Since July 1996, 815 new names on features on bodies in the Solar System have been assigned by the WGPSN and approved at the IAU General Assembly in Kyoto in 1997. Of these names, 666 were for Venus, 17 for Mars, 3 for the Moon, 125 for the Galilean satellites, 3 for the Uranian satellite Miranda, and 1 for the minor planet Ida. 71 additional names mostly on Venus have been selected and have been given or are awaiting provisional approval by the IAU Executive Committee (EC). These names are up for final approval at the next IAU General Assembly.

Small telescopes can be powerful tools for astronomical research. Many are being used by professional and amateur astronomers to do important, even frontier, research. They are also extremely valuable tools for education. This paper discusses the characteristics of such telescopes, and it makes recommendations about items such as field of view, focal length, and so on. It also discusses a few small telescopes representative of what is currently being done. Astronomy needs such facilities as much as it needs the giant telescopes. They complement each other very well.

The Working Group often overlaps in responsibilities with other Commissions, particularly with Commission 46. Some projects (e.g. TAD) may begin on the initiative of our Group but are maintained by Commission 46. TAD programmes are now running in Viet Nam and Central America and one will begin soon in Morocco. Preliminary inquiries have been received from other countries.

The idea for a Working Group (WG) on “Future Large Scale Facilities in Astronomy” grew from the Joint Discussion on this topic held on 20 August 1994, during the IAU General Assembly in The Hague. The IAU Executive Committee approved its formation in August, 1995, and Harvey Butcher was chair until the XXIIIrd General Assembly in Kyoto in 1997.

Modern astronomy has developed rapidly in the last few decades. Large telescopes, several metres in diameter, have been constructed and installed at many sites around the world, in order to carry out high-quality research work at the frontiers of astronomy. In many parts of the world, only small telescopes are available, because of budgetary limitations and the stage of development of science in the country. However, much effort has been put into using these small telescopes to the best of their capabilities. A small telescope with modern detectors can do good astronomical research. Sirindhorn Observatory, Chiang Mai University, is the only observatory in northern Thailand which plays an active role in astronomical research. The major instrument is the 40-cm Cassegrain reflecting telescope with standard wide-band and intermediate band photoelectric photometers, CCD photometers and a CCD spectrograph. Because of Thailand’s hot and humid climate, the telescopes and detectors at Sirindhorn Observatory need regular maintenance. Major research at the Observatory emphasizes the study of physical propoerties and evolution of close binary systems, especially near-contact and contact binaries, by photometric techniques. Networks in this field of research have been established through national and international collaboration with some astronomical institutes in the region. A larger telescope is being developed for more efficiency in operation; it is expected to be able to serve the future development of astronomical research in Thailand.

This paper examines ways in which those in astronomically-developing countries can begin to take part in meaningful astronomical research. It is based on a discussion paper, prepared by the author for a special session of IAU Commission 46 on 12 August 2000, and on the many comments contributed by the audience after the paper.

Radio astronomy has a major role in the study of the universe. The spiral structure of our Galaxy and the cosmic background radiation were first detected, and the dense component of interstellar gas is studied, at radio wavelengths. COBE revealed very weak temperature fluctuations in the microwave background, considered to be the seeds of galaxies and clusters of galaxies. Most electromagnetic radiation from outer space is absorbed or reflected by the Earth’s atmosphere, except in two narrow spectral windows: the visible-near-infrared and the radio, which are nearly transparent. Centimetre and longer radio waves propagate almost freely in space; observations of them are practically independent of weather. Turbulence in our atmosphere does not distort the wavefront, which simplifies the building of radio telescopes, because no devices are needed to correct for it. Observations at these wavelengths can be made in high atmospheric humidity, or where the sky is not clear enough for optical telescopes.

Simple instruments operating at radio wavelengths can be built at low cost in tropical countries, to teach students and to familiarize them with radio astronomy. We describe a two-antennae radio interferometer and a single-dish radio telescope operating at centimetre wavelengths. The Sun and strong synchrotron radio-sources, like Cassiopeia A and Cygnus A, are potential targets.

An unproductive 45-cm astronomical telescope, given by JICA (Japan) to Sri Lanka, raises general questions as to the reasons for unproductive pure science in developing countries. Before installation, site, maintenance, and scientific objectives were discussed. The facility was launched with a conference organised by the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs. Unfortunately, no research or significant education has resulted after four years. The annual operating cost is U.S. $5000 per year, including salary for a trainee, maintenance, and a modest promotional programme. Comparison with a similar installation in Auckland suggests lack of funding or technical competence do not explain the failure in Sri Lanka. The facility in New Zealand, on the roof of Auckland University’s Physics Department, has a slightly smaller budget but has led to modest but useful research and teaching. Lack of financial backing and expertise are often blamed for weak science in developing countries, but examination shows most of these countries have adequately skilled people, and plenty of resources for religion and military. General lack of motivation for science appears to be the principal reason. This lack of interest and highly inefficient bureaucracies are common to scientifically unproductive countries. They mostly lack the cultural and philosphical base of the European Renaissance that motivate the pursuit of modern science, an activity that violates human preferences. There are excellent facilities (ESO, SAAO, Cerro Tololo, and GONG) in some of these same countries, when administered from the West.

On today’s Internet, resources for astronomical research abound, and are available from wherever a connection is available. These are mostly in the form of freely accessible databases, ranging from literature services to space-mission archives. They offer instant access to the latest published data and papers, and unique opportunities for archival and innovative research. A sampling of such services will be listed, with notes on accessibility from far-flung points on the planet.

Small developing countries may not have a dark site with good seeing for an astronomical observatory or be able to afford the financial commitment to set up and support such a facility. Much of astronomical research today is however done with remote observations, such as from telescopes in space, or obtained by service observing at large facilities on the ground. Cutting-edge astronomical research can now be done with low-cost computers, with a good Internet connection to get on-line access to astronomical observations, journals and most recent preprints. E-mail allows fast easy collaboration between research scientists around the world. An international program with some short-term collaborative visits, could mine data and publish results from available astronomical observations for a fraction of the investment and cost of running even a small local observatory. Students who have been trained in the use of computers and software by such a program would also be more employable in the current job market. The Internet can reach you wherever you like to be and give you direct access to whatever you need for astronomical research.

Astronomical catalogues are powerful tools for carrying out modern theoretical and observational studies. Analysis of catalogue data enables important information to be obtained and does not require modern expensive observational techniques to reach reliable scientific results. In this paper we give some examples of such approaches and present some results of successful work with catalogues.

We have constructed a computer controlled telescope using a 0.36-m f/11 Celestron optical tube assembly for teaching and research applications. We have constructed a heavy duty fork-type equatorial mount fitted with precision machined 24 inch drive disks for both axes. These are friction driven by stepper motors through one inch rollers. We have used an open loop control system triggerable by an ST-4 CCD camera to acquire and track any target object. Our telescope can home in on any target within a range of two arc-minutes. We have employed a commercial stepper motor controller card for which we have written a user friendly pc based telescope control software in C. Photometry using a solid state photometer, and imaging by an ST-6 CCD camera are possible.

We consider that this project is suitable for those wishing to construct some parts of a telescope and understand the principles of operation. A simpler model of this telescope could use DC motors instead of stepper motors. We shall be happy to send our design diagrams and details to those interested. This project was funded by the DST, and was assisted by IUCAA, Pune.

We present small radio telescopes consisting of commercial instruments for satellite TV reception. With these radio telescopes we can observe the 12 GHz emissions from the quiet sun and solar flares. Since microwaves occurring in our environment, e.g., those from a building and a fluorescent lamp, are also detectable, such radio telescopes are useful not only for radio astronomy education but also for physics education.

In order to promote education and research in developing countries, the Japanese Government began in 1982 providing high-grade equipment within the scheme of its ODA (Official Development Assistance). Since then, for astronomical development, twelve planetaria have been donated to eleven countries and seven reflecting telescopes, with accessories, have been installed in Asian and Latin-American countries.

Astronomers in developing countries are often confronted with multiple problems of access to good equipment and access to good astronomical sites. While there is no subsititute for personal experience of using qood equipment at a good site, access to robotic telescopes can address these problems of access to some extent. This paper explores the possibilities for at least moderately experienced observational astronomers in developing countries to conduct observing programmes using remote robotic telescopes at good astronomical sites.

For the past decade, astronomers from The Citadel, The College of Charleston, the University of Nevada Las Vegas, and Villanova University have operated in Southern Arizona a 0.75-m automated telescope to obtain differential Strömgren uvby, Johnson BV, and Cousins RI photometry of a wide variety of stars. Each school averages the equivalent of about 40 nights/year of high quality photometry at a cost less than using observers. By mixing our programs we obtained observations of certain important stars on nearly every clear night they can be observed. Usually we request a star be observed only once per night. Still continuous coverage can be obtained. The stars are given priorities and scheduled using ATIS. The telescope selects targets from the groups with the highest priority by choosing the one closest to the western edge of the observing window. Some data has been analyzed by undergraduate and graduate students. We use internet to send requests for observations and to retrieve data. We believe our experiences are germane to others interested in automated photometric telescopes. We are open to the possibility of collaborations with other astronomers who are obtaining photometric and spectroscopic data. (Coauthors are: L. Boyd, R.J. Dukes Jr, E.F. Guinan, G.M. McCook and D.M. Pyper, all of the U.S.A..)

Background: Paraguay has some heritage from the astronomy of the Guarani Indians. Buenaventura Suarez S.J. was a pioneer astronomer in the country in the XVIII century. He built various astronomical instruments and imported others from England. He observed eclipses of Jupiter’s satellites and of the Sun and Moon. He published his data in a book and through letters. The Japanese O.D. A. has collaborated in obtaining equipment and advised their government to assist Paraguay in building an astronomical observatory, constructing a moving-roof observatory and training astronomers as observatory operators. Future: An astronomical center is on the horizon and some possible fields of research are being considered. Goal: To improve education at all possible levels by not only observing sky wonders, but also showing how instruments work and teaching about data and image processing, saving data and building a data base. Students must learn how a modern scientist works.