gallery represented by an image connected to this land, an image which celebrates a historical aspect in the topic of old comet discoveries (an Indo-US connection in this context). This comet was accidentally discovered, back in 1949, at Harvard by one student Vainu Bappu who later became the father of modern Indian professional astronomy. Prof Bappu had even served as the President of the IAU before his unexpected early demise at age 55. Thank you Denis for choosing it, and congrats for your milestone!


There are 2 interesting aspects on the topic of C/1949 N1 and I have taken the initiative in both. One is compiling a literary account of its history, and secondly helping Indian professional fraternity to restore the knowledge of the discovery's forgotten photographic plate at Harvard University's humongous Plate Stacks. Please re-visit this small story on the comet, for those who havent:

http://cs.astronomy.com/asy/b/astronomy/archive/2011/09/22/guest-blog-a-historical-comet-discovery.aspx

Prof Liller and Prof Bappu happened to be very close friends since 1949. And Liller had even stayed at Bappu's house here in Bangalore, India and they toured together in 1970s. When I initiated email communication with Prof Liller on the topic of Bappu the first time (unaware of their mutual connection), he got sentimental, and reminisced fresh after 60 years their days together. It was so moving for me to read about the connection between two luminaries half a century ago. Further, I am proud to tell you that Prof Liller thought it worthy to hand over to me a 4-page letter he'd typed back in 1982 during the setback of Bappu's demise; he mailed it to me across the seas from Chile to India! It has a lively narration of moments and the things they did together.

I take the opportunity to thank David Levy, Denis Buczynski, and other comet folks whom I have been in good email communication with, for my quest on comets, history, biographies in general. My upcoming long-term work on a worldwide biography of comet huntes and discoverers of the 20th century has already been introduced before here. Everyone whom I have contacted globally, their support to me has been, in its literal sense, invaluable! And it always pays off to be a comet maniac, especially from a land where there exists no second person who lives and breathes comets!

Thanking You,
Amar A. Sharma
Nikaya Observatory
Bangalore, India

www.picasaweb.google.com/nikayaobservatory


________________________________
 From: denis buczynski <buczynski8166 at btinternet.com>
To: Comet-Images at yahoogroups.com; COML <comets-ml at yahoogroups.com>; BAA Comets discussion list <comets-disc at britastro.org> 
Sent: Tuesday, 27 August 2013 4:17 AM
Subject: [BAA Comets] 1949N1 Bappu-Bok-Newkirk
 

Hello all,
Today I reached a milestone in my stewardship of the British Astronomical Association Comet Gallery.
I placed the number 1000 image on it. Anyone interested in comet images can access this site at the
following link:
http://britastro.org/baa/index.php?view=category&catid=5&option=com_joomgallery&Itemid=200


To mark this event I was lucky to be able to select a comet image, that although being 64 years old
has never been published before. It is the photographic discovery image of C/1949 N1
Bappu-Bok-Newkirk.
Amar Sharma of Nikaya Observatory, Bangalore has been investigating the discovery
circumstances of this comet and the location of the original plate to enter it into his upcoming
Biographies of  Worldwide Comet Discoverers. I was pleased to be able to use this unusual image to
remind today's "digital comet observers" how discovery was undertaken "in the olden days" of
photographic glass plates and hour long observer guided exposures. I hope you enjoy seeing this
unusual and unique image.It is available at the following link:

  http://britastro.org/baa/index.php?view=detail&id=1454&option=com_joomgallery&Itemid=200 


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