Dr. Mattei in Japan (abstract)

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Seiichi Sakuma

Variable Star Observers League of Japan 2-21-9, Kami-Aso, Asao-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa-Ken, 215-0021, Japan

Abstract of a talk given at a memorial symposium in honor of Dr. Janet A. Mattei, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, October 29, 2004; received January 10, 2005; accepted January 10, 2005

Mattei-san was in Japan at the time of the International Astronomical Union General Assembly which was held in 1997 at Kyoto. It was her first and last visit to Japan. The Variable Star Observers League in Japan (VSOLJ) had its general assembly at the same time of the IAU General Assembly near Kyoto. We invited Mattei-san, Professor John R. Percy, and Professor Brian Warner to speak at our meeting. Mattei-san's presentation was "The Impact of Ground Based Monitoring of Variable Star ObserversÓ (including general activities of the AAVSO, and the contributions of Japanese observers to the AAVSO). Her presentation made a deep impression on us. I suppose she enjoyed the next day's excursion to visit our national treasure, Hikone Castle. On her way home, she had one half a day of free time in Tokyo. I and my wife accompanied her on a sight-seeing tour which included the Imperial Palace Garden, Asakusa Temple, and so on.

We, the variable star observers of Japan, will never forget Mattei-san. Janet Mattei with Dr. H. Sato (National Astronomical Observatory, left), Dr. Seiichi Sakuma (Variable Star Observers League of Japan), and his wife Nobuko Sakuma. Tokyo, September 3, 1997.