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J. A. Bangert, G. H. Kaplan, J. L. Hilton (USNO), C. Y. Hohenkerk, S. A. Bell (H.M. Nautical Almanac Office, Rutherford Appleton Lab.)
The Astronomical Almanac (AsA) must satisfy the needs of a variety of users around the world, who represent a wide range of interests and sophistication levels. The book, prepared jointly by the US and UK nautical almanac offices, is based to the greatest extent possible on IAU-endorsed and other internationally recognized standards. Many users expect that the general content and format of the AsA will remain the same from year to year. Thus, changes to the AsA are made as infrequently as possible, and only after careful deliberation. The IAU resolutions on reference systems and Earth rotation adopted in 2000 represent a significant change in approach for both subject areas. To implement these resolutions in the content of the AsA, both the reference data and algorithms used must be changed, and some new tabulations added. Data in the ``IAU 2000 paradigm" will not replace data provided in the traditional or ``classical" paradigm until the needs of the user community dictate that such a change is warranted. General criteria that determine when changes are introduced into the AsA will be reviewed. Specific changes to the AsA needed to implement the IAU 2000 resolutions will be described, and several remaining issues will be discussed. These changes will be introduced beginning in the AsA for 2006, currently in preparation.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #2
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