Transactions Of The International Astronomical Union Volume Xviib

IAU Transactions are published as a volume corresponding to each General Assembly. Volume A is produced prior to the Assembly and contains Reports on Astronomy, prepared by each Commission President. The intention is to summarize the astronomical results that have affected the work of the Commission since the production of the previous Reports up to a time which is about one year prior to the General Assembly. Volume B is produced after the Assembly and contains accounts of Commission Meetings which were held, together with other material. The reports included in the present volume range from outline summaries to lengthy compilations and references.

IAU Transactions are published as a volume corresponding to each General Assembly. Volume A is produced prior to the Assembly and contains Reports on Astronomy, prepared by each Commission President. The intention is to summarize the astronomical results that have affected the work of the Commission since the production of the previous Reports up to a time which is about one year prior to the General Assembly. Volume B is produced after the Assembly and contains accounts of Commission Meetings which were held, together with other material. The reports included in the present volume range from outline summaries to lengthy compilations and references. Most reports are in English.

IAU Transactions XXIIIB summarizes the work of the XXIIIrd General Assembly. The addresses given during the Inaugural and Closing Ceremonies are reproduced in Chapters I and III, respectively. The Proceedings of the two sessions of the General Assembly, including the Report of the Finance Committee, will be found in Chapter II. The Report of the Resolutions Committee and the Resolutions approved by the General Assembly are found in Chapter IV. The Accounts for 1994-1996 and other aspects of the administration of the Union are recorded in Chapter V, which constitutes the Report of the Executive Committee and thus provides the permanent record of the activities of the Union in the period 1994-1997. Chapter VI of this volume contains the reports of the Commission meetings in Kyoto, provided by the Commission Presidents. The Statutes, Bye-Laws and Working Rules of the Union as revised at the General Assembly are published in Chapter VII, while an updated version of the Rules for Scientific Meetings is given in Chapter VIII. Finally, Chapter IX contains lists of the countries adhering to the Union and of its approximately 8300 individual members, ordered by geographical location and commission membership as well as alphabetically (with full addresses). The IAU remains one of the few Scientific Unions in which a vigorous body of individual members contributes in a crucial way to the spirit and aims of the Union.

IAU Transactions XXIIB summarizes the work of the XXIInd General Assembly. The discourses given during the Inaugural and Closing Ceremonies are reproduced in Chapters I and III, respectively. The proceedings of the two sessions of the General Assembly will be found in Chapter II, which includes the Resolutions and the report of the Finance Committee. The Statutes, Bye-Laws and a few working rules of the Union are published in Chapter IV. The Accounts and other aspects of the administration of the Union are recorded in Chapter V, together with the report of the Executive Committee for this last triennium, and provide the permanent record for the Union in the period 1991-1994. This volume also contains the Commission reports from The Hague compiled by the Presidents of the Commissions (Chapter VI). Finally, Chapter VII contains the list of countries adhering to the Union and the alphabetical, geographical and commission membership lists of about 8000 individual members. The IAU still appears to be unique among the scientific Unions in maintaining this category of individual membership which contributes in a crucial way to the spirit and the aims of the Union.