Information Handling in Astronomy - Historical Vistas (Astrophysics and Space Science Library (285))

This book is dedicated to the memory of Gisèle Mersch whose life ended prematurely in June 2002. Back in the 1970s, when few people were using them, Gisèle introduced me to the arcane secrets of then advanced m- tivariate statistical methodologies. I was already involved in more classical statistical studies undertaken at Paris Observatory with Jean Jung: developing and applying maxim- likelihood algorithms to stellar photometric and kinematic data in order to derive absolute luminosities, distances and velocities in the solar neighb- hood. But what could be envisaged with those methodologies was something of another dimension: for the first time, I could really see how to extract information from massive amounts of data without calling for elaborated physical or mechanical theories. Several pioneering applications were developed under Gisèle’s guidance and with her collaboration to study the delicate interface between spect- scopic and photometric data. Thus errors in spectral classifications were investigated as well as predictions of spectral classifications from pho- metric indices (see Heck 1976, Heck et al. 1977, Heck & Mersch 1980 and Mersch & Heck 1980), with very interesting results for the time. Gisèle also took part in studies of period determination algorithms (see Mersch & Heck 1981, Manfroid et al. 1983 and Heck et al. 1985). Half a Century of Intense Maturation....Pages 1-13 Evolution of Time Measurement in Astronomy....Pages 15-34 Evolution of Data Processing in Optical Astronomy — A Personal Account....Pages 35-60 IHAP: Image Handling and Processing System....Pages 61-70 FITS: A Remarkable Achievement in Information Exchange....Pages 71-87 The Munich Image Data Analysis System....Pages 89-107 AIPS, the VLA, and the VLBA....Pages 109-125 Changes in Astronomical Publications During the 20th Century....Pages 127-137 The Evolution and Role of the Astronomical Library and Librarian....Pages 139-155 The Development of the Astronomy Digital Library....Pages 157-182 From Early Directories to Current Yellow-Page Services....Pages 183-205 Pre-College Astronomy Education in the United States in the Twentieth Century....Pages 207-231 The Birth and Evolution of the Planetarium....Pages 233-247 The Changing Role of the IAU in Providing and Organizing Information....Pages 249-266 Was the Carte du Ciel an Obstruction to the Development of Astrophysics in Europe?....Pages 267-273 Amateur Data and Astronomical Discoveries in the 20 th Century....Pages 275-294 "This book offers a unique review of how astronomical information handling (in the broad sense) evolved in the course of the 20th century, and especially during its second half. This volume is a natural complement to the book 'Information Handling in Astronomy' published in the same series. The scope of these two volumes includes not only dealing with professional astronomical data from the collecting instruments (ground-based and space-borne) to the user/researchers, but also publishing, education and public outreach. In short, the information flow in astronomy is thus illustrated from sources (cosmic objects) to end (mankind's knowledge)." "This book will be very useful for researchers, teachers, editors, publishers, librarians, computer scientists, sociologists of science, research planners and strategists, project managers, public-relations officers, plus those in charge of astronomy-related organizations, as well as for students aiming at a career in astronomy or related space science."--Jacket This book offers a unique review of how astronomical information handling (in the broad sense) evolved in the course of the 20th century, and especially during its second half. This volume is a natural complement to the book Information Handling in Astronomy published in the same series. The scope of these two volumes includes not only dealing with professional astronomical data from the collecting instruments (ground-based and space-borne) to the users / researchers, but also publishing, education and public outreach. In short, the information flow in astronomy is thus illustrated from sources (cosmic objects) to end (mankind's knowledge). This book will be very useful for researchers, teachers, editors, publishers, librarians, computer scientists, sociologists of science, research planners and strategists, project managers, public-relations officers, plus those in charge of astronomy-related organizations, as well as by students aiming at a career in astronomy or related space science.