Amateurs still make significant
contributions to the fields of astronomy and space science.
Comets, for example, are
often discovered first by non-professional astronomers.
In this section we list a groups
and programs organized to promote amateur and student
activities in astronomy.
We also include a sub-section on Robotic Telescopes
that give amateur and students astronomers access to
professional level telescopes via the Internet.
Amateur
Astronomy Projects
The sky is big enough for amateurs
to make significant discoveries even in this day of
billion dollar research programs. Here are some projects
involving amateurs that promise to make significant
contributions to science.
The
Amateur Sky Survey
This project will use amateur astronomers to carry out
a systmatic sky survey that the professionals don't
have the resources to do.
"This project, aka TASS, hopes to construct
low-cost drift-scan cameras and distribute them to
sites around the world; the idea is to monitor bright
objects across a large section of the sky." -
TASS website
American
Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
This group has involved amateur astronomers since 1911
in observing variable stars for the benefit of astrophysical
research. Amateurs make important contributions in this
area because the enormous range of observations require
exceed what the professional telescopes can cover.
Hands On
Astrophysics (HOA) project is an educational collaboration
between the AAVSO and the NSF to inspire amateurs to
do real science via variable star observation and analysis.
A package
of materials including software, starcharts, videotape,
and more is available.
Comet hunting in SOHO images
The SOHO solar observatory satellite generates images
of the sun in various wavelengths. A surprising benefit
of these images is that comets that would otherwise
be too dim to be detected show up clearly.
It has become a fun hobby for people to scan frequently
the SOHO images for the sign of a new comet. Most of
these comets will soon vanish into the sun and never
be visible from earth otherwise. So the observations
have little scientific value but the hunt is still an
addictive game.
Amateur Supernova Hunting
While professional automated systems to search for supernova
dominate the field, amateurs are discovering a good
number of new events, as well.
TransitSearch.org
(Exosolar Planet Hunting)
Program to encourage amateur astronomers to monitor
stars for the slight diminution in brightness when a
star's planet crosses between the star and our line
of sight.
"when parts of the planet are visible
from Earth that are not visible from the spacecraft
(due to the spacecraft position in orbit). Additionally
it is important to compare Earth-based observations
with simultaneous spacecraft observations. In particular
this will allow us to extend our understanding of the
dynamics of Venus’s atmosphere based on the VEX data
to observations made prior to the VEX mission, as well
as after completion of VEX operations."
ISSAT
- The International Space Station Amateur Telescope
- sponsored by the Astronomical
League, seeks to place on the International Space
Station a small (~15") telescope that would be
controlled by amateur astronomers from the ground.
The scope would be placed on an external pallet in
2006.
The project has received strong encouragement from
NASA and Boeing. They see it as a great educational
project for the station. Boeing would build the scope
and NASA would pay for it.
The scope would not challenge Hubble's capabilities,
but with 0.2 arcsecond resolution the scope would
produce images of sharpness comparable to those from
the largest ground-based observatories.
Access to the scope will go through a central ground
based control group run by amateur astronomers. Up
to half the observing time would be reserved for school
kids worldwide.
Planets, bright galaxies, and temporal phenomena of
high interests, such as comets and supernova, would
be the priority targets for viewing.
The prototype Alpha
Telescope was developed and will come online as
a ground test system.
Dobson
Space Telescope - Students in the Department
of Astronautics at the Technische Universität Berlin,
Germany are developing a clever compact telescope
design for space. A prototype of the will be tested
in microgravity during a parabolic flight.
Fremont Peak
Observatory Association - this observatory
is a "labor of love and ongoing project for dozens
of amateur astronomers in the San Francisco Bay Area."
It provides a "home for the 30" f/4.8 newtonian
telescope" built by Kevin Medlock. The observatory
"opened in 1986, and has been open every summer
since."
LAT
- Large Amateur Telescope (Group70) - This
volunteer group is building a major telescope using
a "mirror blank, found at the University of Tasmania,
Australia" . The blank is made "of Pyrex
glass and was originally cast in 1938 as a backup
blank for the 48in Schmidt Camera now in service at
Mt. Palomar Observatory."
The observatory "will be located in California's
'Dark Sky Corridor', a 200 mile long stretch of ridges
in the Coastal Mountain Ranges along the Pacific Ocean
renown for its clear,dark, steady skies."
Astronomy
Centre UK - non-profit group founded in 1982.
Operates several telescopes and is working on a 42inch
mirror.
Amateur
Solar Astronomy
Technology introduced in the past few years allows amateur
astronomers to carry out sophisticated observations
of the sun that go far beyond just white light imaging
of sunspots. In particular, narrow band filters now
allow imaging of details in the chromosphere.
New Mexico Skies
This "Guest Observatory for the Sophisticated Amateur
Astronomer" is located Sacramento Mountains of
New Mexico at the top of Mt. Joy.
The six observatories at the site can be reserved for
on-site use. One can be accessed remotely and is used
by the Student
Telescope Network discussed below.
Planetary
Society's NEO (Near Earth Objects)
The Planetary Society has developed this separate site
devoted to the study of asteroids and comets that pass
relatively close to earth. These objects are very interesting
scientifically and it's also a good idea to keep an
eye out for objects that are on a collision course with
earth
This is an area where amateur astronomers can make
significant contributions, especially considering the
modest government support for NEO research.
In support of NEO efforts, the Planetary society established
the Gene
Shoemaker Near-Earth Object Grant to provide money
($5-10k) for amateurs, as well as professional rsearchers,
to purchase equipment.
Frank Zoltowski, for example, is an amateur astronomer
who received a Shoemaker Grant in late 1998. He used
the money for an improved CCD camera that allowed him
to make more precise observations of these faint objects.
According to a Planetary Society press release, his
measurements of the NEO named "1999 AN10"
"..enabled researchers at the IAU:
Minor Planet Center (MPC) to develop more precise
future orbital calculations for the object, which
is expected to pass within 200,000 kilometers (about
120,000 miles) of Earth in 2027, with the potential
for even closer Earth approaches in 2044 and 2046."
International
Occultation Timing Association
This group organizes efforts to observe occultations
and eclipses. Asteroid, as well as lunar occultations,
are of interest in studying the occulted star as well
as the asteroid. Multiple views of lunar occultations
provide precise mappings of the Moon's limb. This, in
turn, helps to improve the measurments during solar
eclipses of the sun's diameter and energy output
Careful timing is crucial. Multiple observations from
as many points as possible can greatly increase the
depth of information obtained.
The IOTA provides "news of meetings, predictions,
software, observing techniques and equipment, and results
for solar eclipses and lunar occultations as well as
for asteroidal occultations."
Center
for Backyard Astrophysics CBA has been running
a project since 1991 to do long term photometric studies
of cataclysmic variable stars with amateur telescopes
using CCD cameras. Several sites around the world and
they would like to have more.
NASA
Star Trails Society NASA initiative from science@NASA
to involve amateurs in real scientific research. Opportunities
for amateurs to contribute to projects in astronomy,
astrobiology and other natural sciences will be announced
several times a month. See, for example, the
South Pole Adventure below.
Virtual
Observatories The many ground and space based observatories in
many different wavelengths generate huge amounts of
data that will never be fully analyzed. This is especially
true for the new generation of automated telescopes
doing sky surveys.
To try to tackle more of this data there are several
projects aiming to take advantage of the talents and
energies of amateurs and students by making some of
this data available on line.
The participant can examine a given section of sky
just as if a telescope is moved to look there, but in
reality it will be imagery already gathered from that
region of the sky that will be presented .
National Virtual
Observatory - US collaboration of observatories
to allow access to astronomy data via internet for
both professional and amateur astronomers
SkyView
Virtual Observatory - scan through multiple
observatory and satellite databases just as if you
were aiming a telescope in a chosen direction and
picking a particular wavelength to receive.
Amateur
Radio Astronomy - mateurs can also carry out
radio astronomy. See the links in the sub-section
in the Radio page.
SETI- Our SETI page describes several amateur efforts
involving radio astronomy and coherent light detection
to search for evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence.
Gradually more and more telescopes
have come online that can be control over the web by
students, amateur astronomers and professionals as well.
The setups vary somewhat, but generally the puts in
a proposal for an observation. If accepted the observation
might be then be done automatically or, in some cases,
the participant takes over control of the scope and
can direct it.
"...enable high school students interested in
astronomical observing, to access a telescope with
digital camera in a remote dark location via the internet,
and to pursue basic observational research."
The article Student
behind global telescope network - CNN.com - Apr.13.02
describes how Ryan Hannahoe and other high school students
developed this system to provide high school students
around the world access to a high powered telescope
in an area with little light pollution.
National
Schools Observatory
This UK program allows British students to use world-class
observatories around the world. Observing time is reserved
on the telescopes for student proposed projects.
JMU
Solar Telescope - portable 40cm telescope that
will be moved to observe from optimum locations. NSO
project.
Faulkes
Robotic Telescope Project
This major project will provide access to two large
telescopes for students in Britain, Australia and Hawaii.
Both telescopes will use 2 meter diameter main mirrors
and sophisticated control and imaging systems.
One telescope should be installed and working on the
island of Maui in Hawaii by end of 2001. The other will
be installed in Australia by the end of 2002.
RoCCoTO
-
The Robotic Telescope You Control The University
of Glamorgan in Wales will host this new 40.6cm robotic
telescope that students and amateur astronomers will
operate over the Internet.
"Students and astronomers will be able to send
instructions to the control centre which will communicate
them directly to the telescope using Internet technology.
The telescope will then take over, responding to the
series of commands sent each day. "
Nassau
Station Robotic Telescope
The public can send requests over the web for observations
on this 0.9m reflector telescope. It is owned and operated
by the Astronomy
Dept. of Case Western Reserve University. (This looks
to be no longer in operation - June.2006)
Bradford
Robotic Telescope
This is a 46cm telescope in West Yorkshire, England
that is totally autonomous. The telescope
"...decides when the conditions are good enough
to make observations of the sky by itself (an astronomer
does not need to be present)
Anyone on the Internet can register and ask the telescope
to look at anything in the northern night sky. Observations
are automatically prioritised and scheduled and completed
by the telescope as time allows. Other data (weather
information and reports) are obtained and updated
on this site automatically every day..."
The eSTAR Project
The eSTAR (eScience Telescopes for Astronomical Research)
project aims "to build a prototype robotic telescope
network, to test computing infrastructure and software
which could be used for larger scale projects."
Stargazers
watch via the web - BBC - May.3.02
Global
Rent-a-Scope
This service provides amateur astronomers with Internet
access "to highly sophisticated remote astronomical
imaging platforms"
NASA's
Telescopes In Education (TIE)
This JPL/NASA sponsored program allows students around
the world to access a robotic telescope. The program
currently
"..utilizes a science-grade 24-inch reflecting
telescope located at the Mount Wilson Observatory,
high above the Los Angeles basin in the San Gabriel
Mountains of Southern California. The telescope has
been used by students in grades K-12 to observe galaxies,
nebulae, variable stars, eclipsing binaries, and other
ambitious projects and experiments. Hundreds of schools
in the US and around the world (including Australia,
Canada, England, and Japan) have successfully used
the prototype telescope on Mount Wilson..."
NASA-
GAVRT
Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope
In this project students gain access to one of NASA's
powerful radio telescope antennas in California. The
students will "collect real-time data with sophisticated
science equipment through distance learning."
ISS Amateur
Telescope
This project described above will operate in a similar
robotic telescope manner with proposals for observations
taken from amateurs and students.
Torus
Tech Links - list of robotic telescope projects
using this companies scopes
Software Bisque
- offers program for remote control of telescopes.
