Appendix 2. A Brief Chronology of the IGY 



Aug. 1 , 1 882 Beginning of the First International Polar Year. 



Aug. 31, 1883__ End of the First International Polar Year. 



Aug. 1, 1932 __ Beginning of the Second International Polar 



Year. 



Aug. 31, 1933 End of the Second International Polar Year. 



April 5, 1950 Berkner's proposal for a Third Polar Year, at a 



meeting in Van Allen's home. 

 July 1950 Meeting of the MCI at which it was decided to 



commend the Berkner proposal to the ICSU 



and its unions. 



Sept. 1950 Approval of the Berkner proposal by URSI. 



Sept. 1950 Approval of the Berkner proposal by IAU. 



Jan. 1951 ICSU Bureau commends the Berkner proposal 



to its Executive Board. 



Aug. 1951 Approval of the Berkner proposal by the IUGG. 



Oct. 1951 Creation by the ICSU of a Special Committee 



for a Third International Polar Year. 

 Oct. 1952 Suggestion by Chapman that the name be 



changed to International Geophysical Year 



approved by ICSU. 

 Oct. 1952 Provisional meeting of the CSAGI; all nations 



are asked to form national IGY committees. 

 June 30- July 3, 1953 First plenary session of CSAGI in Brussels, 



attended by 26 nations. 

 Early 1954 Program devised for world days and 10-day 



meteorological intervals. 

 March 1954 Completion of proposed IGY program by the 



USNC. 

 May 1954 Deadline for submission of detailed national 



programs. 

 Sept. 30-Oct. 4, 1954 Second plenary session of the CSAGI in Rome, 



attended by 38 nations. 

 March 1955 Recommendation by ICSU that an Advisory 



Council be formed to assist CSAGI. 

 Sept. 8-14, 1955 Third plenary session of the CSAGI in Bni6- 



sells. Parallel sessions of the Advisory Council. 



Decision was made that the IGY be officially 



begun at zero hours, Greenwich time, on 



July 1, 1957. 



Sept. 10-15, 1946 Fourth plenary session of the ICSU in Barcelona. 



Jan. 10, 1957 Creation by the U.S.S.R. of the "Consultative 



Committee for Preparing for and Imple- 

 menting the IGY at Establishments of the 



Academy of Sciences, U.S.S.R." 

 July 1, 1957 Official beginning of the IGY at zero hours 



Greenwich time. 

 Oct. 4, 1957 Sputnik I injected into orbit to become the 



world's first artificial earth satellite. 



Julv 29-Aug. 9, 1958 _ Final plenary session of the CSAGI in Moscow. 



Dec. 31, 1958... Official end of the IGY. 



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