The NAROO digitization center

Overview and scientific program

¹ Institut Polytechnique des Sciences Avancées IPSA, 63 bis Boulevard de Brandebourg, 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine, France
e-mail: vincent.robert@obspm.fr, vincent.robert@ipsa.fr
² IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 8028, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC, Univ. Lille 1, 77 avenue Denfert- Rochereau, 75014 Paris, France
³ GEPI, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 8111, Sorbonne Universités, Université de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
⁴ LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 8109, Sorbonne Universités, Université de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
⁵ Université Nice Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Service Culture et Patrimoine, CNRS UMS2202, Nice, France
⁶ SAF, Société Astronomique de France, 3 rue Beethoven, 75016 Paris, France
⁷ OSU Institut Pythéas, Observatoire de Haute-Provence, 04870 Saint-Michel-l’Observatoire, France
⁸ Central Astronomical Observatory, Russian Academy of Sciences, 65/1 Pulkovskoye Chaussee, St. Petersburg 196140, Russia
⁹ SYRTE, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 8630, Sorbonne Universités, LNE, 61 avenue de l’Observatoire, 75014 Paris, France
¹⁰ United States Naval Observatory USNO (retired), 3458 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20392, USA
¹¹ LUTH, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 8102, Sorbonne Universités, Université de Paris, 5 place Jules Janssen, 92195 Meudon, France
¹² Université Nice Côte d’Azur, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, Laboratoire Lagrange, CNRS UMR7293, Nice, France
¹³ LERMA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 8112, Sorbonne Universités, Université de Paris, 61 avenue de l’Observatoire, 75014 Paris, France

Received: 1 February 2021
Accepted: 21 April 2021

Abstract

The New Astrometric Reduction of Old Observations (NAROO) center can be found at the Paris Observatory in Meudon, and it is dedicated to the measurement of astrophotographic plates and the analysis of old observations. The NAROO digitizer consists of a granite-based Newport-Microcontrol open-frame air-bearing XY positioning table, a scientific sCMOS camera, and a telecentric optical system. The plate holder assembly is suited for mounting glass plates up to 350 mm squared. The machine positioning stability is better than 15 nm, and its repeatability is better than 40 nm. With real photographic plate data, we were able to produce measurements with an accuracy better than 65 nm. The renewed interest about photographic plates concerns the expansion of the database of transient objects evolving in time, since digitization now makes it possible to measure images with a high level of accuracy and to identify all the available objects. The information extracted from such materials can be of an astrometric, photometric, and spectroscopic nature, when not purely imaging, with consequences in planetology, near-Earth asteroid risk assessment, astrophysical phenomena, and general relativity, to mention but a few. Through our scientific program in the Gaia era, we detail examples of current and upcoming uses for the community. We invite researchers to use our facilities and digitize their collection by answering our call for proposals.