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Lyman Spitzer Papers
Notifications
Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Lyman Spitzer was born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1914. Educated at Phillips Academy, Yale University, and Cambridge, he received his Ph.D. from Princeton University in 1938. During World War II he participated in underwater warfare research. In 1947 he was appointed chairman of the Astrophysics Department at Princeton University, beginning a long and fruitful tenure. In 1952 he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. He was primarily responsible for the creation of the Plasma Physics Laboratory at Princeton University.
In his theoretical work, Professor Spitzer focused on the formation of stars from interstellar matter. His work in this area, with its concern with ionized gases, led him into the area of plasma physics. Spitzer was one of the first to point out that a magnetic field might be used to control plasma in a laboratory environment. In the area of observatory astronomy, Spitzer helped push forward the use of telescopes in satellites, and was an early advocate of the Hubble Telescope. He wrote several books, including Physics of Ionized Gases (1962), Dynamical Evolution of Globular Clusters (1987), and Searching Between the Stars (1982), a collection of lectures. He died in 1997.
The collection consists of selected papers of Spitzer. Included are design studies, technical plans and programs, various reports, correspondence, notes, and observations relating to Spitzer's involvement in the development of the study of space astronomy at Princeton. The papers primarily concern space telescopes and the design of the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO-3), the COPERNICUS satellite, which was launched by NASA in 1972. Also present are lectures, articles, and studies concerning interstellar matter, stellar atmospheres, ionized gases (plasma), and underwater sound research, as well as correspondence with fellow scientists, students, the American Astronomical Society, and other scientific societies. Included in additional papers is a letter, dated 1 November 1962, from John A. Wheeler, thanking Spitzer for his work on the first hydrogen bomb ten years earlier.
Gift of the author. Prepared by Matthew Robb '1994. Research files transferred from the Astronomy Department. Files transferred from the Office of the Provost. Files of correspondence transferred from Spitzer's old office.
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
This collection was processed by Matthew Robb, Class of 1994 and Gena Bursan in 1991 and 2000. Finding aid written by Matthew Robb, Class of 1994 and Gena Bursan in 1991 and 2000.
No appraisal information is available.
Organization
- Copernicus (Artificial satellite).
- American astronomical society
- United States
- Princeton University. Plasma Physics Laboratory
Subject
- Artificial satellites
- Astronautics in astronomy
- Astronomical observatories -- New Jersey -- Princeton. -- 20th century
- Astronomical research -- United States. -- 20th century
- Astronomy -- Study and teaching -- New Jersey -- Princeton. -- 20th century
- Interstellar matter
- Orbiting astronomical observatories
- Plasma (Ionized gases)
- Space astronomy
- Stars -- Observations. -- 20th century
- Telescopes
- Underwater acoustics
Occupation
- Publisher
- Manuscripts Division
- Finding Aid Author
- Matthew Robb, Class of 1994; Gena Bursan
- Finding Aid Date
- 2002
- Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research use.
- Use Restrictions
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Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.
Collection Inventory
Consists of materials related to space astronomy, including early analyses, design studies, large space telescopes, Congressional actions, NASA Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) Program, meetings, technical plans, final reports, and correspondence.
This series is arranged twenty-four subseries: Space Astronomy, Early Analyses, Design Studies, Imaging Space Telescope, Large Space Telescope (LST, ST) Groups, Panels, Committees, Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) Site Competition, LST Congressional Action, 1974-1977 and Studies, Groups, 1974-1985, LST Congressional Action, 1974-1977 and Studies, Groups, 1974-1985, Space Telescope -- Princeton Projects, Sounding Rocket Spectrograph, PUO Satellite UV Telescope -- Spectrometer Air Force Program, NASA Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) Program, General OAO Correspondence, Design Study Reports, Thermal Problems, Equipment Specifications and Description, Meetings with Subcontractors, Goddard Space Flight Center, Technical Plans and Progress, System Tests; Sample Reports, Post-launch Operations, Data, Princeton University Observatory Technical Memos: OAO-3, Miscellaenous Post-launch Problems, Guest Investigator Program, Post-launch OAO Correspondence, Finances, Final Reports, Other Space Astronomy, and Space Astronomy, General Correspondence.
Physical Description25 boxes
Consists of early analyses, including plans, projects, correspondence, satellite orbits, thermally compacted tubes, and large orbital telescopes.
Arranged by subject of analyses.
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Consists of design studies related to high resolution satellite, thermal equilibrium, and advanced Princeton satellite.
Arranged by subject of study.
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Consists of materials related to Space Science Board (SSB) Committee on Optical and Radio Astronomy, Woods Hole Space Science Study, ational Academy of Science (NAS)/SSB LST Committee, Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Huntsville, AL: Reflective Measurement Program, Astronomy Missions Board (AMB): Panel on Optical Astronomy, and LST Steering Committee.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of materials related to the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) Site Competition.
Not arranged according to any arrangement scheme.
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Consists of materials related to the LST, Congress, and the LST Science Institute.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of materials related to integrating television, SEC Tube Program, and Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of contracts, reports, proposals, and data related to sounding rocket spectrographs.
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Consists of a study for an Orbiting Astronomical Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Vibration Response of Fused-Silica Egg Crate Mirrors Phase I Report, as well as other reports.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of papers and reports related to the NASA Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) Program.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of general OAO correspondence, including Princeton University Observatory (PUO), Synvania, and PEP, as well as others.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of design study reports for PEP and PUO.
Arranged by genre of material.
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Consists primarily of reports for thermal problems with OAO and PEP.
Not arranged according to any arrangement scheme.
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Consists of equipment specifications for PEP and OAO.
Arranged by specification.
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Consists of materials related to meetings with Sylvania and Perkin Elmer, GAEC, and GSFC.
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Consists of technical plans, progress, tests, and engineering papers.
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Consists of system tests for OAO, PEP, PMT, PT, and FM.
Arranged by subject of test.
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Consists of post-launch operations and data information for PEP and OAO.
Not arranged according to any arrangement scheme.
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Consists of Princeton University Observatory Technical Memos.
Arranged chronologically.
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Consists of information on post-launch problems of OAO and PEP.
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Consists of materials related to the OAO Guest Investigator Program.
Not arranged according to any arrangement scheme.
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Consists of post-launch correspondence and financial information for OAO.
Arranged by genre of material.
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Consists of final reports for Copernicus Flight Evaluation, OAO-3 Final Operating and End of Mission, Rocket Astronomy Program, NAS-5 1810, and OAO Program.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of papers related to AURA: Space Science Subcommittee, Astronomy Survey Committee, Balloon Telescope, and Stratoscope.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of the correspondence for the Space Astronomy Program.
Arranged by genre of material.
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Consists of papers for the American Astronomical Society and other societies, as well as papers on topics such as aerodynamics, planetary atmospheres, interstellar matter, and underwater sound, as well as others.
This series is arranged into fifteen subseries: American Astronomical Society, Other Scientific Societies, Solar -- Origin, Impact Broadening, Non-Coherent Scattering, Aerodynamics, Stellar-Systems -- Dynamics, Stellar Atmospheres, Planetary Atmospheres, Stellar Interiors, Fully Ionized Gases, Interstellar Matter -- Observations, Interstellar Matter -- Processes (Dynamics), Underwater Sound, and Miscellaneous.
Physical Description15 boxes
Consists of papers of the American Astronomical Society, including reports, investments, finances, agendas, publications, and materials related to Project Westford, as well as other materials.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of papers of scientific societies such as the National Academy, International Society of Astronautics, and National Research Council: Advisory Committee on Astronomy, as well as panels and lectures at Princeton, Yale, and Harvard.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of correspondence, lecture notes, abstracts, and drafts related to the origin of the solar system.
Arranged by genre of material.
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Consists primarily of correspondence related to impact broadening.
Arranged by genre of material.
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Consists of correspondence, abstracts, approximations, and discussions related to non-coherent shattering.
Arranged by genre of material.
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Consists of correspondence and papers related to aerodynamics.
Arranged by genre of material.
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Consists of memos, papers, and notes related to dynamics in stellar systems.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of papers, equations, solutions, and data related to stellar atmospheres.
Arranged by genre of material.
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Consists of correspondence, analyses, and reports related to planetary atmospheres.
Arranged by genre of material.
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Consists of incomplete prototypes, articles, bibliographies, and talks related to stellar interiors.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of surveys, analyses, solutions, theorems, and lecture notes related to fully ionized gases.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of observations, analyses, data, computations, and correspondence related to interstellar matter.
Arranged by genre of observation.
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Consists of computations and data related to the dynamics of interstellar matter.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists primarily of papers related to the Undersea Warfare Committee.
Arranged by subject of material.
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Consists of miscellaneous papers and correspondence.
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Consists of the general correspondence of Lyman Spitzer, arranged in alphabetical order.
(alphabetized by addressee)
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Consists of miscellaneous personal papers of Lyman Spitzer.
Not arranged according to any arrangement scheme.
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Consists of additional papers, articles, research agendas, certificates, lectures, correspondence, and proposals.
Arranged by genre of material.
Physical Description30 boxes
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"Requests for Contributions" (1951-1957), i.e., articles that the Princeton Observatory has issued; "Book Lists" (1952-1953): purchases for the library; general library correspondence (1953-1959); "International Exchange Service" (1928-1955); "Distribution of Duplicates – Librar" (1946-1950); "Library – General" (1953-1954)
Physical Description1 box
Files of correspondence, including a letter, dated 1 November 1962, from John A. Wheeler, thanking Spitzer for his work on the first hydrogen bomb ten years earlier. AM 2011-56.
Physical Description1 box