Person

Baldwin, Joseph Mason (1878 - 1945)

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    Baldwin, Joseph Mason Portrait
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Born
9 December 1878
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Died
6 July 1945
Southport, Queensland, Australia
Occupation
Astronomer

Summary

Joseph Baldwin was an astronomer who became Chief Assistant at the Melbourne Observatory in 1908, and held the office of Director of the Observatory and Victorian Government Astronomer for 23 years to 1943. During this time the Observatory's main activity was observation of the Melbourne zone for the International Astrographic Catalogue, published in multiple volumes between 1926 and 1963. Baldwin was responsible for setting up the geophysical observatory at Toolangi, recording the exact time for the time-signal service, and magnetic observations. On the closure of the Melbourne observatory in 1944 Baldwin moved to the Mount Stromlo Observatory in the Australian Capital Territory.

Details

Tutor, Trinity College, teacher, Wesley College, lecturer, Ballarat School of Mines, research for Thomas Lyle, University of Melbourne 1904-05.

Chronology

1900
Education - Bachelor of Arts (BA), University of Melbourne
1901
Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Melbourne
1902
Education - Master of Arts (MA), University of Melbourne
1906 - 1908
Award - 1851 Exhibition Science Research Scholarship
1908
Career position - Research assistant, Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope and Potsdam Observatory, Germany
1908 - 1915
Career position - Chief assistant, Melbourne Observatory
1913
Education - Doctor of Science (DSc), University of Melbourne
1914
Award - David Syme Research Prize, University of Melbourne
1915 - 1920
Career position - Acting Director, Melbourne Observatory
1919 -
Career position - Foundation Councillor (Astronomy), Australian National Research Council
1920 - 1943
Career position - Government Astronomer and Director, Melbourne Observatory
1920 - 1945
Career position - Member of Council, Royal Society of Victoria
1922
Career event - Leader, solar eclipse expedition, Goondiwindi, Queensland
1925 - 1926
Career position - President, Royal Society of Victoria
1930
Career position - President, Section A (Astronomy, Mathematics and Physics), Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science
1943 - 1944
Career position - Officer in charge of time service, Commonwealth Solar Observatory, Mount Stromlo
1944
Life event - Retired

Related Corporate Bodies

Archival resources

Private hands (Harley, J.)

  • Joseph Mason Baldwin - Records, 1878 - 1945; Private hands (Harley, J.). Details

Published resources

Book Sections

Journal Articles

  • 'Obituary: Joseph Mason Baldwin', Australian Journal of Science, 8 (2-3) (1945), 72-73. Details
  • Baldwin, J., 'Comet observations made in 1914 and 1915 at the Melbourne Observatory', Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 77 (1917), 474-7. Details
  • Simon, P., 'Joseph Mason Baldwin', Journal of the Astronomical Society of Victoria, 36 (3) (1983), 36-38. Details

Resources

Resource Sections

Theses

  • Stevenson, T., 'Measuring the stars and observing the less visible: Australia's participation in the Astrographic Catalogue and Carte du Ciel', Thesis, University of Sydney, 2015, 381 pp. Details

See also

Digital resources

Title
Baldwin, Joseph Mason Portrait
Type
Image

Details

Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn

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