Presentation

A special feature of IMCCE is the integration of research activities, both theoretical and applied, into service activities. The design and production of ephemerides, their application to services for the scientific communities and more broadly to society as a whole constitute one of the major missions of IMCCE. According to their status, the IMCCE staff dedicate all or part of their time to the realization or the application of these missions.

IMCCE is thus one of the five major international offices producing original ephemerides, within its Service des Éphémérides. The Service de calculs astronomiques et de renseignements (SCAR) of IMCCE is one of the components of this Service des Éphémérides. Requests are received on average once a day for information from the general public, for example for requests of historical nature. The IMCCE is also, through the SCAR, the single authorized interlocutor of state services (in particular gendarmerie and investigating judges) to answer to requests related to the ephemerides in the context of legal proceedings. The requisitions are addressed to the director of IMCCE.

Beyond the Service des Éphémérides, the IMCCE, like any Mixed Research Unit (UMR) of CNRS, also participates in observation duties labeled by the CNRS/INSU (National Institute of Sciences of the Universe), very often in support of the operation of space missions, or in relation to data acquired by ground-based observation networks.

Last update Friday 19 June 2020