Cosmic Search Unit
Description
This unit includes materials dated 1974-1984 related to the magazine Cosmic Search, founded, published, and edited by John Kraus. The unit includes a full set of the magazine: vol. 1, no. 1, January 1979, through vol. 4, no. 1, serial number 13, 1982. The purpose of Cosmic Search was to present all aspects of the search for intelligent life in space, often refered to as the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, or SETI, in a popular but responsible manner. Kraus hoped with the magazine to generate funds to help finance scientific research at a time of dwindling state and federal support, and a non-profit organization, Cosmic Quest, Inc., was formed to act as publishing entity. However, the magazine ran at a loss, and ceased publication after three years, following a brief but unsuccessful attempt to find another editor. The magazine AstroSearch, published by Delta Vee, Inc., a nonprofit space corporation encouraging citizen involvement in space activities, was intended to be a merger of Cosmic Search and Delta Vee's CQ-ET Newsletter, but published only 5 issues, all in 1983; issues are included in this unit. Cosmic Search article authors included Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Ronald N. Bracewell, Arthur C. Clarke, Norman Cousins, Frank D. Drake, C.M. Jansky, Jr., Nikolai Kardashev, John Kraus, Philip Morrison, Carl Sagan, Walter Sullivan, and Virginia Trimble. A regular feature of the magazine was a column written by Kraus called, "ABCs of Space," which gave short explanations of basic concepts ranging from the Doppler effect to star spectra. Kraus also wrote a set of articles on "The First 50 Years of Radio Astronomy," intended for publication in Cosmic Search as a 5-part series. Only parts 1-2 were actually published, but the draft of part 3 and notes for part 4 are included here. The unit includes correspondence and other materials related to content, editorial, and administrative matters, as well as manuscripts, original figures, and original photographs. Folders labeled by Kraus with specific issue numbers often contain miscellaneous correspondence and other materials which are perhaps related to but not included in the issue, along with correspondence received during the period in which an issue was being prepared. Correspondence about the 1982-1983 attempt to find another editor, and about the merger of Cosmic Search and AstroSearch is also included.
Creator
Papers of John Daniel Kraus
Relation
For materials on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), see also the Records of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, the Papers of Ronald N. Bracewell, and the Conferences and Lectures listing in the Papers of Woodruff T. Sullivan III.
Type
Text
Start Date
1974
End Date
1984
Series
Kraus Publications Series
Size of Item
1.5 linear feet
Citation
Papers of John Daniel Kraus, “Cosmic Search Unit,” NRAO/AUI Archives, accessed April 16, 2024, https://www.nrao.edu/archives/items/show/30813.