The International Astronomical Union Circulars (IAUCs) are notices that give information about astronomical phenomena. IAUCs are issued by the
International Astronomical Union's
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams (CBAT) at irregular intervals for the discovery and follow-up information regarding such objects as planetary satellites,
nova
A nova (plural novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", which is Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. Causes of the dramati ...
e,
supernova
A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or when ...
e, and
comets.
History
The first series of IAUCs was published at
Uccle during 1920–1922 when the IAU's first CBAT was located there; the first IAUC published in the present series was published in 1922 at
Copenhagen Observatory
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
after the transfer of the CBAT from Uccle to
Copenhagen.
At the end of 1964, the CBAT moved from Copenhagen to the
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) is a research institute of the Smithsonian Institution, concentrating on astrophysical studies including galactic and extragalactic astronomy, cosmology, solar, earth and planetary sciences, the ...
in
Cambridge, Massachusetts, where it remains, on the grounds of the
Harvard College Observatory (HCO).
HCO had maintained a Central Bureau for the Western hemisphere from 1883 until the end of 1964, when its staff took on the IAU's CBAT; HCO had published its own Announcement Cards that paralleled the IAUCs from 1926 until the end of 1964, but the Announcement Cards ceased publication when the IAUCs began to be issued from the same building.
Accessibility
The IAUCs are delivered via the
United States Postal Service, e-mail, and through the
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams/
Minor Planet Center
The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the official body for observing and reporting on minor planets under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Founded in 1947, it operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
Function
...
Computer Service. Most of the announcement circulars published at Cambridge, Copenhagen, and Uccle from 1895 to the present day are available for viewing via the CBAT website.
See also
* ''
Minor Planet Circular
The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the official body for observing and reporting on minor planets under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Founded in 1947, it operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
Function
...
''
* ''
Minor Planet Electronic Circular''
External links
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Iau Circular
Publications established in 1920
Astronomy data and publications
pt:Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams#Publicação