SOURCE: “The Reaction of Astronomers to the Gregorian Calendar,” in Gregorian Reform of the Calendar, edited by G. V. Coyne, M. A. Hoskin, and O. Pedersen, Pontificia Academia Scientiarvm: Specola Vaticana, 1983, pp. 243-54.

In the following essay, Nobis details criticism of the Gregorian calendar reform by contemporary scientists.

This paper has a bearing not only on the history of chronology in particular, but on the history of science in general. The reaction of astronomers to the calendar reform provides us with a very good example of the general problems involved in such an undertaking, especially those deriving from the practical needs of society. Furthermore, we can see clearly how external non-scientific factors influenced scientists when their opinions were sought.

The Gregorian calendar reform has been studied by such authors as Kaltenbrunner,¹ Schmidt,² and Stiewe,³ to mention only the most important. I will restrict myself here to a few...