Astronomy: The Last Haven for the Amateur Scientist

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Astronomy The Last Haven for the Amateur
Scientist
Presented at the Princeton Plasma Physics
Laboratory Princeton University and The U.S.
Department of Energy December 2, 2009 at
Princeton, NJ

• Robert B. Denny, DC-3 Dreams, SP

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Im Not an Astronomer
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High-End 0.6m Amateur Observatory
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Transient Zoology

• Gamma Ray Bursts
• Cataclysmic Variable Outbursts
• Supernovae
• Gravitational Microlensing Opportunities
• Flare Stars

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Sources of Raw Data Triggers

• Swift and Other Satellites (GRB)
• Near-Earth Asteroid Search
• Photometric Study and Calibration
• All-Sky Cataloging
• Supernova Search

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Problems

• Discovering Transients
• Getting the Word Out
• Timely Follow Up

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GRB Coordination Network (GCN)
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Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey
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The VOEvent Network (2006)
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Follow Up Observatory
Hands-Off 24/7 Weather safety, auto-start/stop,
crude sky condition input to scheduler (sky-cond.
constraint)
VOEvent Sender
Observing Engine
VOEvent Receiver
Dispatch Scheduler
Support Platform, Web/FTP servers, Drivers,
Script Engines
All Via Web
Data Access
Observing Requests
System Status
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Puckett Supernova Search
5 Stations - 208 Supernovae Discoveries (Nov 2009)
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Sonoita Research Observatory
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Sonoita Research Observatory

• Variable Star Studies
• Photometric Calibration (over 700,000 stars!)
• Asteroid Light Curve
• Rapid Response to GRB

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The Most Distant Object Ever!
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Rapid-Response GRB Follow Up
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Opportunities Abound!

• Shrinking grant money, leverage private
  facilities
• Off the shelf instruments and software
• Difficulty getting rapid response from big
  observatories
• Fast-growing population of advanced amateurs
• Many are retiring professionals
• Would like to contribute to science