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A brief history of the Astrophysical Journal is given, concentrating on its beginnings, its predecessor and rival journals, the astrophysicists who founded it, and the growth and development of astrophysics in the century since then. Later stages in the Journal's history are related, in less detail, down to the present. Some of the first papers in new fields, such as radio astronomy, balloon astronomy, space astronomy, and X-ray astronomy are mentioned. A few of the financial crises are described, as well as one or two attempts to undercut the Journal .
Slides of all the managing editors: George Ellery Hale (1895-1904), Edwin B. Frost (1905-32), Otto Struve (1932-47), William W. Morgan (1947-52), S. Chandrasekhar (1952-71), and Helmut A. Abt (1971- ) will be shown. Slides of other editors, including Benjamin A. Gould (Astronomical Journal ), William W. Payne (Sidereal Messenger ), Edward S. Holden (PASP ), and W. W. Campbell (Lick Observatory Bulletins ) will also be shown, and their publications discussed.
