The Astronomer's Telegram

The Astronomer's Telegram
Type of site
science
EditorRobert E. Rutledge
URLhttp://www.astronomerstelegram.org

The Astronomer's Telegram (ATel) is an internet-based short-notice publication service for quickly disseminating information on new astronomical observations.[1][2] Examples include gamma-ray bursts,[3][4] gravitational microlensing, supernovae, novae, or X-ray transients, but there are no restrictions on content matter. Telegrams are available instantly on the service's website, and distributed to subscribers via email digest within 24 hours.[citation needed]

The Astronomer's Telegram was launched on 17 December 1997 by Robert E. Rutledge[5][6] with the goal of rapidly (<1 s) sharing information of interest to astronomers. Telegrams are sent out daily by email, but especially time sensitive events can be transmitted instantly.[7] Since 2013, information is also broadcast over Twitter and Facebook.[citation needed]

To publish, astronomers request credentials. Credentials are issued to professional astronomers and graduate students, after verification by personal contact.[6] Once credentials have been supplied and telegrams authorized, astronomers can publish telegrams directly, with no further editing.[8]

As of August 2019, over 13000 telegrams have been published.

  1. ^ Rutledge, R. (June 1998). "The Astronomer's Telegram: A Web-based Short-Notice Publication System for the Professional Astronomical Community". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 110 (748): 754–756. arXiv:astro-ph/9802256. Bibcode:1998PASP..110..754R. doi:10.1086/316184. ISSN 0004-6280.
  2. ^ Michael J. Way; Jeffrey D. Scargle; Kamal M. Ali; Ashok N. Srivastava (29 March 2012). Advances in Machine Learning and Data Mining for Astronomy. CRC Press. pp. 50–. ISBN 978-1-4398-4173-0.
  3. ^ Gamma signature, Astronomer's Telegram cast light on dazzling blazar,Symmetry, 30 April 2009
  4. ^ Josep M. Paredes; Olaf Reimer; Diego F. Torres (12 November 2007). The Multi-Messenger Approach to High-Energy Gamma-Ray Sources: Third Workshop on the Nature of Unidentified High-Energy Sources. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 5–. ISBN 978-1-4020-6117-2.
  5. ^ Mark R. Kidger; I. Pérez-Fournon; Francisco Sánchez (1999). Internet Resources for Professional Astronomy: Proceedings of the IX Canary Islands Winter School of Astrophysics. CUP Archive. pp. 24–. ISBN 978-0-521-66308-3.
  6. ^ a b Fox, Derek B. "A Transient Astronomy "Free for All" at The Astronomer's Telegram". Caltech. VO Events Meeting. Archived from the original (ppt) on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  7. ^ Rutledge, Robert E. (1 June 1998). "The Astronomer's Telegram: A Web-based Short-Notice Publication System for the Professional Astronomical Community". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 110 (748): 754–756. arXiv:astro-ph/9802256. Bibcode:1998PASP..110..754R. doi:10.1086/316184.
  8. ^ "Policies". Astronomer's Telegram. Retrieved 8 May 2013.