Abstract
PROF. ERIC DOOLITTLE, director of the Flower Observatory at the University of Pennsylvania, died on September 21 at the early age of fifty years. His father, C. L. Doolittle, was professor of mathematics and astronomy at Lehigh University, and the author of a well-known treatise on practical astronomy. In 1896 the father was appointed professor of astronomy at Pennsylvania University, and the son was placed in charge of the 18-in. refractor in the Flower Observatory, which was established that year in connection with the university. The latter remained there for the rest of his life, at first in the capacity of observer and instructor, and later as professor. The refractor had been specially designed for work on double stars, and the young astronomer adopted this line of study with great energy and enthusiasm. His published work embraces some 4600 pairs, and further observations are ready for issue. In 1913 Prof. S. W. Burnham, finding himself unable to continue the work of observing double stars and discussing their orbits, paid Prof. E. Doolittle the compliment of handing· over his books and manuscripts to him. The latter proved himself worthy of the trust, continuing the classification and discussion of the observations of an immense number of pairs. This work is already available in card-catalogue form, and will be published later.
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Prof. Eric Doolittle. Nature 106, 445–446 (1920). https://doi.org/10.1038/106445a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/106445a0