Charles Lane Poor papers

Collection

Identifier: MS-0119

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists largely of the published and unpublished writings of astronomer, Charles Lane Poor. Materials date from 1898-1945 and include reports, lectures, reprints, correspondence, photographs, and nine volumes of published articles. Many of Poor's articles concern his criticism of Einstein's theory of relativity. Final items are notes and materials related to Poor's interest in yacht racing.

Dates

Creation: 1898-1945

Creator

Poor, Charles Lane, 1866-1951 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is not processed and therefore has not been prepared for research use. Please contact Special Collections for more information.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions. It is not necessary to seek our permission as the owner of the physical work to publish or otherwise use public domain materials that we have made available for use, unless Johns Hopkins University holds the copyright.

Biographical Note

Charles Lane Poor was an alumnus of Johns Hopkins University and a professor of astronomy and celestial mechanics at Columbia. He was born in Hackensack, NJ, January 18, 1866 and received the Ph.D from Hopkins in 1892. Poor was an associate professor at Hopkins until 1903. He was appointed to Columbia where he taught until his retirement as a professor emeritus in 1944. Poor was the inventor of several navigation devices and was the author of books on navigation, racing yachts, astronomy, and relativity. Poor was an active critic of the theories of Albert Einstein and published several papers describing his own research on relativity. Among his works are "Gravitation versus Relativity" (1922) and "Rules and Regulations for the Construction of Racing Yachts" (1928). Charles Lane Poor died in New York City, September 27, 1951.

Extent

4.49 Cubic Feet (5 letter size document boxes, 5 legal size document boxes, 1 legal half-size document box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Charles Lane Poor (1866-1951) was an alumnus of Johns Hopkins University and a professor of astronomy and celestial mechanics at Columbia noted for his opposition to Einstein's theory of relativity. Materials date from 1898-1945 and include reports, lectures, reprints, correspondence, photographs, and nine volumes of published articles.