Open Night Andy Lubenow 1956
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Planetary Research Center Lowell Observatory Flagstaff, Arizona 86002
N 8 4 - °1* R 7 <• PLANETARY RESEARCH CENTER LOWELL OBSERVATORY FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA 86002 NASA GRANT NSG-7530 POST-MISSION VIKING DATA ANALYSIS FINAL REPORT ; SUBMITTED: 26 APRIL M-A,- BAUM-- ' KARI_LUMME .__ PRINCIPAL-INVESTIGATOR< -? CO-^INVESTIGATOR J, .WTIN -• LAWRENCE H, WASSERMAN CO-INVESTIGATOR CO-INVESTIGATOR Page 2 PERSONNEL—" Averaged over the time interval (3.7 years) that funds were expended under this grant, the following staff devoted the indicated percentages of their time to it: W. A. Baum, Principal Investigator, 18$ time L. J. Martin, Co-Investigator, 52% K. Lumme, Co-Investigator, 19% L. H. Wasserman, Co-Investigator, S% T. J. Kreidl, Computer Programmer, 5% Others (combined), ResearctuAssistants, 7-$ • ~ -> "Others" include H. S. Horstman, M. L. Kantz, and S. E. Jones. In addition, there are several Observatory employees paid through overhead who provide services such as library, bookkeeping, and maintenance. BACKGROUND Work under this grant was a continuation of our participation in the Viking Mission. That participation commenced in 1970 with Baum's membership on the Viking Orbiter Imaging Team and continued through the end of team operations in 1978. This grant then commenced in 1979 at the start of the Mars Data Analysis Program (MDAP). MDAP was planned by NASA as a 5-year program, and our initial MDAP proposal was scaled to that expectation and to a funding level consistent with the Mars research projects in which we were already engaged. As it turned out, there were subsequent reductions in MDAP funds, and we (like many of our colleagues at other institutions) had to adjust the scope of our Mars research projects accordingly. -
Lowell Observatory Communications Office 1400 W. Mars Hill Rd
Lowell Observatory Communications Office 1400 W. Mars Hill Rd. Flagstaff, AZ 86001 www.lowell.edu PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 12, 2015 ***Contact details appear below*** Image attached LOWELL OBSERVATORY TO HOST PLUTO AND BEYOND GALA ON JUNE 13 Flagstaff, Az- Lowell Observatory will host its fourth annual fundraising gala, Pluto and Beyond, on June 13. Sponsored by APS, it will take place on the campus of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and feature experts sharing the latest Pluto news, auctions showcasing a variety of travel packages and astronomy-themed collectibles, and live music. Proceeds support Lowell’s mission of astronomical research and outreach. Lisa Actor, Lowell’s Deputy Director for Development, said, “This will be an exciting event in this year when we’re celebrating the 85th anniversary of the discovery of Pluto at Lowell Observatory! I’m anxious to meet and personally thank the many Flagstaff area supporters of the observatory.” Pluto and Beyond kicks off with the Kuiper VIP Reception at 5:30 p.m. Presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, this champagne and cocktail gathering will meet in the 1899 Bar & Grill. The main event happens in the High Country Conference Center, with doors opening at 6 p.m. and a sit-down dinner served at 7:30 p.m. Afterward, experts from Lowell Observatory will discuss the astronomy news story of the year—the New Horizons spacecraft’s July approach to Pluto after an incredible nine-year journey. This program will start with a look at Clyde Tombaugh’s improbable discovery of this icy world at Lowell in 1930 and continue with the latest news from New Horizons as it prepares to capture the first-ever close-up images of Pluto’s surface. -
Pluto's Long, Strange History — in Pictures : Nature News & Comment
Pluto's long, strange history — in pictures Nature marks the 85th anniversary of the dwarf planet's discovery. Alexandra Witze 18 February 2015 Even at a distance of 5 billion kilometres, Pluto has entranced scientists and the public back on Earth. Nature looks at the history of this enigmatic world, which in July will get its first close-up visit by a spacecraft. First glimpse Lowell Observatory 18 February 1930: Farmer-turned-astronomer Clyde Tombaugh (pictured), aged 24, discovers Pluto while comparing photographic plates of the night sky at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. The discovery, announced on 13 March 1930, is the culmination of observatory founder Percival Lowell’s obsessive quest to find a ‘Planet X’, the existence of which was suspected based on perturbations in Neptune’s orbit. Name game Galaxy Picture Library 1 May 1930: The Lowell Observatory announces that its favoured name for the discovery is Pluto, suggested by 11-year-old Venetia Burney (pictured) from Oxford, UK, after the Roman god of the underworld. Venetia later becomes the namesake of a student-built dust counter on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, which is currently on its way to Pluto. Pair bond US Naval Observatory 22 June 1978: James Christy and Robert Harrington, of the US Naval Observatory's Flagstaff Station, discover Pluto’s largest moon, Charon. It is visible as a bulge (at top in left image) that regularly appears and disappears in observational images as the two bodies orbit their mutual centre of gravity1. The moon is so large relative to Pluto that the two are sometimes referred to as a binary planet. -
An Overview of New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics About the National Academies
2020 VISION An Overview of New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics About the National Academies The National Academies—comprising the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council—work together to enlist the nation’s top scientists, engineers, health professionals, and other experts to study specific issues in science, technology, and medicine that underlie many questions of national importance. The results of their deliberations have inspired some of the nation’s most significant and lasting efforts to improve the health, education, and welfare of the United States and have provided independent advice on issues that affect people’s lives worldwide. To learn more about the Academies’ activities, check the website at www.nationalacademies.org. Copyright 2011 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America This study was supported by Contract NNX08AN97G between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Contract AST-0743899 between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation, and Contract DE-FG02-08ER41542 between the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Department of Energy. Support for this study was also provided by the Vesto Slipher Fund. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agencies that provided support for the project. 2020 VISION An Overview of New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics Committee for a Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics ROGER D. -
Experiencing Hubble
PRESCOTT ASTRONOMY CLUB PRESENTS EXPERIENCING HUBBLE John Carter August 7, 2019 GET OUT LOOK UP • When Galaxies Collide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP3x7TgvgR8 • How Hubble Images Get Color https://www.youtube.com/watch? time_continue=3&v=WSG0MnmUsEY Experiencing Hubble Sagittarius Star Cloud 1. 12,000 stars 2. ½ percent of full Moon area. 3. Not one star in the image can be seen by the naked eye. 4. Color of star reflects its surface temperature. Eagle Nebula. M 16 1. Messier 16 is a conspicuous region of active star formation, appearing in the constellation Serpens Cauda. This giant cloud of interstellar gas and dust is commonly known as the Eagle Nebula, and has already created a cluster of young stars. The nebula is also referred to the Star Queen Nebula and as IC 4703; the cluster is NGC 6611. With an overall visual magnitude of 6.4, and an apparent diameter of 7', the Eagle Nebula's star cluster is best seen with low power telescopes. The brightest star in the cluster has an apparent magnitude of +8.24, easily visible with good binoculars. A 4" scope reveals about 20 stars in an uneven background of fainter stars and nebulosity; three nebulous concentrations can be glimpsed under good conditions. Under very good conditions, suggestions of dark obscuring matter can be seen to the north of the cluster. In an 8" telescope at low power, M 16 is an impressive object. The nebula extends much farther out, to a diameter of over 30'. It is filled with dark regions and globules, including a peculiar dark column and a luminous rim around the cluster. -
The Flint River Observer a Frac Special Edition The
1 How it happened is an intriguing tale. Many astronomers considered the change to be a long- THE overdue step in advancing astronomy as a science -- and as many others regarded it as a deception perpetrated by the International Astronomical FLINT RIVER Union (IAU). Curiously, both sides were right. I’ve written about it before, but this Special OBSERVER Edition of the Observer is broader in scope. Written 22 yrs. after the event, it tells both sides of NEWSLETTER OF THE FLINT the story in far greater depth than previously. RIVER ASTRONOMY CLUB (Incidentally, this project began as a brief “This ‘n That” newsletter item about an article that An Affiliate of the appeared in Astronomy Magazine but quickly grew Astronomical League into something much larger. You’ll see what I was writing about on p. 6.) Special Edition October, 2018 -Bill __________________________________________ * * * A FRAC SPECIAL EDITION THE PLUTO QUESTION: What is a Planet? Beginnings. The discovery of Neptune by William Lassell in 1846 brought the solar system’s planet total to eight. However, wobbles in the by Bill Warren orbital paths of Uranus and Neptune led the American astronomer, founder and director of __________________ Lowell Observatory, Percival Lowell, to conclude that a ninth planet -- he called it Planet X – lay Introduction. If you were born before 1990, you somewhere beyond Neptune and was tugging probably remember how upset people were when gravitationally on that planet and Uranus. Lowell Pluto was removed from the solar system’s family died in 1916, but in 1929 Vesto Slipher, his of planets in 1996. -
TENURE-TRACK Or TENURED ASTRONOMER Lowell Observatory
TENURE-TRACK or TENURED ASTRONOMER Lowell Observatory invites applications for one or more tenure-track or tenured research positions in astronomy or planetary science. We invite applicants at any career level who can build on current strengths or open new areas for Lowell. A Ph.D. in astronomy, planetary science, or a related field is required, as is an outstanding record of research and demonstrated ability or potential to obtain external research funding. Candidates are invited to describe how they would make use of our observational facilities, but we will give equal consideration to all research areas. The start date for this position is flexible but desired by Fall 2016. Lowell Observatory is an independent, non-profit research institution. Our astronomers have access to our new 4.3-meter Discovery Channel Telescope, operated in partnership with Boston University, the University of Toledo, the University of Maryland/GSFC, Northern Arizona University, Yale University, and Discovery Communications. Lowell also maintains 1.8-m, 1.1-m, and 0.9-m telescopes equipped with optical and IR imagers and spectrographs. We partner with the US Naval Observatory and the Naval Research Laboratory in the Navy Precision Optical Interferometer. Lowell offers numerous opportunities for involvement in education and outreach as well. To apply: Send applications electronically to [email protected]. Applications should include (1) a cover letter and CV, (2) a research plan of 3 pages or less, and (3) names and mail/email addresses of three individuals who have agreed to serve as references. Do not ask for reference letters to be sent in advance. -
Planetary Patrol - an International Effort
136 COMMISSIONS 16, 17 AND 40 ments devoted to the passage through the asteroid belt which precedes the Jupiter rendezvous. Emphasis was placed on the anticipated contributions of these three programs to our understanding of the solar system. In discussion Carl Sagan stressed that mission B of the Mariner Mars 1971 program is designed to have an orbital period four-thirds the Martian rotational period so that every four days the space craft observes the same area under the same lighting conditions. In this way intrinsic Martian albedo changes can be distinguished from effects due to the scattering phase function of surface material. He also mentioned the possibility that photographic mapping of Phobos and Deimos by the Mariner Mars 1971 mission would provide cartography of these moons superior to the best groundbased cartography of Mars. PLANETARY PATROL - AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT W. A. Baum Lowell Observatory Abstract. An international photographic planetary patrol network, consisting of the Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii, the Mount Stromlo Observatory in eastern Australia, the Republic Observa tory in South Africa, the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in northern Chile, and the Lowell Observatory, has been in operation since April 1969. The Magdalena Peak Station of the Mexico State University also participated temporarily. New stations are now being added at the Perth Observatory in western Australia and at the Kavalur Station of the Kodaikanal Observatory in southern India. During 1969 Mars and Jupiter were photographed through blue, green, and red filters; and the network produced more than 11000 fourteen-exposure filmstrips with images of a quality suitable for analysis. -
1400 West Mars Hill Rd | Flagstaff, Arizona 86001-4499 | USA 928.774.3358 | Lowell.Edu
1400 West Mars Hill Rd | Flagstaff, Arizona 86001-4499 | USA 928.774.3358 | lowell.edu POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT Multi-Cultural Outreach Astronomer DUTIES: Serve as a Public Program Educator and act as the “Meet an Astronomer” professional for our observatory several times a month. Develop new educational materials and translate existing educational materials for the Spanish speaking community. Participate directly in the Lowell Observatory Camp for Kids programs. These hands-on day camps offer kids the opportunity to learn about STEM through activities such as science investigations, games, story time, music, engineering, art, and more. Partner with schools each year within the Native American Astronomy Outreach program and participate in expansions of that program to other cultures in the region. Partnerships are sponsored by National Science Foundation and private donors. Develop and deliver informal education talks about astronomy, with an emphasis on the most recent astronomy-related news and events, as well as the current and past research done at Lowell Observatory. Engage with visitors and lead tours of the Lowell Observatory campus including occasional tours in Spanish. Deliver public lectures for historical observatory exhibitions. Operate public telescopes, lead outdoor stargazing programs and special pre-K-12 programs. Other duties as assigned, which may include: lead tours of other Lowell telescopes and facilities, assist with design and delivery of new programs, and assist with exclusive programs both on and off-site. REQUIREMENTS: Master’s degree in Astronomy, Physics, or a closely related field or the foreign academic equivalent, plus 1 year of experience in an astronomy related position. Alternatively, Lowell will also accept Bachelor’s degree, in Astronomy, Physics, or a closely related field, with 6 years of experience in an astronomy related position in lieu of a master’s degree and 1 year of experience. -
Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) Measured Distance to Andromeda Galaxy (M31) • Noticed Individual Bright Stars in Andromeda
The Resolution: Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) Measured Distance to Andromeda Galaxy (M31) • Noticed individual bright stars in Andromeda • Calculated the distance using the Period-Luminosity Relation for Cepheid Variable Stars The Resolution: Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) Measured Distance to Andromeda Galaxy (M31) • Noticed individual bright stars in Andromeda • Calculated the distance using the Period-Luminosity Relation for Cepheid Variable Stars 1. MEASURED magnitude & Period The Resolution: Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) Measured Distance to Andromeda Galaxy (M31) • Noticed individual bright stars in Andromeda • Calculated the distance using the Period-Luminosity Relation for Cepheid Variable Stars 1. MEASURED magnitude & Period 2. CALCULATED Luminosity The Resolution: Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) Measured Distance to Andromeda Galaxy (M31) • Noticed individual bright stars in Andromeda • Calculated the distance using the Period-Luminosity Relation for Cepheid Variable Stars 1. MEASURED magnitude & Period 2. CALCULATED Luminosity 3. CALCULATED Distance The Resolution: Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) Measured Distance to Andromeda Galaxy (M31) • Noticed individual bright stars in Andromeda • Calculated the distance using the Period-Luminosity Relation for Cepheid Variable Stars 1. MEASURED magnitude & Period 2. CALCULATED Luminosity 3. CALCULATED Distance • Result was MUCH farther than expected... • (2.3 Million Ly - well beyond Milky Way) Henrietta Leavitt & Period-Luminosity Relation Cepheid Variables: Bright stars whose Luminosity (energy output) varies every -
New Horizons 2 Alan Stern (Swri), Rick Binzel (MIT), Hal Levison
New Horizons 2 Alan Stern (SwRI), Rick Binzel (MIT), Hal Levison (SwRI), Rosaly Lopes (JPL), Bob Millis (Lowell Observatory), and Jeff Moore (NASA Ames) New Horizons is the inaugural mission in NASA’s New Frontiers program—a series of mid-sized planetary exploration projects. This mission was competitively selected in 2001 after a peer review competition between industry-university teams. The mission is on track toward a planned launch in January 2006—just over 6 months hence. The primary objective of New Horizons (NH) is to make the first reconnaissance of the solar system’s farthest planet, Pluto, its comparably sized satellite Charon. If an extended mission is approved, New Horizons may be able to also flyby a Kuiper Belt Object (KBOs) farther from the Sun. The exploration of the Kuiper Belt and Pluto-Charon was ranked as the highest new start priority for planetary exploration by the National Research Council’s recently completed (2002) Decadal Survey for Planetary Science. In accomplishing its goals, the mission is expected to reveal fundamental new insights into the nature of the outer solar system, the formation history of the planets, the workings of binary worlds, and the ancient repository of water and organic building blocks called the Kuiper Belt. Beyond its scientific ambitions, New Horizons is also breaking ground in lowering the cost of exploration of the outer solar system—for it is being built and launched for what are literally dimes on the dollar compared to deep outer solar system missions like Voyager, Galileo, and Cassini. The New Horizons spacecraft carries a suite of seven advanced, miniaturized instruments to obtain detailed imagery, mapping spectroscopy, thermal mapping, gravitational data, and in situ plasma composition, density, and energy sampling of the exotic, icy Pluto- Charon binary and a modest-sized (~50 km diameter) KBO. -
What If the Mars Rover Does Find Lostgenius Whomerits Aplaceon Thepodium
Thursday, August 30, 2012 THE IRISH TIMES 11 ScienceScience EditorTodayDick Ahlstrom e-mail [email protected] CORMAC Ó What if the Mars Rover does find RAIFEARTAIGH Lost genius Proof of who merits a place on the podium Who knows about Vesto Slipher, life? the astronomer who inspired the work of Edwin Hubble? NE OF the great surprises of 20th century science was the discovery that Oour universe is expanding. The finding caused a paradigm shift in cosmology and eventually led to today’s “Big Bang” model of the origin of the universe. It is therefore quite puzzling that a scientist who played a key role in the discovery remains virtually unknown to scientists and the general public alike. Step forward Vesto Slipher, the American astronomer who first established that the most distant objects in the sky are moving away from one another at high speed. Vesto Melvin Slipher was born in the US state of Indiana in 1875. He was educated at Indiana University and took up a position at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona after receiving his degree in 1901. There, he showed himself to be an astronomer of exceptional talent. In particular, he pioneered a method of measuring the motion of stars with the use of a spectrograph, an instrument that analyses the spectrum of light emitted by a body. Slipher used his new technique to study the attempting to answer questions “A laser on Curiosity’s mast cre- many details about the analysis of Is there anything out there? An Kevin Nolan, lecturer in physics at most enigmatic astronomical objects of the BECCA WILSON about Martian life.