Rapid technological development leads to the creation of vast amounts of information. Many scientific fields, including astronomy, are confronted with the necessity of analyzing high-dimensional data sets. These data are obtained from both automated ground-based and space-based observational instruments, as well as from old astronomical archives. Preserving and utilizing archival astronomical data is crucial for safeguarding the rich legacy of observations accumulated at observatories over many years. Online access to extensive databases of digitized astronomical negatives and spectra is becoming available to the global scientific community. Archival digital data, alongside contemporary data, can be used for various purposes, such as determining stellar proper motions, detecting binary and multiple systems, studying the kinematic properties of astronomical objects, and so forth.
Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute (hereafter referred to as FAI) maintains a digitized archival database of photometric and spectral data, comprising over 10,000 digitized images related to various astronomical objects (planetary nebulae, Seyfert galaxies, stars, clusters, small bodies of the Solar System, and others). The observations were conducted using various instruments and methods.
Our objective is to develop an interactive software package designed to facilitate the swift and efficient extraction of numerical data from the FAI archive, followed by integration of this information into the database of the Virtual Observatory (hereafter referred to as VO). It is planned to develop an interactive interface for the analysis and visualization of data. An algorithm for identifying variable astronomical objects from archived photometric data captured with the Schmidt camera during 1960–1989, will be developed for the analysis of obtained photometric data.Optimal images from this particular series will be utilized for the analysis. The algorithm for extracting and analyzing spectral data from archival images will be developed based on spectral images of planetary nebulae. To execute this project, students and master’s students from domestic universities will also be involved.
Project goal. Development of the method and algorithms for detecting variable objects from the photometric archive, as well as extraction and analysis of own spectral digitized data with subsequent integration into the Virtual Observatory.
Project Objectives:
Task 1: The identification of new variable celestial objects using digitized photometric data from FAI, selected from among the best astro-images
Within the scope of this task, it is planned to conduct astrometric reduction for the best digitized photometric images obtained with the Schmidt camera during 1960-1989 with the aim of searching for variable celestial objects. To conduct an analysis of the nature of the brightness variations of the new variable stars (classification based on all available catalogs, the determination of periodicity elements for non-stationary objects).
Task 2: The development of a software program with an interactive interface for the processing of archive spectral data
Within the scope of this task, it is planned to develop a program that enables the handling of archival spectral data.The primary emphasis will be on an interactive interface that allows the user to easily upload, analyze, and visualize data. Utilizing modern technologies and processing methods, the program will facilitate rapid access to archives, enhance the quality of spectral research, and optimize the workflow of specialists in this field.
Task 3: The extraction of selected spectral data from the best-digitized images from the complete volume of FAI’s archives (planetary nebulae, Seyfert galaxies, and stars)
Within the scope of this task, there are plans to develop a methodology for the analysis of digitized spectral data of planetary nebulae. Subsequently, to utilize the interactive package we’ve developed for the extraction and processing of spectra selected from among the best images of the complete volume of digitized spectral data for integration into the VO database.
Conferences:
1. “Alive Universe – from Planets to Galaxies” international conference, Baku, Azerbaijan, 22-26 September 2024, Shomshekova S.A. “Spectral and photometric studies of NGC3516 in the optical range”
2. “Alive Universe – from Planets to Galaxies” international conference, Baku, Azerbaijan, 22-26 September 2024, Kim V. “Galactic population of X-ray pulsars in HMXB systems”
