Comments on: Citizen Scientists

By: Charlie in Dayton

Charlie in Dayton — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 03:34:21 +0000

Don’t mind the wheels on John’s scope…they aren’t there any more. He’s mounted that beast permanently (or at least semi so) in a dome out back of the club observatory (we have more than enough room — there’s four domes out back, and another roll-off shed out front, all with various members’ and community scopes).
And we’re trying to figger out just where to pour a pier for the dome for another LX200…decisions, decisions, decisions…

By: Richard B. Drumm

Richard B. Drumm — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 01:00:49 +0000

My club is in a unique position vis a vis the University of Virginia. We have access to McCormick Observatory and the 26″ Clark refractor by providing man & woman power during group nights (the 2nd & 4th Friday nights of each month) where school groups or Boy/Girl Scouts come up and get a dose of stellar photons.

As “citizen scientists” we can help out at the group nights twice a month, and at the UVa Fan Mountain Open House events at Fan Mountain Observatory twice a year as well. Then again we also assist the NRAO (National Radio Astronomy Observatory, whose headquarters is at the foot of the hill) once a year with their open house as well by setting up solar scopes and showing cool solar stuff (not easy at solar minimum!) to the visitors.

We’re trying to set up an occultation timing team in association with UVa as well and assisting with a restoration effort to restore the f4.5 10″ Cooke triplet astrograph at Fan Mountain. This is the one that Alexander Vyssotsky used to produce one of the first catalogues of nearby M dwarf stars. We won’t be able to procure glass plates like were used in the “old days” but we’ll see how this lens works with CCDs.

All amateur astronomers who can should contact their local university to see how they can help. Even pulling weeds or tearing out ivy on the walls (ivy’s hard on the moartar) is a help! In these days of shrinking budgets your help is important!
Richard B. Drumm
VP, CAS

By: Astrogeek

Astrogeek — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 20:24:58 +0000

Two of our board members at Fremont Peak are going up to Santa Rosa to watch asteroid (2976) Lautaro occult star TYC 5209-00006-1 on August 21st. Their observations along with those of literally thousands of others will be used to try to determine the shape of the asteroid. Not my cup of tea, but pretty neat regardless!

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 20:12:40 +0000

I recently visited the Muskegon Astronomical Society’s observatory at their open house. The club has an 18″ dob in a roll-off roof, and (i forget exactly, but i think it was) a 13″ SCT in a dome. A nearby university has a 15″ SCT in a dome on the property. Club members have access to the 15″. This can only be good for the equipment. More eyes to spot leaks and other issues early.

The MAS didn’t get their equipment by spending huge amounts of money. Their 18″ dob was club built. (I don’t know if they ground the mirror…). The stunning bit is how few members put it together. They only have 25… And yet their equipment rivals that of much larger clubs.

My club seems to be a magnet for unwanted equipment. And, we have a good track record for getting it into the hands of people who will use it.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 18:56:12 +0000

“Citizen Scientists.”

That brings to mind two thoughts…

1. Are we then the “militia” while the professionals are the “official scientists?”

2. A thought about that (stupid) movie Starship Troopers. “Service guarantees citizenship.”