Restoring the Early Grazes: An International Cooperative

EffortDave Gault, Australia

andKen Coles, U.S.A.

Zane Nitzkorski’s graze project• NASA intern student reconciling current database with IOTA graze

reports from 1965 to 1990• Richard Wilds sent the IOTA files he and Don Stockbauer collected• Maybe 1/3rd of the reports are not in the current database• Current database lacks observer’s names from HMNAO records

used for the current database for events mainly in the 1970’s, although they are in the paper IOTA reports

• Zane will not be able to finish before his internship ends August 10; he’s also working on a backlog of unreduced graze data from my expeditions during the last few years

• IOTA volunteers are sought to finish the project; Ken Coles said he has students who might help with this

(slide by D. Dunham, 2007)

Scanning Process

Ken Coles

Files

Sample file

Abileah printout (1950-1971)

Scanner

Examples of restored events

Dave Gault

1. Wet astronomy

2. Wetter astronomy

3. Forensic Astronomy!

Dave's initial result

USNO 30 cm refractor

Initial location

Sleuth

• Using the GE map, can you identify the site that housed the 12" from 1962 to 1971? If you can, then I can obtain WGS84 coordinates via GE. - from email by Dave G.

40 years later

• Regarding the question of the 12".... I don't remember the telescope specifically but I do recall making some sor[t] of observation in a dome due W of the main building. It was the only time I used a telescope at the USNO. - Ron Abileah

Mystery solved

• As I remember, the 12-in. refractor was in the dome just to the east of the north-south double column of trees northwest of the main building (center of the USNO circular observatory grounds); I used it a couple of times, also, but not for a graze. In 1971, the 12-inch refractor was moved, eventually installed in the dome at the west end of the main building, where it is today. -David Dunham

The future of Astronomy