Method for Automated Digital "Blinking" Of Photographic Plates

Thomas A. McGlynn; Edwin L. Turner

doi:10.1117/12.959802

21 November 1980 Method for Automated Digital "Blinking" Of Photographic Plates

Thomas A. McGlynn, Edwin L. Turner

Proceedings Volume 0264, Applications of Digital Image Processing to Astronomy; (1980) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.959802
Event: 1981 Los Angeles Technical Symposium, 1980, Los Angeles, United States

Abstract

The Princeton PDS microdensitometer has been used in a novel manner to automatically blink plates. The plates are photometrically calibrated using the known brightness profile of certain galaxies in the field to provide the density-brightness relation for the plates. All objects present on the plate are catalogued. This procedure is repeated for another plate and the catalogues for the two plates are compared to determine objects which have changed significantly in luminosity between the plates. These objects are then checked visually to eliminate the effects of plate flaws and to determine if the luminosity change is the result of a physical change in the object. This technique has been used to search for supernovae in clusters of galaxies, particularly Coma. No supernovae have yet been detected but the objective nature of the search technique permits the calculation of well-defined upper limits on the supernovae rate.

Citation Download Citation

Thomas A. McGlynn and Edwin L. Turner "Method for Automated Digital "Blinking" Of Photographic Plates", Proc. SPIE 0264, Applications of Digital Image Processing to Astronomy, (21 November 1980); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.959802

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