Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory. A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Today’s guestbook entry is from January 19, 1914, when Frank H. Bigelow made a visit.
Next to his name, Frank Hagar Bigelow (1851-1924) wrote, “Oficina Meteorologica Argentina, Cordoba, Argentina” (Argentine Office of Meteorology, Cordoba, Argentina). He was a meteorologist and astronomer, as well as an Episcopal minister.
He had served in the United States Weather Bureau before moving to Argentina to work in the office of meteorology there. In 1915, he became director of the Solar Physics and Magnetic Observatory in Cordoba.
He was the editor of the Monthly Weather Review from 1909-1910.
His astronomical research included studying transits of stars as well as the connection between magnetic phenomena on the Sun (in particular its corona) with variations of the Earth’s magnetic field and aurorae.
