Presentation - Denver Astronomical Society

Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Your Eyes on the Sky:
NEOs, Satellites & More
The Importance of Unpaid Observers
Suzanne Metlay, Ph.D.
Secure World Foundation
Denver Astronomical Society
29 January 2010
www.SecureWorldFoundation.org
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DAS 29 January 2010
Nobody looks up like amateur astronomers
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Comets – Named after discoverers
 McNaught, Shoemaker-Levy, etc.
Asteroids – Named by discoverers for others
 26858 Misterrogers
Globe@Night – Light pollution studies
Extrasolar planets, Supernovae, Gamma Ray Bursts, etc.
 Amateurs routinely do work of paid professionals
Comet McNaught – Akira Fujii 2007
Astronomy is now more democratic than ever
 Observational/computer technology increasingly available and affordable
 More widespread science education leads to more high-tech workers
 More high-tech workers leads to more widespread science education
 Formal and informal education by amateur astronomers
"In this golden age of technology, amateur astronomers are being recognized by the
professional community for their contributions.“
David Jurasevich, "The Story Behind the Discovery of 'the Cygnus Bubble'" (2009)
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Borucki, AAS Press Conference, 3 Jan 2010
NASA’s Kepler Mission and You
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
“Many discoveries will be made with the data we give to the public after the mission ends.”
Bill Borucki, Kepler Principal Investigator, NASA Ames (2009)
http://kepler.nasa.gov/
http://var2.astro.cz/ETD/
etd.php?STARNAME=XO-2&PLANET=b
Foot, 2009
John O’Neil, Image: AFP
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Anthony Wesley - Today’s Amateur?
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Scope:
– “Homebrew” GEM mounted Newtonian
– Losmandy Titan Mount
Optics:
– 14.5" f/5 Royce conical
– Primary: 1/30 wave Antares Optics
– Secondary : Televue 5x powermate , working at 7.7x
Camera: Point Grey Research Dragonfly2 mono
camera, ICX424al
– Filters: Astrodon I-Series RGB
– Capture details: 60 seconds in each filter @ 47fps
Anthony Wesley, home observatory outside
Murrumbateman NSW Australia
Capture software: Coriander
Operating System: Linux (Fedora 10 x86)
Processing software:
http://jupiter.samba.org/jupiter-impact.html
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Ninox for crop and presort
Registax for alignment and stacking
Astra Image for deconvolution and RGB align
The Gimp for cleanup and captioning
DAS 29 January 2010
Jupiter Impact
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
“By about midnight… I was ready to quit. Indeed I had hovered the mouse over the exit button…
I noticed a dark spot rotating into view in Jupiter’s south polar region… Eventually I stopped imaging and
went up to the house to start emailing people, with this image above processed as quick and dirty as possible
just to have something to show.” – Anthony Wesley, Observation Report (http://jupiter.samba.org/jupiter-impact.html)
www.SecureWorldFoundation.org
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Meteor Observations
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
International Meteor Organization (http://www.imo.net/)
Founded in 1988 , more than 250 members worldwide.
Meteor showers and relation to comets and interplanetary dust.
“Amateur Astronomers See Perseids Hit the Moon”
Lunar studies and relation to astronaut safety
George Varros & Robert Spellman used home equipment in different locations to
record Perseid meteors strike lunar surface on 9 August 2008.
LunarScan - computer program written by amateur astronomer Pete Gural
searches digital video of the Moon for split-second flashes – not used here.
"This shows how amateur astronomers can contribute to our research," points out
Rob Suggs [NASA Meteoroid Environment Office ]. "We can't observe the Moon
24-7 from our corner of the USA. Clouds, sunlight, the phase of the Moon—all
these factors limit our opportunities. A global network of amateur astronomers
monitoring the Moon could, however, approach full coverage.“(Science@NASA, 2008)
Google Earth 4D Ionosphere Tool Aids Amateur Observers
Meteor showers and relation to Earth’s atmosphere
Tammy Plotner used home equipment, Google Earth tool, and publicly accessible
scientific data to compare atmospheric data with observed Perseid meteor
shower on 11-12 August 2008.
Watch how meteors create “intense areas of ionization “ in Earth’s ionosphere
in almost real time. (UniverseToday.com, 2008)
www.SecureWorldFoundation.org
SWNS
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Fireball “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Early-mid 2009:
United States government adopted policy to classify fireball data gathered by
classified military satellites (http://www.space.com/news/090610-military-fireballs.html)
 Scientists have relied on data from these satellites for past 15 years
 Data from unclassified satellites is still OK to share
 Affects US military satellite data only
 Amateur observations are now more important to help confirm scientific research
as well as eyewitness accounts from untrained persons
 http://www.cloudbait.com/science/fireball_report.html
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DSP-I satellite
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2008 TC3
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
2008 TC3 is the first and only object to be:
 Seen approaching Earth as an asteroid
 Observed as a meteor
 Located and recovered as meteorites
Truly global effort:
Within 19 hours, > 1100 astrometric &
photometric observations conducted and
reported to Minor Planet Center in US.
 Amateurs provided positional data/images
 25 Minor Planet Electronic Circulars
within 11 hours as orbital data was refined
 Meteor entry seen by Meteosat-8 satellite
and by KLM Airline crew over Europe
 Meteorite fragments discovered and
collected by students at University of Khartoum,
Sudan
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Airline pilots saw flash of entry:
"… a KLM airliner, roughly 750 nautical miles
southwest of the predicted atmospheric impact
position, has observed a short flash just before
the expected impact time 0246 UTC. Because of
the distance it was not a very large
phenomenon, but still a confirmation that
some bright meteor has been seen in the
predicted direction.”
– Jacob Kuiper, aviation meteorologist,
National Weather Service, Netherlands
(Spaceweather.com, 8 Oct 2008)
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Recovery of 2008 TC8 Meteorites
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Peter Jenniskens & University of Khartoum faculty and students
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Near Earth Objects (NEOs)
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Benson Prize for the Amateur Discovery of
Near-Earth Asteroids
 1997-2006, Jim Benson, SpaceDev Corp.
 Cash prize of $500 to single winner annually
 For “next 10 discoveries of near-Earth asteroids by
amateur skygazers… who use amateur-owned
equipment.” http://www.skyandtelescope.com/
Planetary Society: Shoemaker NEO Grants
 Since 1997, in honor of Gene Shoemaker
 Asteroids and comets
 Not annual – once every 2-3 years
Asteroid 2004 FH & passing satellite
Is anyone investing in amateur
NEO investigations?
www.SecureWorldFoundation.org
 32 Shoemaker NEO grants totaling more than
$202,000 so far
 Amateurs and professionals at small observatories
 Solely funded by dues and donations from
members of the Planetary Society
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NEO Impact Risk
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
www.SecureWorldFoundation.org
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Satellite Tracking & Orbital Debris
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Satellites –
 http://heavens-above.com/
 http://spaceweather.com/flybys/
 Google Earth Satellite Overlay (AGI)
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Orbital Debris Tracking
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Orbital Debris –
 Astronaut Tool Bag (2009)
 Apollo 12 S-IVB 3rd stage rocket body
-Discovered by Bill Yeung (2002)
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Space Protection Office & Orbital Debris
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Space Protection Program
 Established 2008
 Jointly sponsored by National Reconnaissance Office and
US Air Force
 Based in Colorado Springs
 Dr. Andrew Palowitch, first director
What to do about orbital debris? Reviews are underway:
 Study Directive #3
Andrew Palowitch, 10 June 2009
Image: Dwayne Day, Space Review
 Review of National Space Policy
 Space Posture Review by Department of Defense
 Quadrennial Defense Review by Department of Defense
 State Department & NASA working with United Nations
Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)
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You can see but US military can’t say…
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
John Locker – Image: Jonathan Player for The New York Times (2009)
USA 193 Debris Visualization - AGI (2008)
“…satellite spotters around the world…
have grudgingly become accustomed to
being seen as ‘propeller-headed geeks’
who ‘poke their finger in the eye’ of the
government’s satellite spymasters…”
DSP-23 satellite approaching
ASTRA 1 satellite constellation –
Image: Greg Roberts (2009)
Greg Roberts
– Image: Credit Unknown (2009)
John Schwarz, New York Times, 5 Feb 2008
http://www.satobs.org/satintro.html
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Galaxy Zoo – Hanny’s Voorwerp
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
http://galaxyzoo.org/
2007: Hanny Van Arkel
discovers a Voorwerp
2009: More than 200,000
volunteers worldwide
www.SecureWorldFoundation.org
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Galaxy Zoo – Green Peas
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
“Murmurs of a potential discovery began when a group of volunteers who called themselves the
‘Peas Corps’ and the ‘Peas Brigade’ started a discussion in an online forum about a group of
strange bright green objects. The original forum thread was called ‘Give peas a chance.’
“The volunteers – many of whom had no previous astronomy background or experience – were
asked to refine their image samples and submit them to a lab for color analysis…
“ ‘No one person could have done this on their own,’ said [Carolin] Cardamone [Sloan Digital
Sky Survey] . ‘Even if we had managed to look through 10,000 of these images, we would
have only come across a few Green Peas and wouldn't have recognized them as a unique
class of galaxies.’ ” http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090727-green-peas.html
“Green Peas” and an elliptical galaxy. Images courtesy of Carolin Cardamone and Sloan Digital Sky Survey
www.SecureWorldFoundation.org
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Citizen Science Alliance
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
http://citizensciencealliance.org
http://zooniverse.org
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Blogs & Citizen Science
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Amateurs write a large number of blogs:
http://www.skythisweek.com/
http://www.universetoday.com/
http://www.slackerastronomy.org/
 Science journalism by the people
 Outreach and education
 More images of ISS, Shuttle & HST than anyone 
 Sharing the passion
Jack Horkheimer’s Star Gazer naked eye astronomy TV series: > six million viewers worldwide on PBS
Horkheimer preferred epitaph:
Keep Looking Up was my life's admonition,
I can do little else in my present position.
– Official biography, 2007
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Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Thank you!
Questions?
Suzanne Metlay
stmetlay@swfound.org
www.SecureWorldFoundation.org
www.SecureWorldFoundation.org
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References -1
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Comet Lulin: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/04feb_greencomet.htm
Asteroids:
http://www.astronomy-education.com/index.php?page=2&id=72
http://www.arm.ac.uk/press/Amateur-Astronomer-Honoured.html
Extrasolar planets: http://exoplanetology.blogspot.com/2009/03/amateur-astronomer-exoplanet-transit.html
http://features.csmonitor.com/discoveries/2009/03/05/keplers-planet-hunters-enlist-backyard-astronomers/
Meteors: http://www.imo.net/
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/02sep_lunarperseids.htm
http://www.optcorp.com/edu/articleDetailEDU.aspx?aid=817
Fireballs: http://www.space.com/news/090610-military-fireballs.html
http://www.cloudbait.com/science/fireball_report.html
Benson Prize: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/asteroids/3304146.html?page=1&c=y
http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/iau/pressinfo/1997MW1.html
Shoemaker prize: http://planetary.org/programs/projects/neo_grants/grants_2009.html
http://killerasteroidproject.org/index.htm
http://www.planetary.org/programs/projects/neo_grants/update_20090427.html
NEOs: http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001983/
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v420/n6913/full/nature01238.html
2008 TC3: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v458/n7237/full/nature07920.html
http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001684/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_TC3
Spaceweather.com, 8 Oct 2008
www.SecureWorldFoundation.org
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References-2
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Space Protection Program: http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1394/1
Satellite tracking and Orbital Debris:
http://heavens-above.com/
http://spaceweather.com/flybys/
http://cs.astronomy.com/asycs/blogs/astronomy/2009/03/20/caught-a-satellite-on-amateur-astronomer-s-first-video.aspx
http://www.thetechherald.com/article.php/200848/2512/Amateur-astronomer-captures-lost-NASA-tool-bag-on-video
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=9296
Spy satellite tracking:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/science/space/05spotters.html
http://news.skymania.com/2008/01/revealed-stargazer-snaps-splatellite.html -- John Locker & USA-193 shoot-down
USA-193 decay predictions using public domain trajectory data and assessment of the post-intercept orbital debris cloud
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V1N4VGMP1N1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&vi
ew=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=5a68bda1e8a8838ba2c4b5c4418ff494
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/090204-tw-satellite-sleuthing.html
SETI@Home: http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
Stardust@Home: http://stardustathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
Galaxy Zoo: http://galaxyzoo.org/
Planetary Society blog: http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001983/
Lightcurves: http://www.slackerastronomy.org/wordpress/category/astrophysics/feed/
Blogs: http://www.skythisweek.com/
http://www.universetoday.com/
http://www.slackerastronomy.org/
Jack Horkheimer: http://www.jackstargazer.com/SHbio.html
www.SecureWorldFoundation.org
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Desktop Astronomy
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
 Image Analysis:
 SETI@Home (http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/)
―10 years of pioneering research
 Stardust@Home (http://stardustathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/)
―Sort through images of Wild 2 comet dust samples
trapped in aerogel
 Image Artistry:
Jim Holder by Mike Hotka, 2007
“It's amazing what amateurs are doing with planetary images these days. Using calibrated
data archived in the Planetary Data System, or even the preliminary raw images posted on
the Cassini or MER web sites, they are generating color images and mosaics that eclipse in
detail and sheer beauty the best that professionals could have produced a decade ago.”
– John Spencer, Southwest Research Institute, Planetary Society blog, 12 June 2009
www.SecureWorldFoundation.org
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Space Governance Planetarium Show
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Unique partnership:
 One Earth Future Foundation: Funding, oversight.
 Secure World Foundation: In-kind donation of subject matter expertise, active
involvement in show development, assistance with publicity.
 Fiske Planetarium and Science Center at University of Colorado at Boulder:
Expertise in show development/production, educational use, global distribution.
www.SecureWorldFoundation.org
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Planetarium Show Content and Structure
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
“The Crowded Sky”
 What is in Earth orbit?
– Active satellites are vastly outnumbered by derelict
satellites, rocket bodies, other objects
 Where is it?
― GEO, MEO, LEO
 How do people use satellite technology?
Clicker question interlude
“Life of a Satellite”
 Launch to controlled de-orbit
 On-orbit hazards
― Orbital debris
― Space weather
 Seeking permission from Ball Aerospace &
Technologies Corp. to focus on specific satellite
― Show actual satellite operations
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Not just NASA anymore…
Promoting Cooperative Solutions for Space Security
Human Spaceflight and Obama Administration’s 2011 Budget Request
(to be submitted 1 Feb 2010; subject to Congressional approval)
 SpaceX and other commercial service providers will transport astronauts
to/from International Space Station (and elsewhere?)
– US to continue ISS operations through 2020 (currently scheduled to end in 2015)
– Kennedy Space Center will lose ~7000 jobs but US may gain ~6500 jobs nationwide
• Payload processing, tourism, KSC launch pad upgrades, etc.
• SpaceX already contracts to use Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
– ISS built mainly by the U.S. in partnership with Europe, Japan, Russia, Canada
 No Constellation program? No US astronauts to Moon, Mars?
– Ares I rocket, Ares V rocket, Orion crew capsule
– $9 billion spent on development costs since 2004
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