Gold medals, Observing Book
Displayed is the observing book opened to the night of August 17, 1877 when Asaph Hall discovered the moons of Mars which he named Phobos and Deimos. Near the bottom of the page he writes "Both of the above objects faint but distinctly seen both by G. Anderson and myself." Several days later in the journal he refers to them as Mars' stars. Hall was lauded for this important discovery and awarded 2 gold medals (the Arago medal from France, and the Royal Astronomical Society medal from England), and the French Legion of Honor. These medals were donated to the Naval Observatory by the Hall family.
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