Commission 20. (Minor Planets, Comets and Satellites)

Abstract

I. ‘Joint meeting of Commissions 6 and 20 on Thursday morning, July 11.The cipher code for astronomical telegrams (relating to the description of objects and other matters) proposed by the President of Commission 6 (Prof. Strömgren) was discussed and accepted, with minor alterations. (See report Of meeting of Commission 6, page 289; also the cipher code adopted, page 391.)2. Joint meeting of Commissions 4, 8 and 20 on Thursday afternoon, July 11. (See also reports of meetings of Commissions 4 and 8, pages 281 and 290.)The proposals of Noumerov (Leningrad) and Brouwer for the determination of systematic corrections to star positions from observations of minor planets were discussed, and the following resolution passed for action by the General Assembly. “Commissions 4, 8 and 20 recommend that the programme of M. Noumerov for the determination of systematic corrections to star positions from observations of minor planets and the similar programme advanced by Mr Brouwer be encouraged as being of great importance, but that the formation of a subcommittee of one of the existing commissions or of an independent commission for the co-ordination of the two programmes and the promotion of international co-operation of observatories and planet institutes or almanac offices be deferred pending the outcome of the experimental stages of the two programmes.”