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SPEAKERS Confirmed as of July 27 Subject to change
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Telescope Designer and Innovator Member: Rose City Astronomers Presentation: The Winds of Change: Amateur Astronomers in the New World Date / Time: Friday @ 2:00 p.m. |
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Mel Bartels is a legend among amateur telescope makers around the world. His innovative telescope designs and enthusiastic advice have inspired thousands of ATM'ers to build their own telescopes. Over the years, Mel's accumulated experience and experimentation in building telescopes led him to design and manufacture various hardware and software products for do-it-yourself computer operated telescopes, marketed through BBAstroDesigns. Mel has been a contributing author on several astronomy books and magazine articles, and is a frequent speaker at amateur star parties around the country. His "telescope walkabouts" - to inspect the latest in ATM projects - are a highlight of the annual Oregon Star Party. | |
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Executive Editor, Sky and Telescope
Presentation: The Sputnik Years Date / Time: Friday @ 10:00 a.m. |
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Like countless others growing up during the 1960's, Kelly Beatty was captivated by space exploration and the ambitious Apollo program. As Executive Editor of Sky & Telescope, he specializes in space exploration and planetary science. During the 1980's he was among the first Western journalists to gain firsthand access to the Soviet space program. Kelly enjoys writing for a wide spectrum of audiences, and he’s heard occasionally as a guest commentator on National Public Radio." | |
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Author Member: Rose City Astronomers Presentation: Stellar Photometry with CCD Cameras Date / Time: Saturday @ 1:00 p.m.
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There is very little that Richard Berry has not done in astronomy; Former editor for Astronomy magazine, co-author of books such as “The CCD Cookbook Camera” and “The Handbook of Astronomical Image Processing” and author of the “Build Your Own Telescope”. His talks are always a treat to listen to and a valuable asset to the astronomy community. | |
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Professor of Physics, University of Oregon Director, Pine Mountain Observatory Presentation: Dark Matter and the Universe Date / Time: Saturday @ 4:00 p.m. |
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At night, Dr. Bothun is the Director of the University of Oregon's Pine Mountain Observatory, located near Bend, Oregon. By day, he is Dr. Darkmatter – teaching cutting edge astrophysics in the University of Oregon's Physics Department, specializing in observational astrophysics. He is also a professor in the Environmental Studies and Sciences Program at the University of Oregon, a program he helped develop. Dr. Bothun has authored two college textbooks on cosmology, dozens of articles in mainstream newspapers and magazines, and 170 papers in peer reviewed journals. He also initiated the Electronic Universe Project - a Web server dedicated to public outreach and education by delivering real data, explanation and analysis to the lay public. His research Interests include: Properties of Galaxies; Observational Cosmology; Climate Change; Sustainable Energy; and Applications of Instructional Technology. Ph.D. 1981, University of Washington | |
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William Herschel Museum, Bath, England Chairman, Wiltshire Astronomical Society Presentation: William Herschel Date / Time: Friday @ 8:50 a.m. |
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Andy Burns moved to the Bath area early in life, became interested in astronomy through reading Sir Patrick Moore books, but only took up serious observing as businesses he started settled and his family got older (and could afford the telescopes). He is a keen eclipse chaser and researcher into the history of the Herschel family, and has done radio broadcasts on astronomy for the local BBC service of 8 years. He eventually sold his business to get involved in astronomy education and joined the Herschel Museum in Bath, England, as a volunteer and educating astronomer. Andy is now a trustee of the museum and involved in outreach programs based at the museum, which explains his preference for refractors for school visits - including the beloved Televue he is holding in his picture. Andy is a member of the Herschel Society and serves as the Wiltshire Campaign for Dark Skies Coordinator. | |
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Member: Grupode Astronomos Mendocinos Aficianados (GAMA), Mendoza, Argentina
Presentation: Exploring the Southern Skies Date / Time: Saturday @ 3:00 p.m. |
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Leo is an Industrial Engineer at CRICYT (Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas) a Scientific Research Center in Mendoza, Argentina. He as been an amateur astronomer since his youth. In September, 1999, he met with other local astronomers to found GAMA (Grupo de Astrónomos Mendocinos Aficionados), a young astronomy club with activities for amateurs, students and public. His passion for observing of deep-sky objects has led him to publish a guide named "The Southern Observer's Handbook" that maps 110 interesting objects in the Southern Celestial Hemisphere to observe in Spring time. Leo is also working on an observing software product that will include the Messier Catalogue, Hickson compact groups, ARP peculiar galaxies and several other catalogues. Leo recently served as host and coordinator of a GAMA-RCA Joint Astronomical Conference, attended by 19 members of the Rose City Astronomers to explore the Mendoza region and southern skies of Argentina. | |
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Member: Rose City Astronomers
Presentation: How Long is a Second - A Brief History of Timekeeping Date / Time: Saturday @ 10:15 a.m. |
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Dave Powell is a retired police officer and an active member of the Rose City Astronomers. Dave volunteers much of his spare time at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), both at the museum and at their science camps; and is an organizing member of the world famous Oregon Star Party. Dave has received the Astronomical League's Outreach Award, is the life of RCA public Star Parties, and for the last 5 years has made informative and entertaining presentations at the Oregon Star Party and at various astronomy clubs and other events in the northwest. Dave earned his Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology in 1975 from Portland State University, has two grown children and lives in Longview, Washington with his first wife of 33 years. | |
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Member: Rose City Astronomers; American Association of Variable Star Observers Presentation: Introduction to Visual and CCD Observing of Variable Stars Date / Time: Friday @ 11:00 a.m. |
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Following an introduction to astrophotography in 2003, Tim has expanded his interest, equipment and skills to become a widely recognized premier variable star observer - accumulating more than 41,000 photometric observations from CCD images for the AAVSO (through September, 2006). Tim is also an accomplished author of numerous articles in both amateur and professional astronomy publications, and boasts an impressive meteorite collection. | |
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Member: Rose City Astronomers
Presentation: Amateur Telescope Making Roundtable Date / Time: Saturday @ 2:00 p.m. |
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Director, Sunriver Nature Center and Observatory
Presentation: TBA Date / Time: Friday @ 3:00 p.m. |
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Astrophotographer Member: Rose City Astronomers
Presentation: Observing the Universe With a Camera Date / Time: Saturday @ 3:00 p.m. |
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David’s astrophotographs are true works of art. That he does such wonderful work with modest equipment makes them even more so. However, David is all too quick to point out the hours of work it took for him to get good at his craft. David's work shows up frequently in astronomy magazines, and he maintains an impressive website with a wealth of information about astronomy as well as his immense catalog of astrophotographs. | |
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Presentation: Astronomical Spectroscopy - Where (Most of) the Real Science Gets Done Date / Time: Saturday @ 4:00 p.m. |
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Dr. Horowitz has a Ph.D. in Astronomy from Caltech and currently serves as the Educational Liaison for the Boise Astronomical Society. He has recently started an online blog devoted primarily to astronomy:
http://www.newwest.net/6degrees | |
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Outreach Coordinator, Pine Mountain Observatory
Presentation: Tele-Astronomy Remote Viewing Concepts Date / Time: Thursday @ 9:00 p.m. [University Place] |
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Rick is outreach coordinator for the University of Oregon's Pine Mountain Observatory. The observatory is one of a few in the world whose facilities are open to the public at night, and each summer approximately 3,000 people take advantage of the rare opportunity and make the journey to Central Oregon, thirty miles southeast of Bend. Science classes, astronomy and church clubs, and other private groups take these unique “sky tours” together. A variety of workshops for teachers from all grade levels are held at PMO each summer. Rick will attempt to demonstrate live remote digital imaging from PMO, weather and network permitting, and will discuss what types of research projects amateur astronomers might consider undertaking, including a survey and discussion of potential data sources. | |
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Member: Rose City Astronomers
Presentation: Planatery Interiors and Extrasolar Meteorites Date / Time: Saturday @ 10:15 a.m. |
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Robert (Bob) McGown as a child remembers his great uncle and aunt who worked for George Ellery Hale at Mt. Wilson observatory on the 100” Hooker telescope. Bob has a passion for deep sky observing, telescope making during the long Oregon winter, and advocating for the International Dark Sky Association. He co-authored the Astronomical League Observing Guide Galaxy Groups and Clusters with Dr. Miles Paul and created the Cosmic Expansion and Cosmic Blue Print light cone diagrams. Bob is currently working on a masters degree at Portland State University. Bob enjoys traveling around the world to pursue his astronomical interests, and in particular to touch and collect meteorites. He is a technical rock & ice climber and is an active member of the Portland and Northwest astronomical community. | |
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Bert Stevens Desert Moon Observatory Las Cruces, New Mexico
Presentation: Asteroid Astometery, NEO and Far Date / Time: Friday @ 4:00 p.m. |
Bert Stevens has been in amateur astronomy for over 39 years. He is currently the Co-Director of Desert Moon Observatory in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Bert has participated in many types of observing programs and is currently making precision measurements of minor planet positions. Bert has reported over 10,500 observations, primarily of near earth asteroids to see if they might impact the Earth. He has been an extremely active astrophotographer, taking thousands of astrophotos with everything from a wide-angle lens to a 16-inch Cassegrain reflector. Some of his astrophotos have appeared in Sky & Telescope and Astronomy Magazine. His most cherished astrophotos were taken in the path of seven total solar eclipses that he has attended. He has also observed many partial solar eclipses, over two dozen lunar eclipses, three transits of Mercury, and various planetary occultations. Bert served as president of three astronomical societies and served on their boards of directors. Bert has chaired two Astronomical League Regional Conventions and was part of the team effort ran AstroFest. He co-edited the North Central Region of the Astronomical League's newsletter, Northern Lights, with his wife, Janet, from 1990 to 1999. He was Executive Secretary of the Astronomical League from 1993 through 1996. He also built and maintained their website from 1995 through 2002 (www.astroleague.org). As the former Secretary and a founding member of the International Occultation Timing Association, he wrote the program that produced the first computer-generated lunar limb profiles for grazing occultations. | |
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©Copyright 2007 The Rose City Astronomers All Rights Reserved |
