The Digitized First Byurakan Survey (DFBS) as UNESCO Documentary Heritage

Abstract

The famous Markarian Survey (or the First Byurakan Survey, FBS) was carried out in 1965-1980. Its 2000 plates were digitized in 2002-2007 and the Digitized FBS (DFBS, www.aras.am/Dfbs/dfbs.html) was created. New science projects have been conducted based on this low-dispersion spectroscopic material. The Armenian Virtual Observatory (ArVO, www.aras.am/Arvo/arvo.htm) database accommodates all new data. The project was conducted in collaboration with the Italian, USA and German scientists, as well as the Armenian Institute of Informatics and Automation Problems (IIAP) and continued during 6 years in 2002-2007. Markarian Survey and its digitized version were included in UNESCO Documentary Heritage “Memory of the World” International Register in 2011 as one of the rare heritage items from science.