Feasibility Study for Application of Digitized Henize Mt. Wilson Michigan Southern Sky Hα Survey Low‐Dispersive Spectral Plates for Searches for Anomalous and Highly Redshifted Objects

ABSTRACT The goal of this study is to confirm the feasibility of the use of digitized low dispersive MtWilson Michigan Southern Sky H survey astronomical photographic plates for modern astrophysical research. The detection of highly redshifted objects, such as early galaxies and quasars, is fundamental to understanding the universe's evolution and its large‐scale structure. Archival low‐dispersion spectroscopy (LDS) plates, though lacking modern metadata, represent a rich but underutilized resource for identifying such objects. This report presents a computational method for analyzing LDS plates to detect peculiar compact, non‐dispersed features, hypothesized to correspond to objects with peculiar spectra, for example, high‐redshift sources. By focusing on localized objects with peculiar spectra limited to very narrow spectral coverage rather than typical elongated spectra, the methodology circumvents the challenges posed by incomplete plate information. The proposed approach employs image processing algorithms to identify candidates, marking them directly on the original plates for further study. Preliminary results suggest the potential of this method in uncovering scientifically valuable insights from historical observational data. This work highlights the role of computational techniques in repurposing archival materials for modern astrophysical research.