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

In the last quarter of the twenty-first century, an observatoryТs 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
observatoryТs computer signaled for her attention.
УWhat is it?Ф she asked, stifling a yawn.
УI have an asteroid/comet discovery report,Ф the machine said in its too perfect
baritone. УDo you wish to review it now?Ф
УMight as well,Ф she replied. УI donТt get off duty for four more hours.Ф
As the most junior of Farside ObservatoryТs 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.
УThat it?Ф she asked as she reached out to touch the image with her finger.
УAffirmative,Ф the computer responded. УThis frame was taken ten days ago at
13:12:15 UTФ
Amber read off the objectТs position data, noting that it was nearly in the
plane of the ecliptic and off in the direction of Monoceros. УWhat makes you
think itТs a comet? That area is near the Rosette Nebula and that big patch in
Orion.Ф
УThe spectrum is that of a typical comet coma shining by reflected sunlight.Ф
УDopplered?Ф
УYes.Ф
УHow far?Ф
УSufficient to indicate a velocity of 10 km/sec inbound along the observation
vector.Ф
УInteresting,Ф Amber mused. УSize estimate?Ф
УNone.Ф
УDistance estimate?Ф
УNone. This is the sole view of the object.Ф
Amber nodded. One of the great frustrations of astronomers was the lack of a
method for determining distance from a single photograph. To triangulate an
objectТs position, it was necessary to obtain two views from widely separated
points, or three views taken at different times from a single vantage point.
Amber noted the details of the original sighting, including the fact that only
one-quarter of The Big EyeТs 400 mirrors had been active. It was not unusual for
the telescope to be split into three independent clusters, each of which would
then study a different section of sky. Indeed, it was this ability to pursue
multiple observations that enabled Farside Observatory to keep up with demand.
Even so, the waiting list for the big telescope was a long one.