The Young Huug van Woerden

Transcription

1 Session Huug and the KNVWS The Young Huug van Woerden Jan de Boer Koninklijke Nederlandse Vereniging voor Weer- en Sterrenkunde (KNVWS) for Meteorology and Astronomy

2 KNVWS The Association offers opportunities for amateur astronomers or meteorologists to cooperate and to benefit from talks and advice from professionals Founded 1 September 1901 Aiming at good contacts with professional institutes in our fields and with foreign sister organizations Royal in 2002 (need to be old, active and respectable) My knowledge of Huug's early interaction with the Association is based on historical sources, of the recent period on our cooperation in the board.

3 Pre-member activity 1936 Fascination with astronomy of the 10-year old Huug grew. Experienced a planetarium show in The Hague by Dr Jean Raimond Jr., read James Jeans and Flammarion Astronomy becomes a hobby, uses his first Sterrengids (the Associations yearly star guide by Raimond) Becomes a zealous hunter for Mercurius 1940/41 Turns out to be a born computing talent, writes Raimond about errors in the Sterrengids.

4 Wartime night sky Wartime blackouts stimulated people to observe the night sky and boosted the membership of the Association.

5 Astro-Club Early 1942: father gives him Hemel en Dampkring (HD), journal of the Association. Huug becomes a member right away, age Raimond wrote to Huug "In Wassenaar an enthusiastic high school student, Sidney van den Bergh, is organizing a group of meteor observers. See if you like to join, I do think he is intelligent." 1 May the Astro-Club was founded Sidney (age 13) chair, Lammert Huizing secretary, Huug observing director. Raimond warns: not to come out too openly in the spotlight "because you will come into contact or even in conflict with authorities, who you will prefer not to have anything to do with." November 1943 De Meteoor starts, irregularly, written by the three pioneers with wartime quality stencils.

6 Sharing results The increase of observations by amateurs lead to the 1st meeting of active amateurs in 1943, announced subject to the usual approval of the occupying forces Youngest participant (17), Huug, presented Mercury observations

7 Author at 17 In HD 42, 1944, Huug's 1st publication, about an observation of the "oppositieschijnsel", in good English Gegenschein.

8 Meteor Section 1946 Raimond proposed transforming the Astro-Club to the official Meteor Section of the Association. Huug developed the new structure of the Meteor Section. Huug was the first chairman. Meteor observing manual from Sydney and Huug was published in HD 44, 1946

9 Professional intermezzo After 1961 professional astronomy absorbed Huug for about 30 years. But there was time for joining the editorial committee of HD in 1965.

10 Chairman 1991 became member of the board and chaiman Tremendous energy, gave talks for members and public all over the country Reorganizing Association in 1994 and restructuring finances in The long run-up to the centenary in 2001 He activated so many people that they sighed: the times of Raimond are back. Quote from Huug: Work hard, make friends.

11 Honours in 2002 Honorary member of the Meteor Section of the KNVWS Honorary member and honorary chairman of the KNVWS (giving still valuable advice to us) and why all this fits the title the young Huug : a lifetime membership of our section the "Dutch Youth Association for Astronomy"

12 Sources Meteoor Vol. 20, September 1996 (journal of the Meteor Section of the ), special issue "Werkgroep Meteoren NVWS 50 Years" Zenit Vol. 29, Oktober 2002, p H. van Woerden, "Sterrenkunde: mens zijn onder de hemel" in: " waarvan akte, Groninger geleerden en hun fascinatie voor de wetenschap", ed. Gritter, Uitgeverij Passage, Groningen, 1994, pp J.A. de Boer and A.H. van der Brugge, "Honderd jaar NVWS" in: "Evolutie in Weer- en Sterrenkunde, 100 jaar Nederlands Onderzoek" ed. Drummen, De Jager, Van Woerden, Stichting De Koepel, Utrecht, 2001, pp W. Bleeker, A. Blaauw and J.J. Raimond Jr., "Een halve eeuw Weer- en Sterrenkunde", Wolters, Groningen, 1951 (127 pages). personal notes from Huug's word of thanks in the associations 42nd council meeting 22 June 2002, p

13 Picture Not yet showed a picture of Huug I choose a faint Van Woerden

14 Almost in opposition near α Cet, 17.6 m In 2001 Van Houten-Groeneveld and Van Houten honoured Huug as Dutch astronomer by proposing asteroid to be named van Woerden