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UVa Astronomy Department 15 Faculty + 7 Research Scientists 10 Postdocs 8 Support staff 32 Graduate Students Research Areas : Observational, Theory, Instrumentation External support $946k (1998) to $2.6M (2006) Telescopes : Local: 26 " , 31 " , 40 "
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UVa Astronomy Department • 15 Faculty + 7 Research Scientists • 10 Postdocs • 8 Support staff • 32 Graduate Students • Research Areas: • Observational, Theory, Instrumentation • External support $946k (1998) to $2.6M (2006) • Telescopes: • Local: 26", 31", 40" • Steward Consortium: 2×8m , 6.5m , 6m , 2.8m , 2.4m • Apache Point Observatory: SDSS 2.5m, ARC 3.5m
Magellan 6.5m LBT: 28m Steward Observatory Consortium SMT 10m MMT 6m
Partners Chicago Colorado Princeton IAS Hopkins Washington New Mexico State SDSS 2.5m : Sloan III (APOGEE project) ARC: 3.5m Astrophysical Research Corporation Apache Point Observatory UVa students at APO 3.5m TripleSpec
Chandra (X-ray) Spitzer (mid-far IR) Hubble (opt-UV)
NRAO Charlottesville • 29 Adjunct Faculty + many other staff • 4 Graduate Students (from UVa) • Major Groups: • Headquarters for all NRAO facilities • Instrumentation Development • Scientific Research, mainly in radio-related topics • Alma Science Center • Facilities: • GBT , VLA , VLBA , ALMA
VLA GBT Alma
ALMA Science Objectives • Image stars and planets forming in nearby systems • Observe galaxies forming 10 billion years ago • Determine the properties of gas disks around forming stars • Trace the chemical composition of star forming gas in galaxies near and far
Instrumentation Laboratory Fancam TripleSpec Infrared Image of a star forming region LMIRcam
TripleSpec 3.5m ARC Saturn Spectrum
Sloan Digital Sky Survey III: A.P.O. Galactic Evolution Experiment • Specialized “wide-angle” telescope - Apache Point Observatory, New Mexico • SDSS is most cited, “highest scientific impact facility” (e.g., > Hubble Telescope) • SDSSIII funding to date: $9M NSF, $7M Sloan Found., $1M+ DOE, • ~$20M partner contributions (UVa’s $930k from “in kind” work contribution) • World class partners (Princeton, Chicago, Hopkins, Cambridge, Max Planck, …) • APOGEE is UVa-led experiment in $53M (projected) SDSSIII project. • First comprehensive spectroscopic study of our own Milky Way galaxy. • Unique instrument, new technologies (infrared detectors, fiber optics, large data flow). • Determine the origin of chemical elements (e.g., C, N, O, Mg, Ca, Si, S, Fe, etc.). • Learn how galaxies form and evolve. • Probe “dust-hidden” regions of our home galaxy.
The Milky Way: Our Galaxy The Milky Way seen from Hawaii The full night-sky -- a hemisphere
STUDENT EDUCATION • Class field trip to telescopes • Hands-on training with cutting-edge facilities • Undergraduate impact
Unique Experiences First UVa observations using LBT! Galaxy that she discovered! Rachel Beaton UVa undergrad UVa grad student Jefferson Foundation Graduate Fellow
ADDITIONAL EXTERNAL RESEARCH FUNDSFROM GRANTING AGENCIES Levinson Initiative Starts
The Milky Way: Our Galaxy The Milky Way seen from Hawaii The full night-sky -- a hemisphere
NGC 5907 Cannibalism: tidal shredding of a dwarf galaxy Simulation of dwarf shredding NGC 4013
The variety of galaxies NGC 4473
The galaxy tapestry 250,000 galaxy positions Milky Way Galaxy
The Future is bright! JWST Spitzer SOFIA Herschel ALMACARMA EVLA