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University of Maryland Observatory Elizabeth Warner UMD Obs Coordinator

University of Maryland Observatory Elizabeth Warner UMD Obs Coordinator. History. Roll-off roof facility with west and east bays and central office area Built in the 1960s Completed in 1963 $25,000 ($60,000 if you include equipment) 20” installed in 1964 Dedicated 16 Nov 1964

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University of Maryland Observatory Elizabeth Warner UMD Obs Coordinator

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  1. University of MarylandObservatoryElizabeth WarnerUMD Obs Coordinator

  2. History • Roll-off roof facility with west and east bays and central office area • Built in the 1960s • Completed in 1963 $25,000 ($60,000 if you include equipment) • 20” installed in 1964 • Dedicated 16 Nov 1964 • East bay extension in 1968 • Lecture Hall • 1977 • Equipment upgrades • Summer 2011 (mount, cameras) • Summer 2012 (filters) • Summer 2013 (ADVS for occultations) • Summer 2014 (proposed server and new control laptops) Left: Dr. Gart Westerhout Right: Dr. Uco van Wijk

  3. Current Equipment • West Bay • 20” Bent Eichner Cassegrain • East Bay • 8” NASA Astrograph • 7” A-P refractor • 14” Celestron SCT • Personal 6” A-P refractor • Six 8” Celestron Ultima 2000s • Setup on piers outside of lecture hall • Visible light and prominence filters • Portable scopes • Six 8” Celestron SCTs • 10” dob, 90mm ref, 4” newt, PST West Bay: 20” before refurbishing in 2000 The East Bay in former times!

  4. 20” Bent EichnerCassegrain • Refurbished in 1999-2000 • f/15 • Uses custom control from Astro-Physics • Apogee 6 CCD camera • 1024x1024 array with 24micron pixels • 11’x11’ fov • with FLI filter wheel • 5-cell, 50mm • Omega Optical filters (Bessel BVR, H-alpha, OIII)

  5. 8” NASA Astrograph • MOTS ‘Spy’ telescope • ‘permanent loan’ from GSFC • Yank-n-point • Counter-weight driven drive • Recently replaced cable • Future • Power supply • Cables • Cleaning • Display panel • Adapter for imaging

  6. 178mm Astro-Physics refractor • f/9 • Upgraded mount to AP 1200 (2011) • Previous AP mount barely tracked, was yank-n-point • Minor modification of existing pier, needed adapter plate • SBIG ST-10 camera • 2184x1472 array with 6.8micron pixels • 32’x21.5’ fov • SBIG CFW10 filter wheel • 10-cell, 28mm • Astrodon • LRGB • H-a • OIII • JC B • JC V • clear • Sloan z‘ • brettmmorris.tumblr.com/post/31799797988/first-light-on-the-7-telescope-at-the-university • brettmmorris.tumblr.com/post/31964454800/the-ring-nebula-as-i-observed-it-last-night-with

  7. 14” Celestron SCT • f/11 • AP 1200 mount • SBIG ST-8 camera • replaced in 2011 from parallel to USB version • 1530x1020 array with 9micron pixels • 12’x8’ fov • SBIG CFW10 filter wheel • 10-cell, 28mm • Astrodon • H-a • OIII • SII • NII • clear • Sloan u' • Sloan g' • Sloan r' • Sloan i' • Sloan z'

  8. 152mm Astro-Physics refractor • Personal telescope temporarily housed in East Bay • f/9 • AP 900 mount • SBIG ST-10 camera • 2184x1472 array with 6.8micron pixels • 37’x25’ fov • SBIG CFW10 filter wheel • 10-cell, 28mm • Astrodon • LRGB • H-a • OIII • Red. Cont • ExoplanetBB • Sloan r' • Sloan z'

  9. In the past, deterrents Light pollution Outdated equipment… (upgrades done over the summers since 2011!) HS interns (2007-2008) 14” My personal 6” UG independent study, AstroTerps (summer 2011, 2012) Past school year teams Possible Asteroids, comets Variable, eclipsing stars Exoplanet transits! Research

  10. Research • Brett Morris • Exoplanet transits • Summer 2011 using 152mm refractor • Summer 2012 using both refractors • Variables • Asteroids • Kalliope and mutual eclipse observations • co-author on www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/acm2012/pdf/6352.pdf • Currently training other students (AstroTerps)

  11. Student Teams • High School and college students • Student groups for different topics • SG1 – Exoplanets • SG2 – Supernovae Search • SG3 – Asteroids/Comets • SG4 – Jovian moons and events • … occultations, software, astrophotography,… • 1-2 team leaders per team • College students • Serve as mentors • Will have keys • Announces to team when observing • 4-6 team members • High school students • College students • Training on equipment, techniques, analysis

  12. Research • Spectroscopy • Spectra-L200 • SBIG spectrograph • Occultations • Purchased ADVS in 2013 • Future wish list • Weather station • All-sky camera (weather and meteors) • Seeing monitor • Follow a number of Yahoo groups to stay informed of calls for observations • (negative) observation of Pluto occultation (June 2012) • Coordinating with GSFC/UMD research group to get spectra of moon

  13. Programs • Classes • Explore the Universe (collaboration between Astronomy, CPS-SDU, NWHS)… transforming how we run this class into our student research teams! • This past spring semester we had 7 SDU students, 2 Phys 299 students, and 3 HS interns. • 2012-2013 we had no students! • ASTR 310 (fall, labs) • ENAE 441 (fall, 4-5 groups) • Intro astro classes ???? • We used to have 110/111 • Currently haphazardly done… TAs … other schools!

  14. Programs • Public • Open Houses • 5th and 20th of each month • Lecture, tour of telescopes, observing weather-permitting • Impromptu observing sessions • Short notice via mailing list, social media

  15. Programs • Public • Special observing (solar eclipses, transits…) at the observatory or on campus • Group tours • Night: 5th and 20th of each month BEFORE public session of Open House • Day: M-F • Scouts, school classes, retirement home groups, home schoolers, …

  16. Programs • Public • New Telescope Owner Nights • 1-on-1 help session • Held in Jan (right after the holidays!) • Learn the Sky Nights • Basics of ‘amateur’ astronomy • 6 nights during the summer

  17. People • Staff • Observatory Coordinator (part-time: Elizabeth Warner) • Technical Advisor (part-time: Dr. D. Wellnitz) • Telescope operators (hourly & volunteer, undergrads) • Guest Speakers (faculty, grads; from UMD and other institutions) • MCs • Grad students (“volunteers”) • Volunteers • Special events, large crowds

  18. $$$ • Good question! • Comes out of Department overhead (a very nebulous source!) • Student tech fees • Submit proposal to get equipment • ST-10, filter wheel, filters (7”) • Change for 2014 • Observatory fund • Selling used text books, ‘garage’ sales of old equipment, slides,… • Purchased eyepieces, ST-8 (CCD camera), pier mods for 7”, repair of 8”, filter wheel (14”), filters (14”) • Fees charged • Open Houses and most public events are free! • $10/class charged for LTSN to cover cost of ‘goodies’

  19. Advertising • No paid advertising!! • Websites • Department: www.astro.umd.edu • Observatory: www.astro.umd.edu/openhouse • Astro in DC: astronomyindc.org • Email • Mailing list (600+) • Messages to local clubs • Social Media • Facebook • Twitter • B. Friedlander’s Sky Watch column in Washington Post • Other misc. articles (The Diamondback, Post Weekend, College Park Patch,…)

  20. Collaborations • NCA meetings at Observatory • Email contact with most area clubs and facilities • AstroTerps • Student astronomy club • astronomyindc.org • IYA project to coordinate/collate public astronomy programs in the area. • NASM and most clubs provide input • Also have random input from GSFC and other “pro” institutions

  21. Challenges • Getting speakers • Volunteers primarily from faculty in department, but also grad students, scientists from area institutions, amateurs • Over-advertising • Surprise article in WashPost on 4 Sept 2009 (Labor Day weekend) resulted in 300 people showing up to Open House on 5 Sept… we have seating for 75! • Deteriorating buildings

  22. On the web • www.astro.umd.edu/openhouse • Schedule of speakers • Signup for occasional emails/newsletters • Facebook • Become a fan • www.facebook.com/UMObservatory • Twitter • twitter.com/UM_obs

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