Astrophysics with Low Dispersion Spectra, ESA Gaia, and Inheritance of NASA Astronaut Karl Henize

Presentation duration: 15 minutes

Presenter: Rene Hudec

The ESA satellite Gaia to be launched in 2012 will deliver mostly astrometric data but there will be also photometric data from BP/RP photometers. These will represent ultra-low dispersion spectra analogous to those obtained in the past by low dispersion objective prisma sky surves with photographic plates. We will refer on the NASA Astronaut Henize H-alpha southern survey plate collection and will show that this database is important for ESA Gaia as it confirms the existence of extremely strong emissions accessible by Gaia BP/RP.

L. Hudec