Sullivan README

Background
Mr. Frank R. Sullivan was night Assistant/engineer employed by Yerkes Observatory 
who regularly assisted with the observational programs.  He made three series 
of observations himself that he recorded in his own logbook.

The Telescopes:
Sullivan’s first series of observations was 51 plates taken 1904 - 1907 with 
a 6-inch telescope mounted upon the 40-inch refractor and exposed when that 
instrument was being used for other observations.  His second series was 23 
plates of planets, mostly Mars, made in 1924 with the 40-inch refractor and 
an enlarging lens. The logbook’s third series are 26 visual observations 
made in 1930 of some of F. Ross’s then newly discovered variable stars.  The 
telescope used is not recorded but was likely the 40-inch  The location of 
Yerkes Observatory is: longitude = 88° 33’ W, latitude = 42° 34’ N.

The Plates
The 51 plates taken in 1904-1907 are denoted the Sullivan S series.  Most measure 
6½ x 8½-inch with a few smaller.  The planet photographs measure 4 x 5-inch and 
contain multiple images.  These were added to, and are filed with, the FP series 
that has plates taken with the 40-inch refractor using an enlarging lens.

The Logbooks
There are two logbooks that cover the Sullivan plates. Sullivan’s logbook that 
gives his records of the plates and his visual observations.  The Barnard logbook 
was prepared in the mid-1930s and is a compilation of the plates taken by E. E. 
Barnard supplemented with a number of other early plate series the Observatory 
then held, including Sullivan’s.  Sullivan’s first series plates are listed 
separately near the end of the Barnard logbook; his planet plates are included 
with the FP listings that originally had photographs from 1905 - 1910 to which 
similar plates, like Sullivan’s, were later added. There are some differences 
between the entries in the two logbooks.  
     
The Searchable files
There are two csv files that can be viewed or downloaded to search for plates of 
interest. The “Sullivan-Full.csv” file lists the plates by plate number.  The 
“Sullivan-By-Dec.csv” file is the Full.csv file sorted by decreasing declination 
for the star fields and then by planet name which allows a quicker way to see if 
the collection contains plates of interest. Any cell in a csv file that is blank 
indicates there is no information available or it has yet to be calculated (for 
example, a time of mid-exposure when the start time and end time are known).

Description of the columns of the csv files
Record number - Record number in the catalog
Plate series - Sullivan S or FP
Plate number - Identifying number of the plate
Date - The date the plate was exposed as recorded.  
Object - The target field or object of the exposure.  
RA - Right ascension of the plate center (for star fields)  
Dec - Declination of the plate center (for star fields)
Length of exposure -  Exposure length (in minutes for star plates, in seconds for 
   planet plates)
Exposure Start - Start time of the exposure (when recorded 
Exposure Mid - Mid-time of the exposure (not yet calculated)
Exposure End - End time of the exposure (when recorded)
Time type -  Type of time used (CST for star plates, sidereal time for planet 
   plates)
Emulsion + Filter - Emulsion type and filter used (if any)
Plate dimensions - Physical size of the plate, in inches
Observer - Assumed observer (Sullivan)
Location - Location of plate when this catalogue was prepared: Yerkes, U. Chicago
   Blank indicates that plate not in vault.
Notes - Notes recorded in the log book.  

File prepared:  2022 October 29