How and whhhy did you become interested in astronomy? Notes and News Results of the BAA essay competition
Earlier this year, the BAA received an offer from HarperCollins, publisher of Wonders of the Universe by Professor Brian Cox, to donate several copies of the book to be given as competition prizes. I thought this would be an opportunity for us to do something for our younger members by holding an essay competition. We invited them to tell us in not more than 500 words how and why they became interested in astronomy, who were their main influences and what they are now doing to pursue their interest. The competition was open to all Young Members of the Association. We received an excellent set of responses which made it difficult to decide upon the best entry but after careful deliberation, a panel of three members of Council eventually chose Sam Hawkins in the 15 and over age group, and Adam Cooper (under 15) as joint winners of the competition. Runners-up were Duncan Bryson, Ravier Gardon and Tom Butler in the younger age group, and Guy Booth, Helena Bates and Michael Smith in the over-15s. All were given an Amazon voucher in recognition of the high quality of their entries. Sam and Adam received their prizes from the President at Burlington House in August. They both said they enjoyed the day and were very grateful to the BAA for the opportunity to look round the historic premises. We encouraged them to continue to enjoy astronomy and wished them well in their chosen careers, particularly if these include astronomy. Ann Davies Adam Cooper receives his prize from BAA President Dr David Boyd. How and why I became interested in How I became astronomy by Adam Cooper (13) interested in I have always been interested in astronomy. see it first, but I was the first to spot this astronomy I remember my Dad telling me about the great comet with its stunning tail and beady by Sam Hawkins (19) night he brought me home from hospital on bright head. the day I was born. It was a cold, clear – In 2008 at the age of 10, I went to St Johns Some of my friends think I know the January night and my Dad recalled how he College, Cambridge to see the launch of the names of all the stars in the night sky. Even looked up and saw a magnificent fireball Hoyle Project. I listened to an astrophysics members of my immediate family some- illuminate the polar sky. My life as an speech by Dr Carolin Crawford about Fred times behave as though I do. At social astronomer had begun... Hoyle’s discoveries. In the Old Library of St gatherings these people have introduced me Astronomy has played a big part in my Johns I saw some of his own documents, to strangers as someone who ‘likes to look life. I have followed most major including his astronomical diary and his up at the stars and stuff’. ‘He has a astronomical events and kept a diary of amazing brass childhood telescope. From this telescope and everything,’ they say, everything I have seen: event I learnt a lot and I felt that this was the enthusiastically. Eyebrows rise and – In 2004 at the age of 6, I missed school to turning point in my astronomical life. questions follow. From my personal go and see an event of a lifetime, the experience, nearly everyone has a passing I am lucky enough to have a Meade ETX125 Transit of Venus at Greenwich. I interest in astronomy. telescope which is very portable, easy to set remember seeing the great Patrick Moore I caught the astronomy bug over a up and use. My favourite areas for observing broadcasting his programme for the BBC decade ago, when I was seven years old, and through my telescope seeing that are the planets, comets and deep space. I have started to tick off the Messier objects. Only and have been observing a range of celestial small dot which was Venus crossing over objects with an eight-inch Newtonian for the giant Sun. another 70 to go! In 2010, I joined the BAA to help further about six years. It began on August 11 – In 2005 at the age of 7, I flew with my my interest in astronomy. I manage to read 1999, at around twenty-past eleven in the family to Valencia to see the Annular Solar every magazine that comes out and I put the morning, when my younger self witnessed Eclipse of the Sun. I remember when the information to good use. At my school I help a strange and beautiful spectacle: a total moon passed over the sun and the sky to run the Chigwell School Astronomy club. eclipse of the Sun. The pinhole projector I grew dark. You could see jaws drop all Here, I help to broaden the knowledge of made that day to follow the progress of the around you. It was amazing!!! younger children. This is where I see my event has become sentimental to me, and it – In 2007 at the age of 9, I spotted Comet future going; helping to spread the interest of now sits on a shelf in my bedroom, next to McNaught from my home in Essex. It was astronomy in our community. a spectacular wide-field image of [comet] − the first great comet of my lifetime. My I would like to thank my Dad and the BAA Hale Bopp. My mum, dad and grandad were the Dad and I scouted the evening skyline at for inspiring me and I am forever grateful for sunset for the Comet, we both wanted to the gift of knowledge. three people who really laid the ground-
J. Br. Astron. Assoc. 121, 5, 2011 263 Notes and News
Asteroids & Remote Planets Section Earth’s first ‘Trrrojan’ asteroid discovvvered
On 2011 July 27, Martin Connors of other Lagrangian point, or are even ejected alto- NASA announced the Athabasca University gether thereby losing their Trojan status. They discovery of the first in Canada and col- are of particular interest in that they may be po- Trojan asteroid, desig- leagues Paul Wiegert tentially useful as a spacecraft destination, as they nated 2010 TK7, which and Christian Veillet can be energetically less costly to reach than our shares the Earth’s orbit. used observations Moon. It is likely there are a number of natural It was initially spotted made in late April this objects which are loosely bound to each of Earth’s by the Wide-field Infra- year with the 3.6m Lagrangian points, where they occupy relatively red Survey Explorer Canada–France–Ha- shallow gravity wells. However, astronomers have (WISE) mission on waii Telescope on searched for Earth Trojans for some years with- 2010 Oct 1 at a solar Mauna Kea to iden- out success, so those that do exist are all likely to elongation close to 90°, tify 2010 TK7 as a be less than 1km in size. − and the near-Earth ob- Trojan object, one 2010 TK7 is estimated to be 150 500m across ject was flagged on the which currently circu- depending on its albedo (assumed range = 0.04− NEO Confirmation lates around the L4 0.25). However, although it orbits the Sun al- Page shortly afterwards. Lagrangian point, most exactly once per Earth year, the orbit is Using the Faulkes Tel- thereby leading the rather too inclined (i= 21°) and has too large an escope South located at Faint image of Earth’s Trojan ‘moon’ from Earth in its orbit eccentricity (e= 0.19) for it to be a convenient Siding Spring, ARPS observations by Italian amateur, Sergio Foglia around the Sun. Their target for a visit by spacecraft. member Sergio Foglia made just 5 days after discovery. 4×60s, V fil- paper has been pub- Follow-up observations are required to bet- observed the NEOCP ter, 2.0m Faulkes Telescope S. Field of view= lished in Nature (Vol. ter define the exact shape of this Earth Tro- object and reported 2.9 arcmin square. S. Foglia, courtesy R. Miles. 475, 481−483, 2011 jan’s orbit. Its orbit is such that it remains astrometry on October July 28). close to the Sun in the sky and for many years 6. However, the observing arc spanned a total Such objects typically remain gravitationally it will remain at solar elongations of less than of only 6 days and so its special nature was not trapped for relatively short periods (1,000− 97°. During August, it was around magnitude evident at that time. 100,000 years) and eventually switch to one or 22 and within 1° of its maximum elongation, whilst its southerly declination made it unobservable from the UK. In late October/ work for my astronomical interest. I was three years to save up for a telescope, and early November 2011, it brightens to around impressionable as a child, and my parents when I was fourteen I began to recognise the mag 21 and reaches an elongation of about 80°. have always been very supportive and importance of amateur astronomy to By next January, it will be too close to the Sun encouraging. For my eighth birthday, my professional research. I was keen – perhaps and too faint to be readily observable even grandfather gave me a wonderful book called overly so – to search for supernovae and with the Faulkes Telescope. Skywatching, by David Levy et al. I must monitor the dynamic atmosphere of Jupiter. A new apparition begins later in 2012 when have read it a dozen times as I soon became Then life intervened and my school studies the cycle repeats all over again. It is closest to acquainted with the constellations and the demanded more focus. However, a combina- the Earth for each of the next few years on planets of our solar system. It then took me tion of online and offline resources kept me December 5/6 when it attains a perigee of about up-to-date with the latest astronomical 0.20AU. In contrast, its apogee distance of happenings. I read books, magazines and 0.81AU is reached during early April. peer-reviewed journals; I followed RSS feeds The effective observing season therefore lasts and mailing lists, as well as the Twitter feeds from about May−November. of other space enthusiasts. I have managed to complete a GCSE in Richard Miles, Director astronomy, collaborate with the Faulkes Telescope Project and work with the Letchworth & District Astronomical Society to produce the largest programme of events of any astronomical society in Britain for IYA 2009. Moreover, I became a devoted council member of the Society for Popular Astronomy and a co-host of an online radio show called Under British Skies. My interest has lasted because I am forever motivated by members of the astronomical community. The most influential people on me have been Damian Peach, Nick Howes, Christopher Go and Guy Hurst. Jerry Stone, a good friend and a presenter on space explora- tion, has inspired me to aim for a career in science communication. As a member of the BAA, I intend to try to create more collabora- tive efforts between professional and amateur Observation of 2010 TK7 on 2011 August 3. Sam Hawkins receiving his prize. astronomers. 28×30s, R filter, 2.0m Faulkes Telescope N. FOV= 2.0 arcminutes. L. Buzzi, courtesy R. Miles.
264 J. Br. Astron. Assoc. 121, 5, 2011