Astronomical photographic data archives: Recent status

Abstract

© 2019 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim I briefly present and discuss the recent status (with emphasis on digitization and data access) of astronomical photographic data archives worldwide, both photometric and spectroscopic, including various digitization techniques, automated data evaluation pipelines, astrophysical use, and public access. Although there are two major astronomical plate digitization projects (Harvard DASCH USA and APPLAUSE representing German Bamberg, Potsdam and Hamburg plate collections), the majority of astronomical photographic data archives are still awaiting digitization. Numerous plate archives have been visited, and in many of them, the glass plates are affected by various degradation types such as gold decease, sometimes progressing so fast that digitization is of great importance, taking into account the enormous scientific value of these databases.