Digitization / Cataloguing of non-textual objects: Digitized Astronomical Photoplates Archive and their Virtual Observatory Integration

• Applicants: Dr. Harry Enke; Professor Dr. Ulrich Heber; Professor Dr. Jürgen H.M.M. Schmitt
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2012 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 203563695

The follow-up project intends to complete the digitization of the additional photographic plates of all institutes named in the proposal which were left out in the first project. The archive at AIP is to be extended to make all the digitized photographic plates available online, both for modern astronomy within the Virtual Observatory, and as cultural heritage via an OAI-PMH interface to Europeana. Digitized images from the Solar Observatory at the Einsteinturm will be included with catalogs. New components for processing of spectra and classification of sources will be added to the PyPlate Software which extracts modern astronomical catalogs from the digitized plates. All over, the usability of the digitized archive will be enhanced, especially for astronomy.

• DFG Programme: Cataloguing and Digitisation (Scientific Library Services and Information Systems)
• Participating Institution: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg; Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg; Astronomisches Institut; Universität Hamburg ; Fachbereich Physik ; Hamburger Sternwarte (StwB); Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP)
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Carsten Denker