太阳射电日像仪的进步与发展

叙述了太阳射电天文和太阳物理上作出过杰出贡献的几个射电日像仪的概况及其进步与发展,并简述了未来射电日像仪可以完成的科学目标以及应具有的特点,以期为在２１世纪我国实现“一颗空间Ｘ射线卫星、一座红外太阳塔和一台射电像仪”的宏伟构想提供研制依据。     

行星天文学的重要地位及其热点

对1995年至2001年《Natue》和《Science》上发表的天文学论文的统计表明，行星天文学领域的论文数量明显超过天文学的其它分支学科，占天文学总论文数的1/3左右。从这个角度来看，行星天文学是天文学最活跃和重要的分支学科之一。对这些论文具体内容的分析可以给出当前行星天文学领域的若干热点问题。相比之下，我国对这一重要领域的关注和投入还远远不够。     

天文学中的数据挖掘和知识发现

综述了数据挖掘和知识发现在天文学中兴起的必然性及其这几年的发展状况、实现过程和具体任务。分析了当前天文数据的复杂性，介绍了天文学中数据挖掘的科学要求。系统地概括了近年来天文学中数据挖掘和知识发现领域研究的进展及其热点，并阐述了其所面临的挑战。天文学中的数据挖掘和知识发现的兴起将对天文学的发展起到巨大的推动作用，同时也在知识和技术等方面对天文学家提出了新的要求。另外，数据挖掘技术能否在虚拟天文台中成功应用，是虚拟天文台充分发挥作用的关键所在。     

The struve dynasty in the history of astronomy in Ukraine

The impact of the Struve astronomical dynasty on the development of astronomy in Ukraine in the 19th–20th centuries is studied. First of all, the role of F.G.W. Struve and O.V. Struve in the formation of astronomical research programs at the observatories at the Kharkiv, Kyiv, Odesa, and Mykolayiv, in equipping the observatories with instruments, in practical training of astronomers as well as in the organization of astronomy-geodetic expeditions (19th century). Particular attention is paid to the activity of L.O. Struve as a director of the Astronomical observatory of Kharkiv University and his works conducted together with G.A. Shajn and B.P. Gerasimovich (20th century) as well as to the impact of his scientific and public activity, including one he made as a President of IAC, on the development of astronomy in the Soviet Union and Ukraine. A range of important documents from the archives of Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of astronomy and State Archive of Ukraine are cited. The article was translated by the authors.     

The Impact of Historical Chinese Astronomical Records

The impact of Chinese historical astronomical records is important in the study of astronomy today. In particular, the impact of the Chinese records related to historical supernovae have made important contributions to modern astronomy, contributing to the rapid progress of space sciences and high-energy astrophysics made in the recent two decades. These historical records could also be of assistance in the future. In this connection, the main topics discussed in this paper are the great new star which occurred in the 14th century Before Christ (BC), the historical supernovae Anno Domini (AD) 185 and AD 393, and the new concept of the “Po star” and its application.     

The faint radio sky: radio astronomy becomes mainstream

Radio astronomy has changed. For years it studied relatively rare sources, which emit mostly non-thermal radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, i.e. radio quasars and radio galaxies. Now, it is reaching such faint flux densities that it detects mainly star-forming galaxies and the more common radio-quiet active galactic nuclei. These sources make up the bulk of the extragalactic sky, which has been studied for decades in the infrared, optical, and X-ray bands. I follow the transformation of radio astronomy by reviewing the main components of the radio sky at the bright and faint ends, the issue of their proper classification, their number counts, luminosity functions, and evolution. The overall “big picture” astrophysical implications of these results, and their relevance for a number of hot topics in extragalactic astronomy, are also discussed. The future prospects of the faint radio sky are very bright, as we will soon be flooded with survey data. This review should be useful to all extragalactic astronomers, irrespective of their favourite electromagnetic band(s), and even stellar astronomers might find it somewhat gratifying.     

The history of radio telescopes, 1945–1990

Forged by the development of radar during World War II, radio astronomy revolutionized astronomy during the decade after the war. A new universe was revealed, centered not on stars and planets, but on the gas between the stars, on explosive sources of unprecedented luminosity, and on hundreds of mysterious discrete sources with no optical identifications. Using “radio telescopes” that looked nothing like traditional (optical) telescopes, radio astronomers were a very different breed from traditional (optical) astronomers. This pathbreaking of radio astronomy also made it much easier for later “astronomies” and their “telescopes” (X-ray, ultraviolet, infrared, gamma-ray) to become integrated into astronomy after the launch of the space age in the 1960s. This paper traces the history of radio telescopes from 1945 through about 1990, from the era of converted small-sized, military radar antennas to that of large interferometric arrays connected by complex electronics and computers; from the era of strip-chart recordings measured by rulers to powerful computers and display graphics; from the era of individuals and small groups building their own equipment to that of Big Science, large collaborations and national observatories.     

射电望远镜的发展和前景

在近代科学技术发展的基础上诞生和成长起来的射电天文学已经走过了66年的历程,作为射电天文学主要探测工具的射电望远镜有了长足的进步,面临21世纪人类社会和自然科学技术包括天文学发展的挑战,射电望远镜及射电天文学将迈出新的步伐．从射电天文学和射电望远镜发展的关系、射电望远镜几个主要发展方向和目前水平、自90年代以来逐步勾画而明确起来的未来发展方向等方面阐明了射电望远镜的发展和前景,以作为我国发展新一代射电望远镜的参考．     

Astronomy in Antarctica

Antarctica provides a unique environment for astronomers to practice their trade. The cold, dry and stable air found above the high Antarctic plateau, as well as the pure ice below, offers new opportunities for the conduct of observational astronomy across both the photon and the particle spectrum. The summits of the Antarctic plateau provide the best seeing conditions, the darkest skies and the most transparent atmosphere of any earth-based observing site. Astronomical activities are now underway at four plateau sites: the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Concordia Station at Dome C, Kunlun Station at Dome A and Fuji Station at Dome F, in addition to long duration ballooning from the coastal station of McMurdo, at stations run by the USA, France/Italy, China, Japan and the USA, respectively. The astronomy conducted from Antarctica includes optical, infrared, terahertz and sub-millimetre astronomy, measurements of cosmic microwave background anisotropies, solar astronomy, as well as high energy astrophysics involving the measurement of cosmic rays, gamma rays and neutrinos. Antarctica is also the richest source of meteorites on our planet. An extensive range of site testing measurements have been made over the high plateau sites. In this article, we summarise the facets of Antarctica that are driving developments in astronomy there, and review the results of the site testing experiments undertaken to quantify those characteristics of the Antarctic plateau relevant for astronomical observation. We also outline the historical development of the astronomy on the continent, and then review the principal scientific results to have emerged over the past three decades of activity in the discipline. These range from determination of the dominant frequencies of the 5 min solar oscillation in 1979 to the highest angular scale measurements yet made of the power spectrum of the CMBR anisotropies in 2010. They span through infrared views of the galactic ecology in star formation complexes in 1999, the first clear demonstration that the Universe was flat in 2000, the first detection of polarization in the CMBR in 2002, the mapping of the warm molecular gas across the ~ 300 pc extent of the Central Molecular Zone of our Galaxy in 2003, the measurement of cosmic neutrinos in 2005, and imaging of the thermal Sunyaev Zel’dovich effect in galaxy clusters in 2008. This review also discusses how science is conducted in Antarctica, and in particular the difficulties, as well as the advantages, faced by astronomers seeking to bring their experiments there. It also reviews some of the political issues that will be encountered, both at national and international level. Finally, the review discusses where Antarctic astronomy may be heading in the coming decade, in particular plans for infrared and terahertz astronomy, including the new facilities being considered for these wavebands at the high plateau stations.     

The history of gamma‐ray astronomy

An overview of the history of gamma‐ray astronomy is given starting with predictions in the 1950s and first detections in the 1960s. Tremendous efforts have been made since then, with exciting discoveries, which finally culminated in the “Golden Age” of gamma‐ray astronomy which we are presently experiencing.     

南极洲高原介绍

南极洲高原的天文开发在过去的10年中有了显著的进展．大的天文设施已在南极(South Pole)的Amundsen-Scott站运行,更具威力的望远镜已在计划或正在那儿建设,然而由于一些重要的原因,高原站址冰穹A(Dome A)和冰穹C(Dome C)对多种天文学科似乎比南极更具有利条件．2005年1月中国对冰穹A的成功考察,加上2005年以整年运行为目的的法/意Concordia站在冰穹C的开启,已为南极洲天文学创造了激动人心的新机遇．     

A Golden Era for Astronomy: The Advent of CCDs and Infrared Arrays

The advent of solid-state imaging devices transformed astronomy. Beginning with the introduction into astronomy of charge-coupled devices in 1976, followed a decade later by infrared arrays, astronomers gained access to near-perfect imaging devices. The consequences have been nothing short of revolutionary, perhaps especially so in the infrared. Witness, for example, the spectacular pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope cameras, or the impressive infrared imagery from the 2MASS project. Within the last decade CCD formats deployed or planned for use in ground-based cameras have become huge. Infrared mosaics, stimulated by the Next Generation Space Telescope, are coming soon. In addition, new technologies such as CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductors) and STJs (Superconductiong Tunnel Junctions) are being developed and the future of astronomical detectors looks very exciting, especially in an era of giant telescopes performing at their diffraction-limit. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Comets,meteors, and eclipses: Art and science in early Renaissance Italy

Abstract— We discuss eight trecento (fourteenth century) paintings containing depictions of astronomical events to reveal the revolutionary advances made in both astronomy and naturalistic painting in early Renaissance Italy, noting that an artistic interest in naturalism predisposed these pioneering painters to make their scientific observations. In turn, the convincing representations of their observations of astronomical phenomena in works of art rendered their paintings more convincing. Padua was already a renowned center for mathematics and nascent astronomy (which was separating from astrology) when Enrico Scrovegni commissioned the famous Florentine artist Giotto di Bondone to decorate his lavish family chapel (ca. 1301–1303). Giotto painted a flaming comet in lieu of the traditional Star of Bethlehem in the Adoration of the Magi scene. Moreover, he painted a historical apparition that he recently had observed with a great accuracy even by modern standards: Halley's comet of 1301 (Olson, 1979). While we do not know the identity of the artist's theological advisor, we discuss the possibility that Pietro d'Abano, the Paduan medical doctor and “astronomer” who wrote on comets, might have been influential. We also compare Giotto's blazing comet with two others painted by the artist's shop in San Francesco at Assisi (before 1316) and account for the differences. In addition, we discuss Giotto's pupil, Taddeo Gaddi, reputed to have been partially blinded by a solar eclipse, whose calamity may find expression in his frescoes in Santa Croce, Florence (1328–1330; 1338?). Giotto also influenced the Sienese painter Pietro Lorenzetti, two of whose Passion cycle frescoes at Assisi (1316–1320) contain dazzling meteor showers which reveal that the artist observed astronomical phenomena, such as the “radiant” effect of meteor showers, first recorded by Alexander von Humboldt in 1799 and accepted only in the nineteenth century. Lorenzetti also painted sporadic, independent meteors, which do not emanate from the radiant. It is also significant that these artists observed differences between comets and meteors, facts that were not absolutely established until the eighteenth century. In addition we demonstrate that artistic and scientific visual acuity were part of the burgeoning empiricism of the fourteenth century, which eventually yielded modern observational astronomy.     

Asteroid Confusions with Extremely Large Telescopes

Asteroids can be considered as sources of contamination of point sources and also sources of confusion noise, depending whether their presence is detected in the image or their flux is under the detection limit. We estimate that at low ecliptic latitudes, ≈10,000–20,000 asteroids/sq. degree will be detected with an E-ELT like telescope, while by the end of Spitzer and Herschel missions, infrared space observatories will provide ≈100,000 serendipitous asteroid detections. The detection and identification of asteroids is therefore an important step in survey astronomy.     

Richard Christopher Carrington: Briefly Among the Great Scientists of His Time

We recount the life and career of Richard Christopher Carrington (1826??C?1875) and explore his pivotal relationship with Astronomer Royal George Biddell Airy. Carrington was the pre-eminent solar astronomer of the 19th century. During a ten year span, he determined the position of the Sun??s rotation axis and made the following discoveries: i)?the latitude variation of sunspots over the solar cycle, ii)?the Sun??s differential rotation, and iii)?the first solar flare (with Hodgson). Due to the combined effects of family responsibilities, failure to secure a funded position in astronomy (reflecting Airy??s influence), and ill health, Carrington??s productive period ended when he was at the peak of his powers.     

Astronomy from Dome A in Antarctica

Dome A in Antarctica has been demonstrated to be the best site on earth for optical, infrared, and terahertz astronomical observations by more and more evidence, such as excellent free-atmosphere seeing,extremely low perceptible water vapor, low sky background, and continuous dark time, etc. In this paper,we present a complete picture of the development of astronomy at Dome A from the very beginning, review recent progress in time-domain astronomy, demonstrate exciting results of the site testing, and address the challenges in instrumentation. Currently proposed projects are briefly discussed.     

Extragalactic Astronomy with the VLTI: a new window on the Universe

Interferometry in the optical and near infrared has so far played a marginal role in Extragalactic Astronomy. Active Galactic Nuclei are the brightest and most compact extragalactic sources, nonetheless only a very limited number could be studied with speckle interferometry and none with long baseline interferometry. The VLTI will allow the study of moderately faint extragalactic objects with very high spatial resolution thus opening a new window on the universe. With this paper we focus on three scientific cases to show how AMBER and MIDI can be used to tackle open issues in extragalactic astronomy. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The NHXM observatory

Exploration of the X-ray sky has established X-ray astronomy as a fundamental astrophysical discipline. While our knowledge of the sky below 10?keV has increased dramatically (??8 orders of magnitude) by use of grazing incidence optics, we still await a similar improvement above 10?keV, where to date only collimated instruments have been used. Also ripe for exploration is the field of X-ray polarimetry, an unused fundamental tool to understand the physics and morphology of X-ray sources. Here we present a novel mission, the New Hard X-ray Mission (NHXM) that brings together for the first time simultaneous high-sensitivity, hard-X-ray imaging, broadband spectroscopy and polarimetry. NHXM will perform groundbreaking science in key scientific areas, including: black hole cosmic evolution, census and accretion physics; acceleration mechanism and non-thermal emission; physics of matter under extreme conditions. NHXM is designed specifically to address these topics via: broad 0.5?C80 (120) keV band for imaging and spectroscopy; 20?arcsec (15 goal) Half Energy Width (HEW) angular resolution at 30?keV; sensitivity limits more than 3 orders of magnitude better than those available in present day instruments; broadband (2?C35?keV) imaging polarimetry. In addition, NHXM has the ability to locate and actively monitor sources in different states of activity and to repoint within 1 to 2?h. This mission has been proposed to ESA in response to the Cosmic Vision M3 call. Its satellite configuration and payload subsystems were studied as part of previous national efforts permitting us to design a mature configuration that is compatible with a VEGA launch already by 2020.     

中外大学天文学教材评述

大学天文学是高校天文学专业最重要的专业基础课程, 主要 讲授天文学的基础知识和发展全貌, 具有覆盖面广、知识点多的特点. 教材的质量对于帮助学生理解天文学的基本原理和方法、提高学术水平和科学素养起到关键作用. 对于非天文学专业的学生和天文爱好者, 天文学教材也是拓展科学知识和认知宇宙的重要途径. 我国的大学天文学教材建设与欧美发达国家相比在数量和质量上还有不小差距. 梳理了国内外较有代表性的大学天文学教材, 评述其特色、优势和有待改进之处, 比较中外教材在内容和写法上的异同. 通过分析国外优秀教材的编著理念、方法和技巧, 为我国未来天文学教材建设提供参考建议.     

中外大学天文学教材评述

大学天文学是高校天文学专业最重要的专业基础课程, 主要 讲授天文学的基础知识和发展全貌, 具有覆盖面广、知识点多的特点. 教材的质量对于帮助学生理解天文学的基本原理和方法、提高学术水平和科学素养起到关键作用. 对于非天文学专业的学生和天文爱好者, 天文学教材也是拓展科学知识和认知宇宙的重要途径. 我国的大学天文学教材建设与欧美发达国家相比在数量和质量上还有不小差距. 梳理了国内外较有代表性的大学天文学教材, 评述其特色、优势和有待改进之处, 比较中外教材在内容和写法上的异同. 通过分析国外优秀教材的编著理念、方法和技巧, 为我国未来天文学教材建设提供参考建议.