Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams

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Subscription Information

Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams

New Postal Address:
   Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
   Hoffman Lab 209
   Harvard University
   20 Oxford St.
   Cambridge, MA  02138-2902
   U.S.A.

E-mail CBATSUBS@EPS.HARVARD.EDU

The Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams and the Minor Planet Center are services of the International Astronomical Union. The former issues the IAU Circulars (IAUCs), a series of postcard notices giving information about astronomical phenomena requiring prompt dissemination, particularly novae, supernovae, comets, and unusual minor planets; the CBAT also now issues the Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams, an e-mailed source of such information. More complete information on comets and minor planets is published in the Minor Planet Circulars (abbreviated MPCs and also known as Minor Planets and Comets), which are issued by the Minor Planet Center, generally in monthly batches. The Central Bureau's Telegram service was discontinued in 1993 (though, as noted above, an "Electronic Telegram" service was begun in late 2002).

  • The Minor Planet Center issues Minor Planet Electronic Circulars in electronic form only; these MPECs are available via electronic mail (e-mail). Contact gwilliams@cfa.harvard.edu to be added to the list.

Subscriptions

Paid subscriptions continue to be a source for funding the operation of the CBAT. The SAO handled subscriptions from 1965 to 2010, but now (since Feb. 2010), this is done through the EPS Department at Harvard (see new address above, and details below).

Note that paid subscriptions are no longer accepted by the SAO. It is expected that details about the handling of subscriptions by a subscription agency will also be announced soon. Until that point (presumably sometime in the second half of 2010, payment should be made directly to the Central Bureau. It is possible now again to "wire" bank transfers from your bank to our bank, but we vastly prefer credit-card payments or payments by check. To pay by credit card or bank transfer, send an e-mail to cbatsubs@eps.harvard.edu to obtain additional information. Questions and checks for subscriptions should be sent to the new addresses at Harvard/EPS given above and below. Note that the CBAT has long had (and continues to maintain) a policy of no refunds.

Questions should be sent to the CBAT Director at the address given above. The rates are as given below, and checks can be sent to the Director at the address above, with checks payable to "Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams", in U.S. dollars and drawn on a U.S. bank. Be sure to include your 5-digit account number with any payment, and be sure to say if payment is for printed IAUCs, for electronic IAUCs/CBETs, or for both.

Current Subscription Rates

In the table below, "CS" (Computer Service) means computer access to the IAUCs and CBETs via the Web (and IAUCs and CBETs can be e-mailed to the CS subscriber). The term "IAUC" below refers to printed IAU Circulars only. Note also the section below on institutional rates: Any subscriber who allows more than four readers to have access to the electronic IAUCs should subscribe at a fair higher rate (the rates tabulated below are for license type 1 accounts [see below for definitions of license type]).

The regular (invoiced) rates in US dollars, with some examples of combinations, are as follows: 

Months   CS      IAUC    IAUC+CS  
  1     10.00    15.00     25.00  
  6     60.00    90.00    150.00  
 12    120.00   180.00    300.00

The special (uninvoiced) rates in US dollars, with some examples of combinations, are as follows: 

Months   CS      IAUC    IAUC+CS  
  1      6.00     9.00     15.00  
  6     36.00    54.00     90.00  
 12     72.00   108.00    180.00

Institutional Rates

Groups who wish to subscribe to the electronic IAUCs should subscribe at a fair higher rate (the rates tabulated above are for individuals). A licensing system has been implemented to ease the management of institutional rates. An individual license is type 1, intended for 1 to 4 readers. Other license types, listed below, are intended for more readers. A license type of N multiplies the cost of the CS by N (e.g., a type 4 license costs 4x as much as the cost quoted in the table above). 

  License type     # readers       License type     # readers
      1             1 -   4            7            91 - 130
      2             5 -  10            8           131 - 180
      3            11 -  20            9           181 - 250
      4            21 -  30           10           251 - 320
      5            31 -  60           11           321 - 400
      6            61 -  90           12           401 -
Institutions, in particular, are asked to request the appropriate license type when starting or renewing subscriptions.

Note that adjusting a license type for an existing subscription will cause the expiry date for that account to change.

Note that the CBAT maintains a policy of no refunds at any time for unused portions of subscriptions paid. For institutions that have severe financial problems for subscriptions such as this, some compromise can be worked out with the CBAT (upon request).

Enquiries

When enquiring about their accounts,

  • subscribers are kindly requested to do so:
    • by e-mail cbatsubs@eps.harvard.edu], or
    • by mail to the CBAT Director [D. W. E. Green; Hoffman Lab 209; Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences; Harvard University; 20 Oxford St.; Cambridge, MA 02138-2902; U.S.A.]
  • subscribers should mention their Account Nos., (the initial five-figure group on their address labels or invoices).

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