6. Commission des Télégrammes Astronomiques

Extract

From June 8, 1928 (date of the last report) up to the present date the Bureau has distributed 813 telegrams and published 175 circulars (Nos. 207-381). In two periods the number of telegrams and circulars has been particularly great: the Pluto- and comet-period in the spring of 1930 and the asteroid- and comet-period in the spring of 1932.

Again the Bureau has been supported by a great many colleagues and institutions.

As heretofore the leading principle in our work has been as far as possible to procure provisional data for the continuous observation of new objects. Following this line the telegraphic service has been used when necessary to secure new discoveries, while in all cases possible the circulars have been depended on. Thus, as before, in dubious cases we have to begin with sending a telegram to a few correspondents only, asking for control. In cases of rediscovery of periodic comets and in other cases, when there was no risk of losing the object, we have distributed the announcement through the circulars.