ISSN:
1572-9478
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
Abstract The Danjon astrolabe, first designed for the determination of time and latitude, has been used successfully for the improvement of star catalogues. From the very beginning of the ‘sixities, it has also been used for planetary observations. From that time, systematic campaigns have been performed in various observatories and all major planets have been observed. The accuracy is of the same order of magnitude as that obtained with other instruments working in the field of positional astronomy. In this case, the instrument can contribute, by means of, meridian circles and astrographs to increase the available amount of observations for the purposes of celestial mechanics. Such observations for theories and ephemerides, issued from their improvements, would be of interest, the errors of the present ones being of the order-in some cases-of one arc-second, determined at the precision of a tenth of this value. Several improvements of the astrolabe have been taken into account such as the one which allows observations at different zenith distances. The length of arcs of trajectory for planets will increase and, with an adequate plate, it is now possible to observe the Sun. All the improvements, including a photoelectric device, will contribute to increasing the capability and the accuracy of the astrolabe, which is of interest in the field of planetary observations. Such a contribution, as well as those from the other classical instruments, will serve as a reference for the new technics such as radioastrometry, interferometry and space astrometry. This review paper must be considered as the contribution of the astrolabe to the various fields in which astrometry has to work at the present time.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01228754
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