Data from Michelson, Pease and Pearson (1935)

Here is a full tabulation of the speed of light data from Reference (1) which describes the experimental apparatus and method of determining the speed of light.

Michelson died before the completion of the observations and his co-workers arrived at a measurement of the speed of light of 299,774 km/s with an average deviation of 11 km/s from the mean.

A considered statistical analysis of the data will be posted here soon.

Return to speed of light home page

This page last updated 23rd May 2001

copyright ©2001 by A N Cutler

References

(1) Michelson, A A et al. (1935) Measurement of the velocity of light in a partial vacuum, Astrophysical Journal 82 ,26

Table of observations

Series

Date

Time (PST)

individuals (km/s)

1

19-Feb-31

9:25 - 10:05

299800

299785

2

20-21/2/1931

- 2:00

299800

299747

299729

299778

299801

299789

3

23-Feb-31

9:00 - 10:20

299794

299774

299733

4

24-Feb-31

9:50 - 11:10

299759

299778

299743

5

26-Feb-31

12:30 - 2:40

299758

299810

299749

299765

299783

6

26-Feb-31

8:20 - 10:00

299808

299778

299753

299751

299750

7

26-Feb-31

10:01 - 11:10

299750

299775

299759

299758

299748

8

26-27/2/1931

11:10 - 2:02

299765

299755

299736

299795

299775

299776

299760

9

27-Feb-31

8:16 - 9:26

299862

299829

299829

299773

299758

299784

299761

299771

10

27-Feb-31

9:27 - 11:05

299798

299763

299774

299760

299759

299777

299781

299764

11

01-Mar-31

9:00 - 11:10

299835

299805

299780

299778

299777

12

02-Mar-31

8:22 - 9:04

299748

299773

299757

299756

299746

13

02-Mar-31

9:05 - 9:46

299795

299781

299750

299769

299765

14

25-Mar-31

299764

299769

299733

299729

299732

299772

15

26-Mar-31

299729

299747

299775

299746

299752

16

26-Mar-31

299717

299736

299765

299752

299735

299755

17

27-Mar-31

8:33 - 9:31

299738

299754

299732

299757

299754

299754

18

27-Mar-31

9:35 - 11:09

299753

299740

299732

299740

299732

299761

19

30-Mar-31

9:00 - 9:59

299730

299762

299787

299713

299731

299744

299741

20

30-Mar-31

10:00 - 11:12

299728

299750

299742

299758

299769

299733

299734

21

31-Mar-31

1:20 - 1:43

299726

299732

299704

299750

22

31-Mar-31

8:30 - 9:24

299765

299791

299722

299761

299731

299761

23

31-Mar-31

9:25 - 10:00

299757

299768

299757

299740

299764

24

03-Apr-31

9:55 - 10:34

299755

299742

299740

299730

299738

25

03-Apr-31

10:36 - 11:18

299742

299749

299727

299757

299730

26

08-Apr-31

8:25 - 9:00

299703

299793

299769

27

15-Apr-31

8:00 - 9.28

299759

299691

299785

299765

299769

28

15-Apr-31

10:14 - 10:49

299777

299785

299748

29

16-Apr-31

7:50 - 9:12

299783

299762

299748

299785

299786

299788

299776

299777

30

16-Apr-31

9:17 - 10:31

299774

299764

299769

299772

299792

299775

299770

299792

31

17-Apr-31

8:23 - 9:18

299775

299783

299764

299764

299769

32

17-Apr-31

9:19 - 9:51

299769

299765

299794

299776

33

21-Apr-31

7:45 - 8:38

299830

299804

299781

299787

299780

299794

299775

34

21-Apr-31

8:39 - 9:39

299759

299789

299773

299787

299783

299783

35

21-Apr-31

9:41 - 10:33

299777

299758

299773

299769

299780

299775

36

22-Apr-31

7:54 - 8:22

299784

299783

299779

299766

37

07-May-31

9:35 - 10:24

299776

299803

299801

299776

38

14-May-31

7:40 - 8:30

299767

299775

299777

299776

299780

299768

39

14-May-31

8:31 - 9:41

299778

299759

299768

299763

299767

299762

40

14-May-31

9:42 - 10:30

299770

299760

299783

299792

299780

41

14-15/5/1931

11:48 - 12:36

299773

299770

299772

299773

299778

299771

42

15-May-31

12:37 - 1:15

299776

299767

299768

299778

299786

43

15-May-31

7:29 - 8:23

299794

299783

299770

299788

299760

299768

299790

44

15-May-31

8:52 - 9:39

299777

299763

299758

299776

299774

299760

299761

45

15-May-31

9:56 - 10:38

299769

299771

299772

299790

299787

299759

46

16-May-31

12:05 - 12:58

299777

299769

299766

299779

299784

299780

299788

299780

47

01-Jul-31

8:08 - 9:52

299766

299788

299758

299771

299767

299806

48

03-Jul-31

7:15 - 8:18

299781

299775

299768

299789

299762

49

06-Jul-31

7:33 - 8:22

299782

299775

299766

50

07-Jul-31

7:15 - 8:03

299750

299748

299771

299798

299798

51

07-Jul-31

8:14 - 9:18

299752

299790

299766

299757

299754

52

08-Jul-31

7:15 - 8:45

299789

299790

299783

299761

299771

299768

53

13-Jul-31

7:06 - 8:25

299749

299800

299784

299794

299809

299738

54

14-Jul-31

7:25 - 8:24

299798

299772

299768

299787

299764

55

03-Mar-32

9:20 - 9:49

299813

299816

56

04-Mar-32

7:23 - 8:11

299770

299770

299771

299779

57

04-Mar-32

8:20 - 10:01

299830

299777

299830

299822

299799

299808

58

04-Mar-32

10:23 - 11:14

299811

299816

299827

299808

59

08-Mar-32

7:55 - 8:45

299793

299790

299801

299800

60

08-Mar-32

8:49 - 9:54

299783

299788

299764

299794

61

08-Mar-32

9:56 - 10:59

299784

299805

299813

299770

62

09-Mar-32

7:39 - 8:40

299796

299811

299811

299799

299786

63

09-Mar-32

9:06 - 9:52

299846

299809

299820

299811

64

09-Mar-32

10:15 - 11:11

299797

299808

299820

299803

299818

65

10-Mar-32

7:35 - 9:39

299765

299765

299758

299743

299735

299756

66

11-Mar-32

7:58 - 8:40

299812

299778

299793

299774

67

11-Mar-32

8:49 - 10:11

299767

299776

299777

299764

68

11-Mar-32

10:12 - 10:57

299755

299782

299777

299773

69

15-Mar-32

7:59 - 9:34

299784

299766

299783

299757

70

15-Mar-32

10:13 - 10:41

299769

299759

299794

71

16-Mar-32

7:51 - 8:27

299773

299768

299775

299786

72

16-Mar-32

8:30 - 9:25

299784

299774

299773

299785

73

16-Mar-32

9:50 - 10:42

299786

299794

299775

299766

299793

74

16-Mar-32

11:03 - 11:46

299744

299768

299779

299768

75

17-Mar-32

7:07 - 8:03

299852

299795

299777

299763

299783

76

17-Mar-32

8:06 - 9:37

299792

299799

299746

299775

299766

77

18-Mar-32

7:35 - 8:53

299724

299706

299736

299743

299764

299786

78

18-Mar-32

9:10 - 9:50

299801

299781

299795

79

07-Apr-32

9:28 - 9:36

299736

80

08-Apr-32

9:50 - 10:40

299745

299818

299798

81

12-Apr-32

7:26 - 8:44

299781

299779

299782

299760

299757

299759

82

12-Apr-32

9:31 - 10:13

299788

299779

299767

299783

83

13-Apr-32

7:35 - 8:22

299762

299810

299779

299778

299771

84

13-Apr-32

8:25 - 9:02

299777

299781

299792

85

14-Apr-32

7:25 - 8:27

299788

299781

299794

299817

299756

86

14-Apr-32

8:36 - 9:22

299772

299775

299758

299767

87

15-Apr-32

7:23 - 8:11

299711

299717

299785

299804

299807

88

15-Apr-32

8:27 -9:08

299823

299806

299824

299791

299792

89

18-Apr-32

8:32 - 10:09

299764

299806

299774

299799

299785

90

20-Apr-32

8:02 - 8:30

299789

299789

91

21-Apr-32

7:14 - 8:18

299780

299818

299745

299750

92

21-Apr-32

8:23 - 9:26

299737

299782

299762

93

26-Apr-32

7:34 - 8:15

299747

299795

299783

299782

94

26-Apr-32

8:43 - 9:26

299767

299792

299788

299783

95

27-Apr-32

7:50 - 8:55

299736

299732

299782

299773

299775

299757

96

27-Apr-32

8:59 - 10:16

299755

299795

299795

299795

299803

299795

97

28-Apr-32

7:34 - 8:23

299805

299790

299787

299759

299781

98

28-Apr-32

8:25 - 9:33

299771

299771

299802

299794

299785

99

29-Apr-32

8:31 - 9:40

299795

299788

299769

299775

299772

299778

100

03-May-32

7:44 - 8:25

299769

299773

299776

299745

101

03-May-32

8:41 - 9:58

299782

299765

299781

299792

299760

102

04-May-32

7:39 - 8:33

299788

299784

299801

299785

299777

103

04-May-32

8:34 - 9:49

299786

299768

299783

299777

299786

299778

104

05-May-32

7:31 - 8:03

299780

299765

299764

105

06-May-32

7:34 - 8:16

299779

299787

299770

299779

106

10-May-32

7:37 - 8:57

299777

299760

299774

107

11-May-32

7:40 - 9:01

299787

299811

299787

299772

299778

299778

108

12-May-32

7:36 - 8:25

299761

299769

299761

299769

299775

109

12-May-32

8:47 - 9:34

299768

299776

299777

299772

299782

110

13-May-32

7:38 - 8:38

299761

299754

299784

299778

299757

299766

299752

111

13-May-32

9:00 - 9:18

299766

299774

112

17-May-32

7:40 - 9:09

299782

299763

299777

299770

113

18-May-32

7:36 - 9:05

299733

299796

299788

299782

299798

299801

299782

299786

114

19-May-32

7:45 - 9:07

299787

299772

299797

299773

299781

299783

299773

115

20-May-32

7:32 - 8:42

299752

299809

299747

299755

299750

299764

116

24-May-32

7:39 - 8:41

299783

299778

299774

299763

299772

117

26-May-32

7:27 - 8:23

299773

299750

299754

299758

299780

118

27-May-32

7:34 - 7:42

299760

119

01-Jun-32

8:05 -9:13

299750

299782

299798

299791

299768

120

02-Jun-32

7:34 - 8:47

299776

299784

299793

299789

299786

299799

299782

121

03-Jun-32

7:24 - 8:14

299787

299792

299786

299774

299762

122

03-Jun-32

8:16 - 8:58

299773

299758

299776

299793

123

06-Jun-32

7:38 - 8:55

299753

299767

299751

299761

124

07-Jun-32

7:32 - 8:56

299747

299751

299753

299759

299768

299770

125

08-Jun-32

12:12 - 12:21

299781

126

09-Jun-32

7:32 - 8:52

299749

299757

299760

299754

299766

299779

299768

127

10-Jun-32

7:36 - 8:45

299746

299746

299769

299764

299748

299765

299762

128

13-Jun-32

7:31 - 8:52

299769

299786

299796

299786

299785

299776

299777

129

14-Jun-32

7:24 - 8:41

299781

299777

299800

299804

299767

299774

299763

130

15-Jun-32

7:24 - 9:11

299773

299789

299772

299776

299767

299771

299770

131

16-Jun-32

7:27 - 8:38

299749

299783

299785

299785

299755

299776

299772

132

17-Jun-32

7:46 - 8:32

299756

299773

299764

299760

299762

133

20-Jun-32

7:46 - 8:24

299739

299724

299780

134

21-Jun-32

7:44 - 8:43

299760

299756

299750

299762

299771

299773

135

22-Jun-32

7:35 - 8:54

299760

299774

299758

299742

136

23-Jun-32

7:23 - 8:33

299783

299769

299781

299751

299773

299773

299774

137

24-Jun-32

7:21 - 8:30

299786

299762

299766

299765

299774

299771

299765

138

27-Jun-32

7:28 - 8:35

299788

299760

299796

299777

299777

299803

299788

139

28-Jun-32

7:25 - 8:47

299780

299771

299763

299778

299758

299785

299776

140

29-Jun-32

7:45 - 8:47

299750

299756

299776

299772

299782

299791

299762

141

30-Jun-32

7:15 - 8:19

299782

299770

299807

299800

299786

299775

299781

142

01-Jul-32

7:50 - 8:35

299784

299765

299787

299777

299766

143

05-Jul-32

7:28 - 8:34

299757

299767

299767

299787

299771

299780

299749

144

06-Jul-32

7:22 - 8:24

299747

299761

299755

299765

299770

299758

299743

145

07-Jul-32

7:37 - 8:15

299776

299778

299776

299770

146

08-Jul-32

7:24 - 8:21

299764

299779

299784

299777

299767

299768

147

11-Jul-32

7:23 - 8:11

299770

299780

299768

299774

299784

148

12-Jul-32

7:56 - 8:42

299752

299766

299793

299766

299763

149

13-Jul-32

7:28 - 8:23

299770

299766

299779

299803

299774

299778

150

14-Jul-32

7:27 - 8:41

299758

299793

299781

299802

299771

151

15-Jul-32

7:22 - 8:37

299742

299713

299792

299783

299786

299767

299766

152

18-Jul-32

8:02 - 8:43

299781

299767

299760

299782

153

20-Jul-32

8:01 - 8:43

299755

299764

299771

299755

299754

154

21-Jul-32

7:28 - 8:13

299784

299784

299793

299774

299780

155

22-Jul-32

7:27 - 8:15

299759

299756

299777

299775

299758

156

25-Jul-32

8:07 - 8:43

299769

299778

299797

157

03-Aug-32

7:38 - 8:33

299743

299732

299776

299773

299735

158

04-Aug-32

8:07 -8:48

299775

299766

299797

299777

159

03-Dec-32

8:05 - 9:10

299803

299806

299806

160

05-Dec-32

8:36 - 9:30

299758

299754

299756

161

5-6/12/1932

11:55 - 12:51

299750

299764

299798

299788

299779

162

06-Dec-32

3:22 - 4:09

299792

299787

299799

299758

163

06-Dec-32

7:15 - 8:22

299814

299801

299797

299782

299780

164

07-Dec-32

7:19 - 8:07

299798

299791

299796

299773

299801

165

7-8/12/1932

11:54 - 12:40

299793

299788

299785

299776

299778

166

08-Dec-32

3:06 - 3:52

299784

299764

299759

299778

299774

167

09-Dec-32

12:03 - 12:50

299797

299802

299787

299781

299763

168

09-Dec-32

3:09 - 4:05

299752

299771

299781

299757

299764

169

09-Dec-32

7:31 - 8:21

299792

299799

299799

299790

299774

170

10-Dec-32

12:25 - 1:14

299840

299802

299770

299772

299800

171

19-Dec-32

8:04 - 8:45

299758

299757

299789

299797

172

20-Dec-32

7:38 - 8:31

299772

299791

299768

299760

299758

173

20-21/12/1932

11:57 - 12:44

299753

299761

299770

299773

174

22-Dec-32

7:14 - 8:04

299770

299758

299770

299795

299803

175

23-Dec-32

12:06 - 1:00

299774

299780

299768

299782

299782

176

23-Dec-32

7:43 - 8:34

299787

299790

299761

299762

299779

177

24-Dec-32

12:07 - 12:54

299784

299740

299753

299742

178

24-Dec-32

3:19 - 3:56

299776

299741

299781

299742

179

27-Dec-32

8:30 - 9:15

299767

299760

299798

299771

180

27-28/12/1932

11:51 - 12:38

299764

299790

299781

299774

181

28-Dec-32

2:53 - 3:42

299773

299766

299749

299768

182

28-Dec-32

7:36 - 8:21

299809

299729

299794

299772

183

28-29/12/1932

11:46 - 12:39

299767

299765

299782

299794

184

29-30/12/1932

11:52 - 12:26

299797

299791

299782

299759

185

30-Dec-32

8:29 - 9:05

299745

299785

299774

299791

186

31-Dec-32

12:11 - 12:32

299745

299815

187

03-Jan-33

7:30 - 8:04

299770

299784

299772

299773

188

05-Jan-33

7:27 - 8:10

299769

299752

299778

299761

189

06-Jan-33

12:00 - 12:32

299799

299798

299770

299817

190

09-Jan-33

8:03 - 8:28

299772

299754

299763

191

10-Jan-33

12:05 - 12:32

299771

299776

299763

192

10-Jan-33

7:29 - 8:02

299793

299758

299749

299756

193

11-Jan-33

7:17 - 7:48

299797

299748

299761

299726

194

12-Jan-33

12:02 - 12:48

299770

299773

299769

299744

195

12-Jan-33

7:06 - 7:40

299750

299730

299761

299771

196

12-13/01/1933

11:54 - 12:31

299786

299762

299745

299771

197

13-Jan-33

2:56 - 3:30

299786

299756

299760

299758

198

13-Jan-33

7:10 - 7:30

299781

299791

199

16-Jan-33

7:57 - 8:30

299771

299769

299756

299748

200

16-17/01/1933

11:53 - 12:24

299756

299757

299743

299740

201

17-Jan-33

3:03 - 3:37

299767

299760

299769

299772

202

17-Jan-33

7:57 - 8:25

299745

299771

299776

203

18-Jan-33

12:00 - 12:31

299752

299753

299787

204

18-Jan-33

7:25 - 7:56

299776

299759

299786

299786

205

18-Jan-33

12:13 - 12:45

299780

299784

299779

299753

206

19-Jan-33

2:59 - 3:34

299769

299770

299781

299764

207

19-Jan-33

8:18 - 8:42

299776

299744

299757

208

25-Jan-33

7:48 - 8:28

299761

299767

299773

299783

209

26-Jan-33

12:16 - 12:41

299750

299789

299769

210

26-Jan-33

3:12 - 3:42

299772

299748

299789

211

26-Jan-33

7:19 - 7:59

299769

299751

299761

299779

212

27-Jan-33

7:28 - 7:59

299783

299777

299783

299773

213

31-Jan-33

7:09 - 7:42

299774

299767

299778

299764

214

01-Feb-33

12:04 - 12:28

299785

299766

299771

215

02-Feb-33

7:09 - 7:42

299754

299750

299759

299749

216

2-3/02/1933

11:52 - 12:21

299769

299771

299764

299759

217

03-Feb-33

3:13 - 3:45

299814

299790

299800

299800

218

03-Feb-33

7:06 - 7:35

299792

299753

299785

299774

219

06-Feb-33

7:44 - 8:06

299762

299750

299756

220

07-Feb-33

7:08 - 7:40

299755

299755

299798

299792

221

08-Feb-33

7:10 - 7:43

299803

299786

299776

299774

222

09-Feb-33

7:15 - 7:44

299813

299782

299785

299780

223

10-Feb-33

7:15 - 7:56

299783

299730

299762

299759

299781

224

13-Feb-33

7:16 - 7:43

299760

299761

299787

299776

225

14-Feb-33

7:07 - 7:36

299817

299781

299773

299785

226

15-Feb-33

7:22 - 7:50

299775

299780

299765

299748

227

16-Feb-33

7:10 - 8:16

299785

299776

299767

299760

299762

299752

228

17-Feb-33

7:08 - 7:52

299780

299811

299784

299744

299775

229

20-Feb-33

7:11 - 7:47

299794

299789

299768

299787

299772

230

21-Feb-33

6:59 - 7:28

299798

299763

299807

299768

231

22-Feb-33

7:22 - 7:50

299810

299758

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299768

232

24-Feb-33

7:04 - 7:46

299789

299792

299823

299824

233

27-Feb-33

7:05 - 7:34

299784

299799

299797

299772