|
|
Understanding the physics of celestial objects relies heavily on observations
of change. Short-term changes can be studied through new observations, but
what of changes that happen slowly over decades, sometimes almost
imperceptibly, occasionally violently, often serendipitously?
|
|
Astronomy has rich archives of data --
Nearly a million observations, spanning almost 100 years
A fantastic resource for data-mining, complementing modern research
Important not only for astronomy but also for Earth Sciences.
|
|
|
These observations are on photographic plates, and the information they contain
is non-digital -- not compatible with modern methods. Today the plates are a
neglected resource, and they are steadily deteriorating.
|
|
An international group is trying to establish an international plate-scanning
laboratory, known as the Spectroscopic Virtual Observatory (SVO).
The team will act to rescue, preserve, catalogue and digitize these
plates, and will generate a public database of ready-to-use spectra for
worldwide research.
|
|
World Spectra Heritage (WSH) is a not-for-profit corporation established to set
up and operate the Spectroscopic Virtual Observatory.
|
|
|
History, Rationale, Project details
|
|---|
