The Nautical Almanac Office harbors mathematical editors, 1849-1866

The nineteenth century saw a widely varied category of both commercial and government almanacs appearing in the United States. These usually appeared once annually, and some posed mathematical problems and published solutions similar to those in more self-consciously mathematical publications.  The American Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac (1852-1980) is a key example of an almanac with mathematical content that did not include a question and answer section. The Nautical Almanac office had been established in 1849 to house computation and publication of ephemerides so American scientists and navigators would no longer need to depend on foreign sources for astronomical data. The Nautical Almanac Office functioned as a key source of income and training for individuals who became centrally involved as editors and contributors to a range of other American mathematical periodicals.