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A History of AAVSO Meetings

Click here for a page of AAVSO group meeting pictures that span the last eighty years.

97th SpringCambridge, England, April, 2008
Group Photo
96th FallCambridge, MA
Group Photo
96th SpringCalgary, Alberta Canada
Group Photo
95th FallNewton, MA
Group Photo
95th SpringRockford, IL
Group Photo
94th FallNewton, MA
Group Photo
2005 AAVSO Symposium
on Cataclysmic Variables in the 21st Century		Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, MA August 8, 2005
94th Spring Meeting
and 3rd HEA Workshop		Las Cruces, NM March 20-26, 2005
Group Photo
93rd Annual Meeting
and Day to Honor Janet Mattei		Waltham, MA October 29-30, 2004
(no group photo taken)
93rd Spring Meeting
with Astrocon		Berkeley, CA July 20-24, 2004
Group photo 1, Group photo 2
2004 AAVSO Symposium
on Mira Companions and Planets		Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge MA, April 26, 2004. Dedicated to Janet A. Mattei
92nd Annual MeetingAAVSO Headquarters, Cambridge, MA, October 25, 2003 (no group photo taken)
92nd Spring MeetingTucson, AZ, April 23-26, 2003
Group Photo
91st Annual MeetingSomerville, MA, October 24 - 27, 2002
Group Photo
91st Spring Meeting
and 2nd HEA Workshop		Waikoloa Beach, Hawaii, June 30 - July 6, 2002
Group Photo
90th Annual MeetingSomerville, MA, November 1-4, 2001
Group Photo
90th Spring MeetingMadison, WI, May 3-6, 2001
Group Photo
89th Annual Meeting Waltham, MA, October 25-28, 2000
Group Photo
89th Spring meeting
and 1st HEA Workshop		Huntsville, AL, in April, 2000
Group Photo
88th Annual MeetingHyannis, MA, in October, 1999
Group Photo
88th Spring MeetingUniversity of Toronto, Canada, July 4-7, 1999
Group Photo
87th Annual MeetingCambridge, MA, in October, 1998
Group Photo
87th Spring MeetingBoulder, Colorado, June 18-21, 1998
Group Photo
86th Annual MeetingChicopee and South Hadley, MA, Oct.23-25, 1997
Group Photo
86th Spring MeetingSion and St. Luc, Switzerland, May 26-31, 1997
Group Photo
85th Annual MeetingCambridge, MA, Nov. 1-3, 1996
Group Photo
85th Spring MeetingAtlanta, GA, April 12-13, 1996
84th Annual MeetingCambridge, MA, Oct. 26-29, 1995
Group Photo
84th Spring MeetingStamford, CT, May 12-14, 1995
83rd Annual MeetingCambridge, MA, Oct. 14-16, 1994
Group Photo
83rd Spring MeetingHouston, TX, May 20-22, 1994

Prior to 1994

The following text is taken from the AAVSO publication entitled, "The Story of the AAVSO and AAVSO Observers and Observations". Information on purchasing this publication for $3.00 may be found on our publications order form page

Annual Meetings

The Annual Meeting for the election of Councillors and Officers is held in Massachusetts. The date and place of the Meeting is set by the Council, usually around October 12.

Formal Organization Meeting of The American Association of Variable Star Observers, Cambridge, Massachusettes, November 10, 1917.

Some of the most pleasant memories come from our Meetings as this is where members get to know each other. AAVSO Meetings have been memorable occasions but as time passes one is apt to forget "when" and "where." With the help of Clint Ford, who literally dug through the old records, it is possible to set down the dates and places of both the Annual and Spring Meetings.

The dates of the Annual Meetings given are the dates on which the business meetings were held for the election of members to the Council. Immediately following the Business Meeting the new Council meets to elect officers for the coming year. Annual Meetings are as follows (meetings from 1915 through 1953 were held at Harvard College Observatory):

 
  • 7 Oct. 1954 Business meeting only at AAVSO Headquarters, Cambridge, MA
  • 9 Oct. 1954 General meeting for papers held at Brown University, Providence, RI
  • 22 Oct. 1955 Springfield, MA, Museum of Natural History Group Photo
  • 20 Oct. 1956 Springfield, MA, Museum of Natural History Group Photo
  • 5 Oct. 1957 Amherst College, Amherst, MA Group Photo
  • 11 Oct. 1958 Springfield, MA, Museum of Natural History
  • 3 Oct. 1959 The Edgehill Inn, Nahant, MA Group Photo
  • 15 Oct. 1960 Springfield, MA, Museum of Natural History Group Photo
  • 13 Oct. 1961 50th Anniversary Meeting, Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, MA Group Photo
  • 13 Oct. 1962 Springfield, MA, Museum of Natural History
  • 12 Oct. 1963 Aldrich Observatory, Worcester, MA Group Photo
  • 10 Oct. 1964 Nautilus Motor Inn, Woods Hole, MA
  • 9 Oct. 1965 Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, MA
  • 15 Oct. 1966 Maria Mitchell Observatory, Nantucket, MA
  • 21 Oct. 1967 Springfield, MA, Museum of Natural History
  • 19 Oct. 1968 Education Cooperative Astronomy Center, Natick, MA
  • 11 Oct. 1969 Maria Mitchell Observatory, Nantucket, MA
  • 17 Oct. 1970 Nautilus Motor Inn, Woods Hole, MA
  • 16 Oct. 1971 Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, MA
  • 21 Oct. 1972 Maria Mitchell Observatory, Nantucket, MA
  • 20 Oct. 1973 Blantyre Castle, Lenox, MA
  • 19 Oct. 1974 Williams College, Williamstown, MA
  • 18 Oct. 1975 Concord Academy, Concord, MA
  • 16 Oct. 1976 Smith College, Northampton, MA
  • 17 Oct. 1977 Maria Mitchell Observatory, Nantucket, MA
  • 28 Oct. 1978 Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA Group Photo
  • 27 Oct. 1979 Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA Group Photo
  • 1 Nov.1980 The Espousal Conference Center, Waltham, MA Group Photo
  • 24 Oct. 1981 The Espousal Conference Center, Waltham, MA
  • 30 Oct. 1982 Center for Space Research at M.I.T., Cambridge, MA Group Photo
  • 22 Oct. 1983 Maria Mitchell Observatory, Nantucket, MA Group Photo
  • 27 Oct. 1984 Hawthorne Inn, Salem, MA Group Photo
  • 2 Nov.1985 Mt. Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA Group Photo
  • 9 Aug.1986 75th Anniversary Meeting, New AAVSO Headquarters,Cambridge, MA Group Photo
  • Harvard College Observatory, and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
  • 23 Oct. 1987 AAVSO Headquarters and Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, MA
  • 21 Oct. 1988 AAVSO Headquarters and Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, MA
  • 27 Oct. 1989 AAVSO Headquarters and Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, MA
  • 24 Jul. 1990 First European Meeting of the AAVSO, Brussels, Belgium
  • 10 Nov.1990 Annual Membership Meeting, AAVSO Headquarters, Cambridge, MA
  • 25 Oct. 1991 AAVSO Headquarters and Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, MA Group Photo
  • 23 Oct. 1992 AAVSO Headquarters, Harvard College Observatory, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA Group Photo
  • 30 Oct. 1993 AAVSO Headquarters and Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, MA Group Photo

Spring Meetings

Meeting at Olcott's house
Members of the American Association of Variable Star Observers and Guests at the meeting held at the residence of Mr. William Tyler Olcott, at Norwich, Conn., on June 3, 1922.
Left to Right: Leon Campbell, Mrs. J.E.G. Yalden, W.T. Olcott, Miss Caroline E. Furness, Geo. C. Waldo, Dr. and Mrs. Chas. C. Godfrey, J.E.G. Yalden, Mrs. Geo. C. Waldo, Mrs. D.P. Pickering, Miss Helen M. Swartz, D. P. Pickering, E. Macaughey, Mrs. W.T. Olcott.
Regular AAVSO Spring Meetings began in 1916. They were held at David Pickering's home in East Orange, New Jersey, until 1920, when the Spring Meeting was held in the Uptown Club in New York City. This was the beginning of the roving Spring Meeting, which is held about Memorial Day each year, around the U.S.A. and also, on a few occasions, in Canada or elsewhere. Spring Meetings are as follows:
  • 8 Apr. 1914 Restaurant on 42nd St., New York City (East of 5th near Madison Ave.)
  • 30 Mar. 1915 Hotel Lorraine, Fifth Avenue, New York City
  • 6 May 1916 Residence of D. B. Pickering, East Orange, NJ
  • 5 May 1917 " " " " " Group Photo
  • 4 May 1918 " " " " "
  • 3 May 1919 " " " " "
  • 8 May 1920 Uptown Club, New York City
  • 28 May 1921 Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY Group Photo
  • 3 Jun. 1922 Residence, W. T. Olcott, Norwich, CT Group Photo
  • 26 May 1923 Residence, C. W. Elmer, Southold, L.I., NY
  • 31 May 1924 Mt. Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA
  • 23 May 1925 Residence, J. E. G. Yalden, Leonia, NJ
  • 29 May 1926 Smith College, Northampton, MA
  • 21 May 1927 Yale University, New Haven, CT Group Photo
  • 2 Jun. 1928 Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
  • 17 May 1929 Science Service, Washington, DC
  • 14 Jun. 1930 Maria Mitchell Observatory, Nantucket, MA Group Photo
  • 16 May 1931 American Museum of Natural History, New York City
  • 7 May 1932 Hood College, Frederick, MD Group Photo
  • 20 May 1933 Connecticut College for Women, New London, CT
  • 26 May 1934 Fels Planetarium, Philadelphia, PA Group Photo
  • 25 May 1935 Mt. Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA
  • 23 May 1936 American Museum of Natural History, New York City
  • 22 May 1937 Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
  • 28 May 1938 Brown University, Providence, RI Group Photo
  • 20 May 1939 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI Group Photo
  • 1 Jun. 1940 University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • 31 May 1941 Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
  • 13 May 1942 Yale University, New Haven, CT
  • 29 May 1943 Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, MA (Council only)
  • 1944 No spring meeting
  • 17 Jun. 1945 Yale University, New Haven, CT
  • 4 May 1946 Smith College, Northampton, MA Group Photo
  • 17 May 1947 Hood College, Frederick, MD Group Photo
  • 22 May 1948 Mt. Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA Group Photo
  • 28 May 1949 Brown University, Providence, RI
  • 6 May 1950 Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA Group Photo
  • 12 May 1951 Georgetown University, Washington, DC Group Photo
  • 24 May 1952 Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY Group Photo
  • 23 May 1953 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI Group Photo
  • 8 May 1954 Columbia University, New York City Group Photo
  • 28 May 1955 Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh, PA Group Photo
  • 19 May 1956 Cornell University, Ithaca, NY Group Photo
  • 1 Jun. 1957 Montreal Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada at Sir George Williams College, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Group Photo
  • 14 Jun. 1958 Maria Mitchell Observatory, Nantucket, MA Group Photo
  • 30 May 1959 Adler Planetarium, Chicago, IL Group Photo
  • 28 May 1960 Hayden Planetarium, American Museum of Natural History, New York City Group Photo
  • 27 May 1961 Ottawa Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada at the Canadian National Research Council Buildings, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Group Photo
  • 19 May 1962 Georgetown University, Washington, DC Group Photo
  • 27 Apr. 1963 Lafayette Hotel, Long Beach, CA Group Photo
  • 18 Apr. 1964 McDonnell Planetarium, St. Louis, MO
  • 22 May 1965 Toronto Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • 28 May 1966 Adler Planetarium, Chicago, IL Group Photo
  • 13 May 1967 Quebec Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
  • 1 Jun. 1968 Schoonover Observatory, Lima, OH
  • 24 May 1969 Star Lane Observatory, Louisville, KY
  • 7 Mar.1970 Elks Club, Perry, FL
  • 1 May 1971 Strassenburgh Planetarium, Rochester, NY
  • 27 May 1972 Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
  • 19 May 1973 University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
  • 29 Jun. 1974 University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
  • 24 May 1975 Fernbank Science Center, Atlanta, GA Group Photo
  • 29 May 1976 McDonnell Planetarium, St. Louis, MO
  • 14 May 1977 Capitol Hilton Hotel, Washington, DC Group Photo
  • 3 Jun. 1978 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI Group Photo
  • 26 May 1979 Altamonte Springs Racquet Club, Orlando, FL Group Photo
  • 3 May 1980 Houston Airport Hilton International, Houston, TX Group Photo
  • 25 Apr. 1981 Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
  • 1 May 1982 Milwaukee Astronomical Society, Milwaukee, WI
  • 21 May 1983 Quebec Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and l'Association des Groupes d'Astronomes Amateurs, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada Group Photo
  • 26 May 1984 Iowa State University and Ames Area Amateur Astronomers, Ames, IA Group Photo
  • 22 Jun. 1985 University of Washington, Seattle, WA Group Photo
  • 1986 No spring meeting
  • 15 May 1987 Hotel Atherton and Marine Memorial Club, San Francisco, CA Group Photo
  • 7 May 1988 Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
  • 6 May 1989 Heritage Inn, Williamsburg, VA Group Photo
  • 1990 1st European Meeting, Brussels, Belgium Group Photo
  • 10 May 1991 Willows Resort Motel, Charlestown, RI
  • 5 Jun. 1992 First joint meeting with the American Astronomical Society, Columbus, OH
  • 4 Jun. 1993 Second joint meeting with the American Astronomical Society, University of California, Berkeley, CA

Vassar Spring Meeting 1921
Spring Meeting at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, May 28, 1921.

Number of Meetings

Anyone addicted to figuring will wonder why the Annual Meeting held 13 October 1961 was called the 50th Annual Meeting, when only 47 had been held. The inconsistency arises from the fact that, at an early date in AAVSO history, it apparently was decided that the meetings would be numbered continuously from 1911. Therefore, the first meeting actually held - 18 November 1916 - was the 5th Annual Meeting.

The Spring Meetings were numbered in the same manner as the Annual Meetings. As we work backward, including the year 1944 when no Spring Meeting was held, the Spring Meeting on 4 May 1918 was the 7th Spring Meeting, yet only four Springs Meetings had been held prior to that date.

The meetings actually held as of 30 October 1993 total 157, as follows: Spring Meetings 78; Annual Meetings 79.

In order to keep the chronology and numbering straight in the Meeting Register Book, we must accept the numbering of previous years; therefore, the 75th Annual Meeting is number 143.

 
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