92^nd Spring Meeting of the AAVSO

Paper Session Abstracts and Presentation Order

Friday, April 25th

David H. Levy
"Reach for the Stars: Inspiring a New Generation in Astronomy"
With programs like Hands-on Astrophysics, the AAVSO has been active in getting young people interested in astronomy and the night sky. It is wonderful and very important that we do programs like these, especially in these uncertain times when people look beyond themselves to the stars in the hope of finding reason for optimism and hope.

Rodney Howe
"A Computer Model for Detection of Gamma Ray Bursts and X-ray Transients at Very Low Frequency Radio Telescopes"
The VLF model proposed, in this paper, examines whether GRB or x-ray transient flux from a distant Super Novae can be detected by amateur VLF radios such as the Gyrator II (Art Stokes, 2000 http://www.qsl.net/SARA/projects/vlfrx.htm). Arguments presented compare how GRBs created from supernovae events might cause different signatures than Solar flare, magnetar or other local x-ray transient Sudden Ionospheric Disturbances. High-energy gamma ray bursts and short x-ray transients of supernovae (SN) origin affect the upper ionosphere through Inverse Compton free electron interaction and not magnetic field reconnection as our local solar plasma or x-ray flares affect the magnetosphere. Gamma ray and x-ray ionization of the upper F2 layer, or thermosphere, should be measurable as ionizing radiation up to 106 eV but may not be detectable with amateur VLF radios. High-energy solar plasma interactions causing ionization have larger energy regimes that impact the lower ionosphere layers. Local atmospherics such as lightening, and sprites also confound detection of SN GRBs. Only events of very long duration, such as the nighttime ionosphere disturbance from SRG1900+14 magnetar, located at the edge of our galaxy 23,000 light years away from earth [Inan et al., 1999a], have been detected at Very Low Frequencies (University of Stanford's HAIL project: http://www-star.stanford.edu/~vlf/hail/hail.htm). However, it may be possible to discriminate between SN GRBs and other confounding events using VLF radio, if we can identify their signature.

Janet Mattei, Isabel Hawkins, Nahide Craig, Rejane Spitz
"National Virtual Observatory/SegNVO Project"
The National Virtual Observatory (NVO) represents a novel type of scientific organization for the era of information abundance. It has a broad range of interfaces and constituents, including amateur astronomers. The AAVSO is working with the Science Education Gateway, which is funded by NASA, to discuss and analyze the needs, perceptions, and opinions of astronomers on the potential use of the NVO Project.

Aaron Price
"NVO: Survey for Amateur Astronomers"
The National Virtual Observatory has enlisted the help of the AAVSO in an effort to determine what needs of the amateur community the NVO can meet. As part of this project, the AAVSO will be conducting a handful of in-depth face-to-face interviews with meeting attendees in preparation for conducting a wider survey among the membership during the summer.

Saturday, April 26th

Aaron Price
"The AAVSO High Energy Network"
The AAVSO is expanding its Gamma Ray Burst Network to incorporate other high energy objects such as blazars and magnetic cataclysmic variables (polars). The new AAVSO High Energy Network will be collaborating with GTN to observe bright blazars in support of the upcoming GLAST missions. We also will be observing polars in support of the XMM mission. This new network will involve both visual and CCD observers and are expected to last for many years.

Chuck Pullen, Arne Henden
"GRB030329 - AAVSO's Contribution to the Light Curve, a Statistical Analysis"
GRB030329 offers the 1st large-scale action of the AAVSO GRB Network. An analysis is performed of the AAVSO's contribution to the overall professional light curve of this exceptional gamma ray burst

A. Henden, A. Gilmore, P. Kilmartin
"Discovery of the Optical Afterglow for GRB030323"
Observations at Mt. John Observatory using a CCD system provided by the AAVSO through a grant from the Curry Foundation resulted in the first AAVSO discovery of a GRB afterglow. At a distance of z=3.37, this is one of the most distant afterglows discovered, and the early discovery and community notification enabled the accurate redshift determination from one of the VLT telescopes. This paper will be an informal presentation of how the discovery was made, along with an update of the fading light curve.

Elizabeth Alvarez
"Tools for "Dark Sky" Education"
A pristine dark sky has become a rare though still awe inspiring sight. To preserve our window to the universe, we must educate everyone everywhere about the value of dark skies and quality nighttime lighting. Astronomers, amateur and professional, are ideal ambassadors as we strive to raise awareness on a broad scale. Light pollution and dark sky research activities are ideal components of astronomy outreach programs. Outreach programs can play an important role in collecting local light pollution data ... data which is critical in the local decision making process. Many helpful resources (e.g. presentation materials, handouts, and activity ideas) are available now from the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) at http://www.darksky.org. This talk describes tools available for "dark sky" education as well as current and proposed outreach programs.

Janet A. Mattei, Christopher W. Mauche, et al.
"Chandra Spectroscopic (HETG) Observations of SS Cyg and U Gem in Quiescence and Outburst"
Chandra observations of recent outbursts of both SS Cyg and U Gem were triggered thanks to AAVSO Observers' notification. The authors obtained excellent spectroscopic data. In this paper the spectroscopic data obtained with the Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating for SS Cyg and U Gem during quiescence and outburst will be discussed including spectral similarities and the differences between these two systems.

Michael D. Koppelman
"CCD Light Curves of TASS Variable Stars"
I will present CCD light curves of 2 or 3 variable stars discovered by The Amateur Sky Survey (TASS) and studied by amateurs from the AAVSO.

Gary Billings
"Tests of CCD Photometry with a Small Aperture Telescope"
I will describe the hardware, software, and data resulting from ongoing tests of automated CCD photometry on wide-field images acquired using a telephoto lens from a city location.

Paul Temple
"Preparations for Study of Two Suspected Variables: WW UMA and CV UMA"
WW UMA and CV UMA are variables about which little is known. CV is listed in the AAVSO Atlas a MIRA star and WW is listed as unknown. A study of these two stars is definitely needed. Data from the various star catalogs are sometimes conflicting. Information from the AAVSO as well as several catalogs was put together to begin the study of these stars. Finder charts were prepared from USNO-B as well as Hipparchos, Tycho and the Guide Star catalog. Comparison stars were chosen using B-V colors between 0.3-1.0 checked by USNO-B formulae as well as the other catalogs. Observations will be made once a night, weather permitting, by the US Naval Observatory TASS Mark IV telescope in V and R bands. From this a preliminary light curve will be produced and much needed information will be generated.

Wayne P. Johnson
"Searching for Supernovae in the Sky and on the Web"
A supernova (SN) is the ultimate variable star. At its peak a SN is about 20 magnitudes brighter than its progenitor star, which itself is around 10 solar masses. Unlike common novae, supernovae (SNe) occur only once. This paper discusses the cause of SNe at a very high level, techniques to find them in the sky and estimate their brightness, and where to find information about them on the Internet.

James Bedient
"Four Asteroids and a Question Mark: Chasing Ross' Variables"
F.E. Ross published a series of papers in 1925-1931 listing 379 new variable stars discovered during his search for high-proper-motion stars. In the years since then, 271 have been studied and catalogued in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars. This paper identifies four of the remainder as asteroids, and discusses interesting observations of another.