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astronomical object

vr.tr.astronomical-object · thing-q6999

Let an agent handle astronomical objects by class, designation, position and physical properties, and separate catalogue identity from physical nature.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems PHY.SPC
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Identity Names and designations.

Designations

Catalogue identifiers.

Designations held

All designations and the preferred one.

  1. Which designations identify this object? provenance
  2. Which name is officially recognised by the IAU? provenance

Class

What kind of object.

Classification

The physical class.

  1. What kind of object is it? definition
  2. How certain is the classification? measurement
Position and motion Where it is.

Position

Coordinates.

Coordinates

The coordinates and epoch.

  1. What are its coordinates, in which frame and epoch? measurement
  2. How precise are they? measurement

Motion

Proper motion and orbit.

Motion data

Motion or orbital elements.

  1. How does it move, or what is its orbit? measurement
  2. Could it approach the Earth? boundary
Physical properties Distance, size and composition.

Distance and size

How far and how big.

Distance and size

The distance and size estimates.

  1. How far away is it, and by which method was that measured? measurement
  2. How large and massive is it? measurement

Composition

What it is made of.

Composition

Composition from spectra or samples.

  1. What is it made of, and how is that known? measurement
  2. What is its temperature or luminosity? measurement
Observation How to see it.

Visibility

When and where it can be seen.

Observability

Magnitude and visibility windows.

  1. How bright is it, and when is it visible from a given place? measurement
  2. What instrument is needed? definition

Data

Archives and surveys.

Data sources

Surveys and archives holding data.

  1. Which surveys and archives hold data on this object? provenance
  2. How current are they? provenance

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
PHY
Domain
PHY.SPC
Other names and narrower kinds
fusor, interstellar cloud, astronomical object in the Solar System, galaxy filament, extended green object, artificial celestial body, galactic rim, bipolar outflow, galactic center, false companion, co-orbital object, blackhole candidate

What it is Filled

A naturally occurring physical body, association or structure in the observable universe, such as a star, planet, moon, asteroid, comet, nebula or galaxy.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent handle astronomical objects by class, designation, position and physical properties, and separate catalogue identity from physical nature.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Natural; artificial satellites are a separate category
  • Identified by designations in catalogues, often several at once
  • Classified by physical nature: star, planet, galaxy and others
  • Position given in celestial coordinates with an epoch

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Merge two catalogue objects into one record because their names are alike.
  • Present an unconfirmed impact risk as certain or dismiss an official warning.
  • Present a commercially sold name for an object as an official designation.

Only with a human decision

  • Publishing or amplifying an impact risk assessment to the public.

May

  • Report positions, designations and properties of objects from official catalogues, with epoch and source.
  • Distinguish catalogue entries that share similar names.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Public trust in science suffers when sky objects are used for scares or for sale.

Who is affected

  • The public
  • Astronomers relying on catalogues

Owners Filled

Steward

Nobody owns them; the international astronomical community names and catalogues them.

Master systems

  • International astronomical catalogues and minor planet records

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q223557 - registry parent class

related

  • star and planet - major classes with their own entries
  • astronomy - the discipline
  • International Astronomical Union - naming authority
  • artificial satellite - human-made objects are different

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.astronomical-object
  • Wikidata: Q6999 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6999)
  • SIMBAD identifier: catalogue designations cross-identifies objects
  • IAU Minor Planet number: numeric asteroids and other small bodies

Direct properties required Filled

  • distance: from 384,000 km to over 10 billion light years distance
  • mass: from grams to 10^15 solar masses mass - meteoroids to galaxy clusters

Recognition required Filled

  • Point sources versus extended sources
  • Motion against the stars for Solar System objects
  • Catalogue designations such as M31, NGC 224, HD 209458
  • From a point of light to an extended glowing cloud or a spiral of stars; many objects are only visible outside the visible spectrum.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • observe it, with telescopes across the spectrum
  • catalogue it, with designations and coordinates
  • measure it, for distance, mass, size and composition
  • name it, through the International Astronomical Union

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Merging different catalogue objects with similar names
  • Using coordinates without the epoch
  • Near-Earth object impact risk, handled by planetary defence

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • IAU naming rules and resolutions
  • ICRS celestial reference system
  • Outer Space Treaty on use and appropriation

Context of use required Filled

  • Organising what exists beyond the Earth atmosphere for observation, navigation and science.
  • stars and stellar remnants
  • planets, dwarf planets and moons
  • small bodies: asteroids, comets, meteoroids
  • nebulae and interstellar clouds
  • galaxies and clusters

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q6999: astronomical object - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Astronomical object - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should catalogue objects be registered as instances with cross-identifiers?
  • How should objects with uncertain classification be represented?
  • Which coordinate epoch should the registry use?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q6999/spec.json