Robert Meldrum Stewart

Robert Meldrum Stewart

Robert Meldrum Stewart, astronomer (b at Gladstone, Man 15 Dec 1878; d at Ottawa 2 Sept 1954). Astronomer at the Dominion Observatory, Ottawa, 1902-24 and director 1924-46, Stewart supervised the scientifically complex installation of the Meridian Circle telescope at the observatory between 1907 and 1911, using it to improve the catalogue positions of stars used in the survey of western Canada. Subsequently, he added thousands of observations to improve the international star catalogue, established a time service within the government offices in Ottawa which ultimately became the source of correct time for Canada, used wireless time signals for longitude determination, approved Canada's participation in 2 world longitude campaigns (1926, 1933), using international wireless time signals, and devised an ingenious mechanical method for producing mean time from a sidereal primary standard.