On Friday afternoon Aug 2 Stellafane will host a 4 speaker session in Flanders Pavilion generally about Scientific Amateur Astronomy:
1:00 A Journey from Grinding Mirrors to Working on Hubble and the Value of Pro-Am Research
Dr. Mitchell Revalski Staff Scientist II on the WFC3 Team for Hubble All Levels
Abstract:
When I first heard that you could grind your own telescope mirror by hand, I was in disbelief. Just a few short weeks later I had my very own mirror kit from Newport Glass and began grinding a six-inch mirror while I was in elementary school. I discovered Stellafane during that time and have eagerly looked forward to the annual pilgrimage ever since. I finished my six-inch telescope with the help of my family and friends, and nearly two decades later I finally brought it to Breezy Hill where it tied for first place in the optical competition last year. In this session I’ll share my journey from those first steps in astronomy through my current role as a staff scientist for the Wide Field Camera 3 team on the Hubble Space Telescope. I’ll highlight some of the paths to a career in astronomy, and share the key roles that amateur astronomers play in making discoveries, including examples of how you and your astronomy club can contribute to astronomical research.
Bio:
Dr. Mitchell Revalski found his passion for astronomy while growing up near the Paul Robinson Observatory operated by the New Jersey Astronomical Association. The support of his family and teachers led him to pursue a bachelors in Physics at The College of New Jersey followed by doctoral degree in Astronomy from Georgia State University where he studied the impact that supermassive black holes have on their galaxies. He currently works at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore as a member of the Wide Field Camera 3 team for Hubble. Mitchell has frequented Stellafane for nearly two decades and is passionate about connecting people of all ages with the resources that they need to succeed in astronomy, so please come and say hello
2:00 PM: AAVSO Support of Supernova Early Warning System
Dr. Bert Pablo – Staff Scientist, AAVSO Intermediate
Abstract:
In the late 1980s supernova 1987A made headlines the world over as one of the first supernova in recent history to be visible to the naked eye. The amazing thing was that this star wasn't even in our galaxy. These events are crucial to our scientific understanding as we still don't know for sure what type of stars go supernova or what the lead-up process entails. For, this reason the SNEWS project was born with the goal to give forewarning on the next galactic supernova through neutrino detections. They have partnered with the AAVSO to monitor nearly 200 progenitor objects as well as be on-sky as soon as the next supernova is detected. We will discuss the state of this project, interesting results, and how you can get involved.
Bio:
Dr. Bert Pablo, earned his bachelor's degree at Vanderbilt University in 2006 and his doctorate of astrophysics in 2012 from Iowa State University under the direction of Dr. Steve Kawaler. He then worked as a postdoctoral fellow with the BRITE-Constellation project at the University of Montreal and is now the Staff Astronomer at the AAVSO. Being an astronomer was all he really wanted to do, going so far as to tell anyone who asked from age 12 on that he wanted to be an astrophysicist when grew up. He will further admit that it was another 10 years before he even really understood what the word astrophysicist meant. Bert's science interests are, unsurprisingly, in the realm of stellar variability in all its various forms. He has worked on spots, wind variability, oscillations, and even a possible planetary transit. However, his main passion has always been binary stars.
3:00 Observing Exoplanets with Amateur Equipment: How and Why
Mark Munkacsy – Umass Dartmouth Observatory Director, AAVSO Board Memeber Advanced
Abstract
Exoplanet numbers are staggering. NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has identified 7,125 candidate exoplanets, but just 430 have been confirmed (only 6%). The remaining candidates await confirmation through ground-based observation. Since few ground-based professional telescopes are dedicated to exoplanet transit observation, the community needs amateurs to help.
However, casual observing techniques lack the precision needed to measure the tiny dips in star brightness that happen when an exoplanet transits across its host's star's disk. Exotic equipment is not needed, but disciplined attention to detail is part of what enables measurement of star brightness to thousandths of a magnitude. We'll talk about the need for continuing observation of known exoplanets, opportunities to support the process of confirming candidates, some of the imaging techniques involved
in making exoplanet transit observations, and the support available from the American Association of Variable Star Observers for those amateurs who want to pursue exoplanets. And for those who want to dip their toes in the water, we'll explore exoplanet targets that are relatively easy to observe.
Biography
Mark Munkacsy expanded a childhood fascination with the night sky into the development of a backyard observatory performing autonomous observation of variable stars. Now retired from a career in systems engineering, Mark pursues astronomy mentoring opportunities with high school students, who have repeatedly amazed with their observing accomplishments. Together, Mark and his students have measured stellar parallax, found new variable stars, and measured exoplanet transit timings. As acting director of the observatory at the University of Massachusetts' Dartmouth campus, he's been extending that outreach to the university community there.
4:00 Using the new "Small Smart Telescopes" to Generate Science Intermediate
Peter Bealo – AAVSO Board Member, ATMoB member
Abstract:
The new breed of relatively inexpensive smart telescopes are wonderful "first steps" in astronomical imaging, but they provide good capabilities for generating scientifically useful images as well. We will discuss: A) What sorts of science is achievable B) How to best use these telescopes to generate scientifically relevant images and 3) How AAVSO supports their use in the study of variable stars and photometry
Bio:
Peter Bealo is a long time Stellafane attendee and amateur astronomer. He is presently Secretary of the Antique Telescope Society, Board Member of AAVSO and member of ATMs of Boston. In addition, he runs a small observatory for his local school district. He is retired from the semiconductor industry where he held various Engineering, Marketing and Project Management roles.
