Accurate Photometry with Digitized Photographic Plates of the Moscow Collection

Sokolovsky, K. V.; Zubareva, A. M.; Kolesnikova, D. M.; Samus, N. N.; Antipin, S. V.; Belinski, A. A.

doi:10.1017/s174392131800296x

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…We found that the response of the scanner to transmitted light requires an expanded scale, but when that is calibrated out, the data faithfully reproduce values over a density and log intensity range approaching 2.0. Independent scans reduced for stellar photometry are consistent at the fewpercent level, and stars of intermediate brightness near the center of the field are measured for brightness to better than 8% based on matches to Gaia and SDSS photometry, a result that is consistent with Sokolovsky et al (2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

“…A number of earlier investigations have attempted to use flatbed scanners to digitize astronomical plates, many of which have been concerned with astrometric measurements of stars (e.g., Vicente et al 2007). Other studies have been primarily concerned with photometric measurements (Lamareille et al 2003;Pakuliak et al 2012;Sokolovsky et al 2019). These photometry-focused studies have typically reported internal photometric precision of order 0.1 mag-a result that provides context for our analysis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Precise Photometric Measurements from a 1903 Photographic Plate Using a Commercial Scanner

Cerny

Chapman

Glusman

et al. 2021

PASP

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We demonstrate the feasibility of determining magnitudes of stars on archival photographic plates using a commercially available scanner. We describe one photometric approach that could serve as a useful example for other studies. In particular, we measure and calibrate stellar magnitudes from a 1903 photographic plate from the Yerkes Observatory collection, and demonstrate that the overall precision from our methods is better than 0.10 mag. Notably, these measurements are dominated by intrinsic plate noise, rather than noise introduced through the scanning/digitization process. The low expense of this approach expands the scientific potential to study variable stars in the archives of observatory plate collections. We use the serendipitous discovery of a candidate transient at photographic magnitude pg = 16.60 in the spiral galaxy NGC 7331 to illustrate our photometric methods. If this unknown source is a supernova, it would represent the fourth known supernova in NGC 7331.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Precise Photometric Measurements from a 1903 Photographic Plate Using a Commercial Scanner

Cerny

Chapman

Glusman

et al. 2021

PASP

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show abstract

“…An example of a program similar to ours is the scanning effort for the Sternberg Institute's astrograph (Kolesnikova et al 2008;Sokolovsky et al 2017): similar plate scale, field of view, and magnitude limit. These authors also used a flatbed scanner and successfully applied their methods to measure light curves for variable stars on a large time series of plates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…In the first, the pixel values within an individual star image are combined to form a measure (or photometric parameter) that is sensitive to the magnitude of the star, and the nonlinearity in the flux is accounted for by correcting the photometric parameters to match the magnitudes of calibration stars within the field. Examples of this method include Russell et al (1990); Lasker et al (2008); DASCH, Laycock et al (2010); and Sokolovsky et al (2017). In the second approach, the pixel values are corrected before their summation to form a measure of stellar flux guided by some constraint, for example, that the point-spread function should look the same for faint-star profiles and for bright-star profiles.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digitization, Measurement, and Analysis of a 1905 Barnard Atlas Photographic Plate

Glusman¹,

Boegen²,

Cerny³

et al. 2022

PASP

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In the second paper in this series, we improve on our previous demonstration of the ability of a commercially available graphic arts scanner and cost-effective analysis tools to produce scientifically useful scans of astronomical photographic plates. We describe a method using freely available tools to extract magnitude measurements from the star images on sky-survey plates, such as are stored in observatory archives around the world. We detail the use of this method on one plate in particular, Plate 8 in E. E. Barnard’s A Photographic Atlas of Selected Regions of the Milky Way, examine the effects of our scanning method on our magnitude measurements, discuss the difficulties encountered when measuring the magnitudes of stars in crowded fields, and present a case study of red supergiant stars appearing within the field. Our work results in a catalog of more than 66,000 measurements of stellar positions and magnitudes in the central 6.°8 × 6.°8 field of view.

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Astronomy’s Photographic Glass Plates: Demonstrating Value Through Use Cases

Whitten,

Boegen,

Levine

et al. 2024

ISTL

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Astronomy's extensive collections of photographic glass plates contain historical images and spectra of celestial objects, documenting more than a century of the observable cosmos. Many reveal changes, both sudden (explosive), periodic, or gradual (evolutionary), which is material of immense interest for time-domain studies because of the long time-base they cover. Those early photographic observations also furnished all the basic data which supported our early understanding of the universe, and from which modern stellar classifications have been derived. Once the ubiquitous workhorse detector, plates or film are now replaced by electronic detectors, and systems are modified to take advantage of advances in telescope technology. This change poses challenges of preservation and accessibility for the plates, leading administrators to question the usefulness of the older materials in relation to the cost of their care and preservation. The following paper details many examples of reusing or re-purposing those plates, demonstrates their unique value to modern astronomy and the history of science, and makes a strong case for committing resources towards their long-term preservation and ultimately their comprehensive digitization.

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Accurate Photometry with Digitized Photographic Plates of the Moscow Collection

Cited by 3 publications

References 18 publications

Precise Photometric Measurements from a 1903 Photographic Plate Using a Commercial Scanner

Precise Photometric Measurements from a 1903 Photographic Plate Using a Commercial Scanner

Digitization, Measurement, and Analysis of a 1905 Barnard Atlas Photographic Plate

Astronomy’s Photographic Glass Plates: Demonstrating Value Through Use Cases

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