May 2009 - UVAA - mailman.xmission.com

Giving away old magazines
by Richard Tenney 25 May '09

25 May '09

I'm in the mood to purge, and have a bunch of mid-90's to 2006 S&T and a few Astronomy magazines free to a good home. Let me know if you want to come pick them up, otherwise they are going into the local paper recycler. I live in Lindon (between Pleasant Grove and Orem in Utah County). 801~380~3331 /R

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Fw: Citizen Sky Workshop on epsilon Aurigae
by Richard Tenney 21 May '09

21 May '09

FYI --- On Thu, 5/21/09, aavso(a)aavso.org <aavso(a)aavso.org> wrote: > From: aavso(a)aavso.org <aavso(a)aavso.org> > Subject: Citizen Sky Workshop on epsilon Aurigae > To: retenney(a)yahoo.com > Date: Thursday, May 21, 2009, 10:55 AM > > We would like to invite you (or anyone you would like to > forward this information on to) to apply for the first > Citizen Sky workshop on epsilon Aurigae. > > Citizen Sky is a new citizen science project spearheaded by > the American Association of Variable Star Observers > (AAVSO.) For the next 3 years the project will focus > on the very interesting, very bright variable star, epsilon > Aurigae. This eclipsing variable is not very well > understood. It has an eclipse every 27.1 years and is > due for one to begin this summer - just in time for the > second half of the International Year of Astronomy! We > will be holding a workshop on epsilon Aurigae and the > Citizen Sky project in early August at the Adler Planetarium > in Chicago. It is very likely that we will have travel > grants available for workshop participants. The first > round of participant selection will take place in early > June. > > For more information or to apply for the workshop, please > visit: www.citizensky.org > Please send any questions to: aavso(a)aavso.org > > We hope to see you at the workshop! > > ========================================= > A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AAVSO > AND THE CITIZEN SKY PROJECT... > ============================== > The American Association of Variable Star Observers > (AAVSO) > www.aavso.org > > The American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) > is a non-profit worldwide scientific and educational > organization of amateur and professional astronomers who are > interested in stars that change in brightness Ñ variable > stars. The AAVSOÕs mission is: to observe and analyze > variable stars; to collect and archive observations for > worldwide access; to forge strong collaborations between > amateur and professional astronomers; and to promote > scientific research and education using variable star > data. Please visit our website to learn more about > variable stars, the AAVSO, and how you can get involved. > > Read on to learn about the new citizen science project that > the AAVSO is spearheadingÉ > ============================= > The Citizen Sky Project > www.citizensky.org > > Who are citizen scientists? Volunteers, many of whom have > no prior scientific training, who work with trained > scientific researchers to answer real-world questions. > This means YOU! > > About the Citizen Sky Project on epsilon Aurigae: > Epsilon Aurigae (eps Aur) is a bright star located in the > constellation Aurigae, the charioteer. At 3rd magnitude the > star is bright enough to be seen with the unaided eye even > in the most light polluted cities. It is well placed for > observing in the fall, winter, and spring skies (in the > early summer it is hidden by the Sun's glare). > > Every 27.1 years the star goes into an eclipse that lasts > approximately one and a half years. Then, near the > very end of the eclipse, it suddenly gains most of its > brightness back in a matter of weeks. Even after over 175 > years of scrutiny, no one knows why this happens. The > next eclipse of eps Aur is predicted to begin in August > 2009. We need you to help us collect data so that we can > better understand this star. Because the star is very > bright, it can be observed by anyone regardless of > background, training, or equipment: with just good eyesight > and a finder chart, you can monitor this eclipse. > > The AAVSOÕs Citizen Sky project welcomes anyone who has an > interest in participating! We will guide you through the > process of how to observe eps Aur, how to send us your > observations of the star, how to see your results, analyze > them, and even publish them in a scientific journal!! No > previous experience is required. We hope that this will be > the largest citizen science project in modern history that > involves real, active research! > > - Website: Our new web page will be launching in June > 2009. This site will serve as the Òhome baseÓ for > anyone interested in participating in this project. > The new Citizen Sky website will include blogs, discussion > forums, a place to submit and analyze data, training > materials, plus much more, so come visit us in June! > In the meanwhile, visit www.citizensky.org for project > announcements and information. > > - Workshops: The first Citizen Sky Project Workshop will be > held Wednesday-Friday, August 5-7, 2009 at the Adler > Planetarium in Chicago. We will kick-off the 3-day workshop > with an opening reception the evening of August 4. The > ÒstarÓ of this workshop will be epsilon Aurigae. We are > assembling an impressive group of experts to lead sessions > on topics such as: an introduction to the Citizen Sky > Project, the science of epsilon Aurigae, observing epsilon > Aurigae (visual and photometric), public outreach using the > Citizen Sky Project, using the Citizen Sky Project in the > classroom, and an introduction to basic data analysis. We > are also planning a planetarium show and possible closing > star party. > > It is very likely that in the coming weeks we will have > travel grants available for workshop participants. Travel > grants/workshop slots are only available for those who > commit to spread the word about this project in their local > community. > > If you are interested in attending please complete the > application no later than June 1, 2009 for consideration in > the first round of participant selection. Individuals > applying by June 1 will be contacted with results by June > 5. > > Applications received after June 1, 2009 will be considered > to fill any remaining slots or added to a waitlist. Those > applying after June 1 will be contacted within 1 week of > application. > > There will be a second workshop focusing on data analysis > and scientific paper writing at the California Academy of > Sciences in San Francisco during the spring of 2010. > > - Observations/Analysis: Epsilon Aurigae is an ideal target > for those interested in learning how to observe variable > stars. By following the Ten Star Tutorial available on our > website, a new observer will be trained in the technique > needed to make and report a visual variable star > estimate. Information on taking digital observations > of epsilon Aurigae will be available on the Citizen Sky > website. The AAVSO is developing data analysis software, > which will come with tutorials to help train participants in > the basics of astronomical data analysis. A special edition > of the peer-reviewed Journal of the AAVSO will be dedicated > to papers written by project participants. > > - Education and Public Outreach: The brightness of the star > provides a rare opportunity to engage the general public in > citizen science. Participants are needed to help write > newsletter and newspaper articles, prepare talks and slide > shows, develop artwork, to give talks and participate in > other forms of community outreach. Teams of interested > participants with complementary skill sets are being > assembled right now (ex: teaming up a science writer with an > illustrator) and will continue to be assembled throughout > the project. > > Everyone can play a role in the Citizen Sky Project! > Get involved and discover yours.

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A new and useful computational tool
by Richard Tenney 20 May '09

20 May '09

In case you haven't seen this yet (it was featured on NPR's science Friday last), this is a fabulous concept and a very useful web-based tool: http://www.wolframalpha.com/ Try typing in "beta centauri" for starters... Enjoy, /R

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AstroFest
by Joshua Furner 13 May '09

13 May '09

As part of our 2009 International Year of Astronomy celebration the BYU Astronomical Society and the BYU Department of Physics and Astronomy will host Astrofest on Saturday May 16 from 10 am to 4 pm. Come and join us for a day of fun astronomy activities for kids and adults of all ages at Brigham Young University (BYU). Activities will take place on the terrace in the BYU Wilkinson Center and in the Eyring Science Center at BYU, as well as some activities located outside between the two buildings. The event is free and open to the public. You can come and go as you want between 10 am and 4 pm. Activities include free planetarium shows, a spectroscopy and light show, a stellar atmospheres and gases show, and astronomy and physics demonstration shows. In addition, kids will have the opportunity to make and launch their own rockets, bake cookies in a solar oven, take a tour of the solar system, and build their own planisphere to take home so they can find constellations in the sky throughout the year. Outside we will have solar telescopes set up for viewing the Sun and a tepee where you can learn more about the Native American view of the heavens. Astrofest will host a large variety of astronomy related activities for kids of every age from 3 to 103. Bring your family and friends and enjoy the festivities. While you are here, also take time to check out the schedule of our monthly public lecture series as well as other astronomy activities that will be going on throughout the year. If you have any questions, would like more information, or would like to participate as a volunteer or presenter for Astrofest, please contact Dr. Denise Stephens at (801) 422-2167 or email her at denise_stephens(a)byu.edu. Another note, the BYU Astronomical Society will be using a Lunt LS60THa/B1200 Hydrogen alpha solar telescope that it purchased recently for solar observing. It really is worth a look. There will be a star party following Astrofest from 8-11pm on BYU campus. There is still a need for volunteers. For more information see http://www.physics.byu.edu/clubs/astrosoc/iya.aspx or contact Heather at denebstarlight(a)yahoo.com or for star party information contact me at joshuajf(a)byu.edu Thanks Joshua _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail® has a new way to see what's up with your friends. http://windowslive.com/Tutorial/Hotmail/WhatsNew?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Tutor…

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