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The evolution of adopted values for precession

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Abstract

A survey of values of the speed of general precession in longitude is presented from the time of Bessel to the adoption of the new value by the IAU in 1976 for use in the FK5 and the J2000 reference system. The important contributions of Walter Fricke to this area of fundamental astronomy are outlined.

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  1. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, 91109, Pasadena, California

    Jay H. Lieske

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Dedicated to Walter Fricke on the occasion of his 70th birthday and of his retirement as director of the Astronomisches Rechen-Institut in Heidelberg in appreciation of the insight he has given us and in anticipation of his continued research in fundamental astronomy.

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Lieske, J.H. The evolution of adopted values for precession. Celestial Mechanics 37, 209–238 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02285047

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