Allegheny Observatory Astrometric Program

乔治·盖特伍德博士在阿勒格尼天文台的长期天体测量项目的目标是为天体物理学上有趣的恒星群提供高精度的天体测量数据，这些恒星要么不能，要么不会用其他技术来研究。这些恒星包括那些对于CCD观测系统和FAME航天器来说太亮的恒星，以及那些运动太慢而无法被短期（5年）天体测量计划探测到的恒星。从理论上理解恒星系统的形成和演化有时需要一个长达几十年的数据库。因为它们是研究得最好的，所以明亮的恒星通常是可以研究的最有信息的例子。对三星和四星系统的研究提供了恒星和褐矮星形成和演化过程的指示，而不是行星系统的指示。对显然是单一恒星的长期运动的探测给我们提供了类似太阳系的行星系统的第一个迹象。＊＊＊

The objective of Dr. George Gatewood's long term astrometric program at Allegheny Observatory is to provide high precision astrometric data for groups of astrophysically interesting stars that either can not or will not be studied by other techniques. These include stars that are too bright for CCD observing systems and for the FAME spacecraft, as well as stars for which the motion is too slow for detection by short term (5years) astrometric programs. Theoretical understanding of the formation and evolution of stellar systems sometimes requires a data base extending over decades. Because they are the best studied, the bright stars are often the most informative examples that can be studied. The study of triple and quadruple star systems yield indications of the formation and evolution processes of stars and brown dwarfs, as opposed to that of planetary systems. Detections of the long term motions of apparently single stars are giving us the first indications of planetary systems that are similar to the Solar System. ***