International Astronomical Search Collaboration Scalability & Expansion of Student-Based Discovery Programs Dr. J. Patrick Miller, Director Educational Reach-Out Programs in Astronomy Hardin-Simmons University Abilene, Texas June 2009 EuROPA

The International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC = “Isaac”) is an online student-based discovery program in astronomy. Students make original discoveries of Main Belt asteroids and observations of NEOs that are reported to the Minor Planet Center (Harvard). The NEO observations are recorded as part of the NASA Near-Earth Object Program (Jet Propulsion Laboratory). The collaborators include the following: Hardin-Simmons University (Abilene, Texas) Astronomical Research Institute (Charleston, Illinois) Lawrence Hall of Science (University of California, Berkeley) Global Hands-On Universe Association (Lisbon, Portugal) Astrometrica (Linz, Austria).

Participation 14 Countries & 135 Schools Austria 1 Bulgaria 2 China 14 Ethiopia 7 Germany 1 Israel 1 Italy 1 Japan 2 Nigeria 5 Poland 9 Portugal 6 Russia 2 South Africa 11 United States 73

A total of 150 original asteroid discoveries have been made along with 3 comet confirmations, ~20 virtual impactor observations, and hundreds of NEO observations. On January 31, 2009, a potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA) 2009 BD81 was discovered at ARI Observatory by Observer R. Holmes, measurers S. Kirby, K. Dankov, and H. Devore. It was published in MPEC 2009-C09 on February 2, Steven Kirby is a high school science teacher at Ranger High School (Ranger, TX). He was attending an IASC workshop at the Big Country Science & Mathematics Symposium (Region 14; Abilene, TX). Observer details: H01 Magdalena Ridge Observatory, Socorro. Observers W. H. Ryan, E. V. Ryan. Measurer W. H. Ryan. 2.4-m f/8.9 reflector + CCD. H36 Sandlot Observatory, Scranton. Observer G. Hug m reflector + CCD. H55 Astronomical Research Observatory, Charleston. Observer R. Holmes. Measurers S. Kirby, K. Dankov, H. Devore m f/4.0 astrograph + CCD. H85 Silver Spring. Observer K. Levin. Measurer N. Teamo m f/7.25 Ritchey-Chretien x2054 CCD.

Thank you, Andy Warhol…wherever you are!!

IASC Program Flow Diagram Astronomical Research Institute Hardin-Simmons University Astrometrica ARI HSU & Astrometrica Minor Planet Center (Harvard)

IASC asteroid search campaigns are organized into 45-day time periods, originally scheduled for U.S. schools and based upon standard holiday and testing schedules from August-May: Asteroid Search Campaigns Asteroid Search Campaigns 2 NEO Confirmation Campaigns Asteroid Search Campaigns 2NEO Confirmation Campaigns Asteroid Search Campaigns 2NEO Confirmation Campaigns Organization of IASC Asteroid Search Campaigns

Specialized IASC Asteroid Search Campaigns All-Texas Asteroid Search Campaign (University of Texas at Austin) October-December 2008 October-December 2009 All-China Asteroid Search Campaign (National Astronomical Observatory of China) December 2008-January 2009 December 2009-January 2010 All-Africa Asteroid Search Campaign (South African Astronomical Observatory) (National Youth Development Council) May-June 2009 Ethiopia Nigeria South Africa

Current IASC Capacity IASC has an image pipeline with 2 channels (24” and 32” telescopes at the ARI Observatory) Using 45-day campaigns, a total of 8 can be offered per year per channel (i.e., 16 search campaigns per year) Each campaign can serve 15 schools Academic Year# of Campaigns% of Capacity# of Schools % % % % 135 Using 45-day campaigns, a total of 8 can be offered per year per channel (i.e., 16 search campaigns per year) Each campaign can serve 15 schools Academic Year# of Campaigns% of Capacity# of Schools % % % % 135

IASC Program Flow Diagram Astronomical Research Institute Hardin-Simmons University Astrometrica ARI HSU & Astrometrica Minor Planet Center (Harvard) Time Bottleneck

IASC Program Flow Diagram Astronomical Research Institute Hardin-Simmons University Time Bottleneck When the ARI went to multiple short exposures per target on the 24” and 32” requiring stacking (and tracking), the prep time at Hardin-Simmons University took 12 hours (4am to 4pm). That limited the number of IASC campaigns to the 31% level, a total of 5 campaigns per year. For there will be 9 campaigns pushing the program to the 56% level. However, an automated utility was developed by Michael Kran and Joe Ulowetz in January 2009 that reduced the 12 hours prep time to 45 minutes.

The introduction of the automated image preps for the IASC Asteroid Search Campaigns permitted the growth from: 5 campaigns per year (31% capacity) to 9 campaigns per year (56% capacity) Factors that limit the growth beyond 56% capacity: Availability of staff on-site at HSU during the summer months Availability of additional volunteers internationally Trainers, Spotters, & QC Checkers Image Prep Partially solved by remote access to the image prep computer Volunteer Bottleneck

Factors that press for growth beyond 56% capacity: Word of mouth requests (~2 per week) Sky & Telescope article (to appear in late 2009) International Year of Astronomy (Nuclio) New search campaigns (comets, KBOs, SNe, AGN, variable stars) Factors that limit the growth beyond 56% capacity: Availability of staff on-site at HSU during the summer months Availability of additional volunteers internationally

GUI+OIS IDL 7.1 Virtual Machine Michael Kran & Jim Pendleton Future IASC SNe Search Campaigns

IASC Program Flow Diagram Astronomical Research Institute Hardin-Simmons University Astrometrica ARI HSU & Astrometrica Minor Planet Center (Harvard) 19 h 1h1h 48 h 24 h 19 h 1 h +48 h +24 h = 73 h 24 h

Wide Field Sky Surveys Look where they can’t (Southern Hemisphere) Look where they aren’t (out of phase) Look when they aren’t (bright night skies) Join ‘em

FUNDING EuROPA Summer Astronomy Institute Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 2008$ 135,000UT Austin 2009$ 165,000UT Austin $ 300,000Total Astronomical Research Methods Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 2009$ 3,000HSU $ 3,150JSU $ 750LBNL $ 6,900Total International Astronomical Search Collaboration 2008$ 400,000Shelton Foundation 2008 $ 1,400,000 NASA 2009$ 73,000Motorola Foundation 2009 $ TBDNational Science Foundation $ TBDJackson State University

Funding being sought for: Paid IASC staff w/ travel & professional development Automated QC utility for online MPC report submissions 24” IASC telescope for a 3 rd channel for the image pipeline Leasing of time on the 24” and 32” at the ARI Observatory Virtual classroom & conference room for training Automated image processing & local ARI Observatory FTP site

Additional Management Issues & Future Growth Reduce the load upon and the need for volunteers - Automated installation utility for Astrometrica - Skype live training sessions - Automated QC utility - Automated NEO confirmation assignment Increase the number of channels in the image pipeline - Tim Puckett to host an IASC SNe Search Campaign - Pan-STARRS to provide three channels - University of Saint Andrews (Scotland) exoplanet channel - 24” telescope at ARI Observatory Develop online utilities for transient events to serve NVO - Optimal Image Subtraction (OIS) - Photometrica

Turn-Key Educational Outreach Program School District IASC SNe Search Campaign Assessment & Evaluation Student Research Data Acquisition Hardin-Simmons University Astronomical Research Institute Hands-On Universe TRA Contract and/or Grant Funding

EuROPA Educational Reach-Out Programs in Astronomy Department of Mathematics Holland School of Science & Mathematics Hardin-Simmons University Abilene, Texas