Astronomical Heritage Research Articles

An investigation on space debris of unknown origin using proper elements and neural networks

Proper elements represent a dynamical fingerprint of an object’s inherent state and have been used by small-body taxonomists in characterizing asteroid families. Being linked to the underlying dynamical structure of orbits, Celletti, Pucacco, and Vartolomei have recently adopted these innate orbital parameters for the association of debris from breakup or collision into its parent satellite. Building from this rich astronomical heritage and recent foundations, we introduce an unsupervised learning method—density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN)—to determine clusters of orbital debris in the space of proper elements. Data is taken from the space-object catalog of trackable Earth-orbiting objects in the form of two-line element sets. Proper elements for debris fragments in low-Earth orbit are computed using an ad hoc numerical scheme, akin to the state-of-the-art Fourier-series-based synthetic method for the asteroid domain. Given the heuristic nature of classical DBSCAN, we investigate the use of neural networks, trained on known families, to augment DBSCAN into a classification problem and apply it to analyst objects of unknown origin.

Where past meets future

Abstract Ireland's historic astronomical observatories at Armagh, Birr and Dunsink are embarking on the process of seeking UNESCO World Heritage Status. Michael Burton examines the deep astronomical heritage that they embody.

History of the Future

Abstract Both scientists and historians are interested in astronomical heritage, but their interest focuses on different aspects of the subject. Sue Bowler listens in.

Tapes and Papers: An Astronomical Heritage Archival Project of the American Astronomical Society and NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory

The American Astronomical Society (AAS) and NSF’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab) have combined staff expertise in data curation and archival practices to preserve, organize, and make accessible two archival collections to preserve important aspects of our astronomical heritage. An Archive Fellowship was created for a quarter-time graduate student to work on these two archives.

Embracing the Crowd: People-powered Research to Preserve the History of Astronomy

Project PHaEDRA (Preserving Harvard’s Early Data and Research in Astronomy) is a collaborative initiative led by Wolbach Library to digitize, transcribe, and enhance the metadata of over 2,500 notebooks and logbooks created from the mid-18th through early 20th centuries by the Harvard Computers and other researchers at the Harvard College Observatory. Digitization of the notebooks began in 2016, and was completed in 2019. As the notebooks were digitized, they were made available online through the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS). At the same time, the digital scans were sent to the Smithsonian Transcription Center for full transcription by volunteers. While the full transcriptions will prove useful to researchers when completed, they do not provide a mechanism for linking the PHaEDRA notebooks back to their original source material: over 500,000 glass plate photographs identified by unique plate numbers. To remedy this, PHaEDRA team members are now working with volunteers on the Zooniverse platform to identify and transcribe the plate numbers found in the notebooks. This new component of Project PHaEDRA is called Star Notes and will eventually allow for deep linking between the notebooks and the digitized glass plates. As other observatories and astronomy libraries consider what to do with their glass plate collections and associated logbooks, Project PHaEDRA may be used as a model to make our shared astronomical heritage accessible for future generations.

How to Use the Italian Astronomical Heritage for the Dissemination of Scientific Knowledge in the Society

Astronomical Observatories are the most ancient scientific institutes in Italy. They preserve an incredible treasure made by rare books, astronomical sketches, documents and letters, and a noteworthy instrument collection used to realize discoveries and studies in the fields of classical astronomy and astrophysics. In the last few years the National Institute for Astrophysics has promoted a project to preserve, catalogue, and present a great part of the Italian astronomical heritage on the web with “Polvere di stelle”, the gate to arrive at the origin of modern astronomy in Italy. The studies made by some Italian researchers on the history of observatories, on the development of the astronomical instruments, on astronomers and their discoveries, activities, and scientific journeys, have revealed a complex pattern of relationships with other scientific and cultural communities, politicians and the society of their time. So you can study the foundation of Padua and Naples Observatories and you have to talk of Napoleon, Murat, and the Congress of Vienna. You can trace the birth of astrophysics and run into the events of the unification of Italy. Or you can be involved in the biographical study of Schiaparelli and you find yourself talking about archeology and fashion. And vice versa.To disseminate the scientific culture, and valorize the Italian astronomical heritage in a much wider context, we have realized exhibits, laboratories, and theatrical experiences to give life to cultural heritage. Through a powerful emotional involvement, these methods of non-formal communication of science establish a strong relationship between performers and spectators and give a more homogeneous view of the work of astronomers, and the cultural heritage they have left behind.This paper illustrates the projects we have created and the results obtained to transform the history of astronomy into the men’s stories.

Old documents, new technologies: the preservation and valorization of the Italian astronomical archives

The historical archives of the Italian astronomical Observatories are a source of incredible treasures. They contain records of observations, sketches of astronomical objects (nebulae, comets, and planets), letters, diaries, journey logbooks, meteorological data, maps, astronomical calculations, etc. Over 3 million documents, 122 series containing the funds of various astronomers are preserved in 12 historical archives. Rearranging these records is a long and hard task comparable to solving a puzzle not knowing how the finished picture will turn out, but we certainly know that the reorganization will constitute a fundamental resource for the study of the history of astronomy. The web portal “Polvere di stelle [Stardust]: the cultural heritage of Italian astronomy” (www.beniculturali.inaf.it <www.beniculturali.inaf.it> ) contains a specific section dedicated to the historical archives. It provides a brief description of each archive and the possibility to consult the tree structure of the inventories and to make a search in all database fields. In 2018, a digitization project of selected archival documents began. The 18th century meteorological registers from Padua and the solar observations made by Pietro Tacchini and Angelo Secchi in 19th century are now available on “Polvere di stelle”. This contribution will show benefits and problems encountered in dealing this particular aspect of preservation and valorization of the astronomical heritage.

Astronomical observatories included in the UNESCO World Heritage List

The article analyses the World Heritage Center activities in the implementation of the pilot project "Astronomy and World Heritage. Thematic Initiative", which was launched in 2003. As part of this project, in 2010, 2019 and in 2021 five objects, related to the astronomical heritage were added to the World Heritage List. However, a detailed study of the UNESCO World Heritage List shows, that it already contains astronomical heritage objects (usually historical observatories), which fit there as part of complex nominations, for example, centers of historical cities or groups of architectural structures, concentrated on historical and cultural territory. Examples of astronomical heritage sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List are described.

Attributes of the outstanding universal value of Kazan university astronomical observatories

Since 2003, UNESCO has been actively promoting an initiative to include monuments related to astronomical heritage in the World Heritage List. One of the potential objects within the framework of this initiative could be observatories of Kazan University – the historical building of the observatory of Kazan Imperial University of the 19th century and the complex of the country observatory named after V.P. Engelhardt (1901). The article provides a detailed description of these objects, the justification of their outstanding universal value, considers possible criteria of value within the framework of UNESCO nomination rules, as well as the authenticity and integrity of the astronomical objects nominated.

Problems of astronomical heritage of Russia

The paper deals with the problems of astronomical heritage. Criteria required for astronomical and archeoastronomical objects to be included in the list of Heritage and respective constraints have been developed in the framework of the UNESCO Thematic Initiative launched in 2004. Various objects which could be proposed from Russia and satisfying these criteria are thoroughly discussed.

Astronomical Observatories related to the World Heritage List

The article examines the existing relationship between two important concepts, but which are different a priori. First is the heritage of astronomy, generally associated with modern European science and its development through the construction of aseries of famous observatories with large fixedinstruments, all along lgth - 20th centuries. Second is the successful implementation of the World Heritage convention from around 50 years, with its famous List of heritage sites, monuments, ancient cities and landscapes.The article shows the relatively limited number, but already notable, of places nowadays registered on the World Heritage List or even sometime places aiming to be nominated for next years. Additional questions raise, asked by a partnership between Astronomy and World Heritage List; e.g.: the existing astronomical heritage from ancient civilizaions or indigenous societies; astronomy as associated value of broader nominations including classical heritage as palaces, monuments, historical cities and etc. In conclusion, we shortly examine the perspectives of the joint field of Astronomy and World Heritage.

Development of Astronomy Education Programs using Astronomical Heritage and Exploring its Educational Possibility

Development of Astronomy Education Programs using Astronomical Heritage and Exploring its Educational Possibility

Twenty years of the Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS)

A review on the activities and achievements of the Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS) and the Armenian astronomy in general is given on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the official foundation of ArAS. ArAS membership, ArAS electronic newsletters (ArASNews), ArAS webpage, Annual Meetings, Annual Prize for Young Astronomers (Yervant Terzian Prize) and other awards, international relations, participation in international organizations, Byurakan International Summer Schools (BISS), regional and local schools, Byurakan science camps, astronomical Olympiads and other events, other matters related to astronomical education, astronomical heritage, amateur astronomy, astronomy outreach and ArAS further projects are described and discussed.

'DARK STARS' AND A NEW INTERPRETATION OF THE ANCIENT GREEK STELLAR MAGNITUDE SYSTEM

The role of 'dark stars' in astronomy is examined. Ptolemy, in his <italic>Almagest</italic>, included 12 dark stars in his star catalogue, without offering any explanation of their meaning. Manuscripts in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Latin and Greek are examined to highlight and resolve conflicting statements about the star catalogue in the <italic>Almagest</italic>. Ptolemy's ivy leaf and the five dark stars associated with it is traced from its origin in an ancient Babylonian tablet to a Byzantine manuscript, thus establishing a transmission of descriptive astronomy spanning three millennia. Partly by resolving a long-standing misinterpretation of a text by Hipparchus on stellar magnitudes, this paper demonstrates clearly for the first time that Ptolemy employed <underline>two</underline> systems to describe stellar brightness: numerical and descriptive. The scale of 6 magnitudes employed by Ptolemy continued a system used by Manilius, not that of Hipparchus as many modern texts claim. Ptolemy's numerical magnitudes are at least partly his own, but 'dark star' is a descriptive magnitude that enters the work of Ptolemy from Eudoxus; the research presented here offers the first explanation of dark stars. The other descriptive magnitude Ptolemy uses, nebulous, comes from the work of Aratus, which in turn derives from Eudoxus. The astronomical heritage embodied in dark stars in European astronomy and literature is surveyed to the present day.

Astronomy in Armenia: Recent Activities

A report on the activities and achievements of the Armenian Astronomical Society (ArAS) and the Armenian astronomy in general during the last years is given. ArAS membership, ArAS electronic newsletters (ArASNews), ArAS webpage, Annual Meetings, Annual Prize for Young Astronomers (Yervant Terzian Prize) and other awards, international relations, participation in international organizations, Byurakan International Summer Schools (BISS), regional and local schools, Byurakan science camps, astronomical Olympiads and other events, other matters related to astronomical education, astronomical heritage, amateur astronomy, astronomy outreach and ArAS further projects are described and discussed.

Armenian Astronomical Heritage and Big Data

AbstractAstronomy in Armenia was popular since ancient times and Armenia is rich in its astronomical heritage, such as ancient and medieval Armenian calendars, records of astronomical events by ancient Armenians, the astronomical heritage of the Armenian medieval great thinker Anania Shirakatsi, etc. Armenian astronomical archives have accumulated vast number of photographic plates, films and other careers of observational data. The Digitized Markarian Survey or the First Byurakan Survey, is the most important low-dispersion spectroscopic database. It is one of the rare science items included in UNESCO “Memory of the World” Documentary Heritage list. The Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) Plate Archive Project (2015–2021) will result in digitization and storage of some 37,000 astronomical plates and films and in creation of an Electronic Database for further research projects. Based on these data and archives and development of their interoperability, the Armenian Virtual Observatory was created and joined the International Virtual Observatory Alliance.

Japan Astronomical Heritage: The First Two Years

AbstractThe Astronomical Society of Japan has started authorization of Japan Astronomical Heritage since 2018. The society certificates two or three sites/materials/literature every year not only for preservation but also for utilization. The certification influences citizens and local governments, and stimulates various movements. The idea of national astronomical heritage will help to preserve valuable properties of each country and to promote the utilization.

The astronomical heritage of pre-Hispanic societies in Venezuela: Total Eclipses of Sun reported in Petroglyphs

AbstractAstronomical observations have been documented in pre-Hispanic cultures. However, little is known about the astronomical heritage of pre-Hispanic societies in Venezuela, since there are no evidence of an ancestral material culture as other regions of Meso and South America, and these native Venezuelan groups lacked a written, alphabetic or ideographic language. There are innumerable petroglyph deposits in almost all regions of Venezuela, especially near Lake Valencia (Carabobo state) and those of the Andean foothills (Barinas state). By means of computerized simulation and archaeoastronomy techniques, the occurrence of a total solar eclipse is verified: in July 1, 577 at the Vigirima site; and another total solar eclipse at noon on May 16, 1398 at the Bum Bum site. It is concluded that the contemplation of the total eclipses of the Sun, must lead to the need for communication and recording, and lacking any type of writing, they drew the phenomenon, using the techniques and means at their disposal: engraving on rocks.

Beyond Jodrell Bank: astronomical heritage

Abstract In July, UNESCO added two very different astronomical places to its World Heritage List. Clive Ruggles explains the background to this decision and what it means for our astronomical heritage.

International Conference: Astronomical Heritage of the Middle East, Republic of Armenia National Academy of Sciences, Yerevan, Armenia, 13–17th November, 2017

International Conference: Astronomical Heritage of the Middle East, Republic of Armenia National Academy of Sciences, Yerevan, Armenia, 13–17th November, 2017