Automated astrographic plates measuring process

The astrographic plates measuring process applied at the Astronomical Observatory of Valencia has been described.The measure of astrographic plates of our minor planets observation programme has been carried out by means of a binocular microscope with a photometer, held by a personal computer through an interface. The process of measure in each position of the plate holder is automated, once two stars are selected and the sequence of the objects to be measured is defined.The process will be improved in the next future, by the substitution of the searching device (a photometer) by a CCD camera plus a digitizer board.Paper presented at the 11th European Regional Astronomical Meetings of the IAU on New Windows to the Universe, held 3–8 July, 1989, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.