New astrometric reduction of old photographic observations of Saturn’s moons based on digitizing of astronegatives

Abstract

The paper presents new results of the reduction of photographic observations made at the Pulkovo Observatory in 1972–1974 using digitized photographic plates of Saturn’s moons obtained by the 26-inch refractor and normal astrograph. Lists of exact positions of 2–6th and 8th moons and Saturn itself are obtained. The results of the new reduction are stored in the Pulkovo database on the bodies of the solar system and are available online at www.puldb.ru. The comparison of the results of the old and new reductions with the latest ephemeris of Saturn’s moons has shown that the positioning accuracy of the moons of Saturn has increased approximately twofold. A conclusion on the feasibility of reprocessing old observations using the new method is made.