Target Audience: College and university faculty
Cost: Application fee: $100; Course fee: $195; Optional Lodging: $35/night
Duration: 2.5 Days
Location: Green Bank, WV
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GBO-27 Radio Astronomy Update 2020: Pulsars and Gravitational Radiation, Dark Matter and Galaxy Evolution, the State of the Art in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Led by: Dr. Karen O’Neil and Staff, Green Bank Observatory
Date: May 27 – 29, 2020
Overview: This introductory course includes the basics of radio astronomy, descriptions of the GBT, and discussions of the research work done on the scope. While this course is long-running, its content is constantly changing based on the most recent work done on the world-class GBT. In this course is offered an update on some of the “hot topics” in astronomy: pulsars, gravitational radiation, dark matter, galaxy evolution and SETI. The presentations are at an introductory level. The GBT has some 16 million pounds that move to point to directions in the sky to within seconds of arc quickly. During the tour of the GBT, participants are often taken to the top of the scope to see the detector room, and to look down into the 2.3 acre collecting dish (subject to schedules and weather). There is interaction with resident and visiting astronomers.
Participants stay in the astronomer’s lodging at a rate of $35 per night and take meals in the site cafeteria. Participants experience the culture of a national laboratory with no fence or gate, in a community of 400, where people do first class work on a world class scope in relative isolation (the closest regular food market is 65 minutes away). Participants are given guidance on and make measurements on a “hands-on” forty foot radio telescope and a remotely controlled 20-meter scope during the course.
NOTE: The new course listed below takes a deeper dive into radio astronomy projects. It takes place immediately after GBO-27 and participants may sign up for one or the other or both!
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GBO-37 Radio Astronomy Project 2020
Led by: Dr. Ronald Maddalena and Staff, Green Bank Observatory
Dates: May 30 – June 1, 2020
Dr. Maddalena, a recently retired but active astronomer, has been a frequent presenter in the GBO long-running course entitled Radio Astronomy Update 2020 He will be joined by other staff members in the interaction with participants.
Those taking part in the project will work in small groups and have access to two on-site radio telescopes (one older and one newer) and also access to the archived sky data at the Green Bank Observatory. In addition to peer collaboration, they will have professional guidance from observatory astronomers. Participants will reside in the astronomer’s residence hall, and take meals in the site cafeteria.
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For either of the above courses, expect to arrive at the site late afternoon the day before the start of the course. There will be a 7:30 PM Introductory social in the Residence Hall Lounge. Plan for an early start the following morning. The lodging includes this night before the start. For either course expect departure just after lunch on the final day.
For each of the above:[Application fee: $100; Course fee: $195; Optional lodging: $35 per night in a double room. Meals are paid for individually. For more information and an application form, folks can send an email to sheather@nrao.edu