"Michael McCollum - Thunderstrike" - читать интересную книгу автора (McCollum Michael)

result, the process was virtually untouched by human hands.

In the last quarter of the twenty-first century, an observatoryтАЩs computers pointed its telescopes and
directed them to track the stars through the sky. The computers controlled viewing times and exposures,
recorded the data, and produced the reports. Sometimes while analyzing data, the computers chanced
upon discoveries unrelated to the objects under study. When this happened, they sought the attention of
the human staff.

Thus, it was that Amber Hastings was monitoring the big telescope when the observatoryтАЩs computer
signaled for her attention.

тАЬWhat is it?тАЭ she asked, stifling a yawn.

тАЬI have an asteroid/comet discovery report,тАЭ the machine said in its too perfect baritone. тАЬDo you wish to
review it now?тАЭ

тАЬMight as well,тАЭ she replied. тАЬI donтАЩt get off duty for four more hours.тАЭ

As the most junior of Farside ObservatoryтАЩs staffers, Amber had been assigned as Intra-System
Specialist, which meant that she was in charge of confirming and recording new sightings of comets and
asteroids. In her three years with the observatory, she had checked out half-a-thousand sightings. The
excitement had long since worn off.

The screen in front of her lit to show a starfield. She recognized Open Cluster NGC 2301, which had
been the subject of a long observation program two weeks earlier. Surrounding the cluster was a thicket
of stars. Amber let her gaze sweep quickly across the screen. At first, she saw nothing out of the
ordinary. Then her eyes were drawn to the lower right hand corner of the screen. There she found a dim
smudge of light.

тАЬThat it?тАЭ she asked as she reached out to touch the image with her finger.

тАЬAffirmative,тАЭ the computer responded. тАЬThis frame was taken ten days ago at 13:12:15 UTтАЭ

Amber read off the objectтАЩs position data, noting that it was nearly in the plane of the ecliptic and off in
the direction of Monoceros. тАЬWhat makes you think itтАЩs a comet? That area is near the Rosette Nebula
and that big patch in Orion.тАЭ

тАЬThe spectrum is that of a typical comet coma shining by reflected sunlight.тАЭ

тАЬDopplered?тАЭ

тАЬYes.тАЭ

тАЬHow far?тАЭ

тАЬSufficient to indicate a velocity of 10 km/sec inbound along the observation vector.тАЭ

тАЬInteresting,тАЭ Amber mused. тАЬSize estimate?тАЭ

тАЬNone.тАЭ