Rudolphine Tables and instructive examples for computing planetary positions. For most stars these tables were accurate to within one arc minute, and included corrective factors for atmospheric refraction. The tables were sufficiently accurate to predict a transit of Mercury observed by Pierre Gassendi in 1631 and a transit of Venus observed by Jeremiah Horrox in 1639. Rudolphine Tables The Rudolphine Tables () consist of a star catalogue and planetary tables published by Johannes Kepler in 1627, using some observational data collected by Tycho Brahe (1546–1601). The tables are named as "Rudolphine" in memory of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor. Star tables had
International Planetary Patrol Program International Planetary Patrol Program The NASA International Planetary Patrol Program consists of a network of astronomical observatories to collect uninterrupted images and observations of the large-scale atmospheric and surface features of the planets. This group was established in 1969, and consisted of the Mauna Kea Observatory, the Mount Stromlo Observatory, the Perth Observatory, the Republic Observatory, the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, the Magdalena Peak Station of the New Mexico State University, and the Lowell Observatory. The activities were coordinated by William A. Baum of Lowell Observatory. For Mars, they monitored clouds and dust storms, as well as the seasonal fluctuations