BULGARIAN VIRTUAL OBSRVATORY

Virtual observatory is a collection of integrated astronomical data archives and software tools that utilize computer networks to create an environment in which research can be conducted. The VO consists of a number of data centres each with unique collections of astronomical data, software systems and processing capabilities. Astronomical data are compiled from many observations in a variety of wavelengths—optical, radio, infrared, gamma ray, X-ray and more. In a virtual observatory environment, all of this data is integrated so that it can be synthesized and used in a given study.

The Astronomical Virtual Observatory (AVO)  aims could been outlined as follow:

·       To provide comparative analysis of large sets of multiwavelength data

·       To reuse of data collected by a single source

·       To provide uniform access to data

·       To make data available to less-advantaged communities

·       To be an educational tool

Main purpose of the project Bulgarian Virtual Observatory is Bulgaria to take its place amongst the leading astronomical institutions in the world. For the purpose above POSTGRESQL will be installed on the server of BG-VO and SAADA tools to transform our FITS files in standard format for VO-tools.

Reducing all our data to the common system accepted from the European virtual observatory and International virtual observatory Alliance, constructing good working data server and using unified astrophysical tools for analysis of astrophysical data are the main purposes of this project facing to the future.

Such kinds of task never finish – they are all the time opened for updates, upgrades, adding new ideas, enrichment of the data bases with new astronomical data etc.  

In its work the team of the project will use interdisciplinary approach, forcing the forming of topical working groups, according to the science problem. They will do the manhunt, the processing and the publication online of the base arrays of data and developments of the problem. Goal of the project is all observational data and documents stored up in our plate archives, private documentary collections, photographs, unpublished or hard accessible issues, attainment of academic rank Works papers, monographs and  dissertations of bulgarian scientists that had worked in the area of the astronomy to become public. Materials will receive practical enclosure in the exploratory activity by performances of contemporary software applications, hardware for scan and treatment of information, webs-servers etc. In different phases in the project PhD students will be included. The scientific project puts its following specific targets: Making uniform information array with  data for bulgarian astronomic surveys; Facilitating the access to all the possible sources for students, PhD students, teachers and science workers from Bulgaria and foreign country; Specifying basic directions of development of the  bulgarian astronomical science; Digitizing, electronically publishing as well analysis of resources that have the proved scientific value; Saving original worthwhile sources for the development of the contemporary bulgarian society by their publication in a electronic sort.

Among the awaited result are: Bettering the conditions on work with archival observational data by digitizing and publishing in internet; Using and examination to methodology for digitizing specifically different; Facilitating the opportunities for auditing and estimation of the scientific achievement; Creation of a online medium for exchange of data, theoretical and model treatments etc.; Sharing science themes and their exploratory skills; Raising practical skills of PhD students and expansion their knowledge by work in digitization and electronic publication of scientific resource; Performance and expansion of electronic education in the educational procedure for PhD students and students; Increasing the exploratory capacity of the Institute at astronomy and the interested task forces – Universities of Sofia, Plovdiv, Shumen etc; Publishing of the general report as Practical guide for Virtual observatory , DVD with digitized resources and software; The web-web site of the project etc.

 During the work an Bulgarian terminology of Virtual observatory specification will be checked and distributed amongst our astronomical community.

 

Sofa, 10.10.2010                                                                                                                                                     G. Petrov