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| Monthly Meeting |
| Dr. Daniel W.E. Green, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics |
| Thursday, Mar 8, 2007 at 8:00 PM |
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| Enjoy a bit of astronomy history this month as we welcome Dr. Daniel W.E. Green, Astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Editor of International Comet Quarterly, and Director of The Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams (CBAT). CBAT is the official international clearing house for information related to astronomical events like new comets, novae, supernovae, and solar system satellites. In astronomy, it is often of great importance that information about a transient phenomenon noted by one observation be disseminated as rapidly as possible so that others can investigate that phenomenon while it is active, a period that is sometimes mere days, hours or less. When the organization first formed over a century ago, it literally used telegrams to notify interested parties of these discoveries, but now CBAT uses the most modern communication methods.
Dr. Green, in his talk entitled “The History of the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams,” will discuss the development of this central international office for collecting, verifying and announcing newly discovered astronomical objects. Next year will be the 125th Anniversary of Harvard Observatory’s designation as the site of astronomical-discovery announcements for the western hemisphere, and this year is the 125th Anniversary of the international Central Bureau. The European and Harvard offices merged into a single center located at Harvard College Observatory in 1965. Dr.Green succeeds Dr. Owen Gingerich and Dr. Brian Marsden as Director of the Central Bureau.
CBAT also maintains a Recent Comet Magnitudes Page which serves as a link between the work of amateur astronomers and the professional astronomical community. Many of you may already be familiar with this aspect of CBAT. Made an astronomical discovery or report lately? CBAT is the place to do it.
Please join us for a pre-meeting dinner discussion at Changsho, 1712 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA at 6:00pm before the meeting. |
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