What is the AOP?• An IFAS approved program for all amateur

astronomers• Program open to all

– Location– Equipment– Knowledge and experience

• Does not necessarily entail advanced astronomy• Currently encompasses eight main modules –

covering deep sky and solar system

Credits SN2005EP: Dave McDonald; Lunar fly-by: Anthony Ayiomamitis; Solar: Michael O’Connell; Planets: Dave Lillis

What skills are required?

• The AOP will need skills from all areas

Astrometry

Photometry

Aidedobserving

Visualobserving

Documentation

QC

Infotechnology

Why is it needed?

• IFAS is the co-ordinating body for Irish clubs and societies

• There is only one Irish programs catering for amateur astronomers (beyond beginner’s level) – the IAS VSOP

• Amateur astronomers can and do contribute data to professional programs and educational establishments

When will it begin?

• The AOP will commence with one or two modules by the end of 2006

• These modules will be fully resourced and documented

• Each module will need volunteers with widely varying skills and spare time

• Further modules will be rolled out at later dates

How will the AOP work?

• Key elements of the program are:

DATA

More why’s…

• Provide a co-ordinated program for intermediate/advanced amateurs

• Provide quality science data to professional astronomers and bodies (including educational establishments)

• Foster mutually beneficial links

• Disseminate techniques and procedures

Co-ordination

• The AOP will be co-ordinated by a team

• Modules will be co-ordinated by a lead

• Each module lead will co-ordinate their resources (including people) to maximise volunteer participation

• The AOP team will report progress to all volunteers and to IFAS at regular intervals

Cost• There is currently no individual cost

associated with taking part

• Where possible, funding will be sought

• As the program progresses, funding will be reviewed

Science Data

• All science data will be credited to all contributing members

Deep Sky Solar System

Supernovae PlanetaryCometsMeteors LunarSolarExtrasolar

planets

Uranus moonconjunctions

2006-10

Advanced Observing Programme

PlanetsMinor

planets

ZHR data

Sunspotdata, flares

AOP

Projects

Modules

Supernovasearch

Cometsearch

Minor planetsearch

Astrometry Photometry

Animations(Jupiter,

moons etc)

Photometry &astrometry

Transientphenomena

PhotometryVisual,

photometry &astrometry

Stars

Initial Modules

• Supernova Search

• Meteor shower data

SN2005ep Discovery ImageCourtesy Puckett/Peoples

SN2005ep Confirmation ImageCourtesy McDonald

Supernova Search

Basic steps

• Image a galaxy

• Compare to a previous image

• If there’s anything ‘new’, take a confirmation image with another setup

• If confirmed, report to the IAU

Imaging

• Dozens of CCD images will need to be taken and inspected for SN candidates

• Images will need to be checked for QC and then blinked

• Software can be used• Comparison images may be retrieved via the

Internet (e.g., the Digital Sky Survey)• Always first compare CCD images with own

reference images before moving on to professional exposures

Image taken by Dave McDonald of a cluster of galaxies. This strategy of taking a number of galaxies at the faintest possible magnitude saves lots of time in imaging individual galaxies

• At Kingsland Observatory J62 there is a repository already of over 1000 images of relevant galaxies, these can be used as a reference.

• This resource will have saved the new AOP a lot of time in creating master images, especially in Irish weather conditions.

• In addition, Celbridge Observatory, J65 has already added 50 master images. This is a total of 1050 master images of galaxies.

Equipment

Science

• We don’t know everything about SN’s

• A SN search aims to find SN’s shortly after they appear

• Professionals can then track the SN over its cycle and gain a better understanding

• SN discoveries and follow-up have helped conclude the universe is expanding

Resources

• We need telescopes and imagers

• We need QC folks and blinkers

• We need checkers and reporters

• We need software gurus and web savvy folks

Define targets Image targets Target QCCompare before

and afterYes

No

Re-image Yes

No

Report to IAU Yes

No

PubliciseMudule Leader

Module Team

Process flow

Candidate? Confirmed? Confirmed?

Supernovasearch

Deep Sky Solar System

Supernovae PlanetaryCometsMeteors LunarSolarExtrasolar

planets

Uranusmoon

conjunctions 2006-10

Advanced Observing Programme

PlanetsMinor

planets

ZHR data

Sunspotdata, flares

AOP

Projects

ObservingSections

Supernovasearch

Cometsearch

Minorplanetsearch

AstrometryPhotometr

y

Animations(Jupiter,

moons etc)

Photometry &

astrometry

Transientphenomen

a

Photometry

Visual,photometry

&astrometry

Stars

Documentation

Target list Data reporting Imaging methods QC Methods Comparison methods IAU Reporting methods

Co-ordination

Module Leader Website SMS for urgent messages

Quality Control

Initial images Candidate images Confirmation images IAU report

Meteor ZHR’s

• Meteor showers will be observed

• Log sheets to be completed by all observers

• Data will be submitted to BAA and/or IAU

• All you need is a pair of eyes, warm clothes and good dark site!

Define targetsDefine

observing site(s)Prepare charts

Prepareobservation logs

Gather datafrom all sites

Report to IAU Publicise

Module Leader

Module Team

Process flow

ZHR Data

Deep Sky Solar System

Supernovae PlanetaryCometsMeteors LunarSolarExtrasolar

planets

Uranusmoon

conjunctions 2006-10

Advanced Observing Programme

PlanetsMinor

planets

ZHRdata

Sunspotdata, flares

AOP

Projects

ObservingSections

Supernovasearch

Cometsearch

Minorplanetsearch

AstrometryPhotometr

y

Animations(Jupiter,

moons etc)

Photometry &

astrometry

Transientphenomen

a

Photometry

Visual,photometry

&astrometry

Stars

Documentation

Target list Charts Observing logs Methods IAU Reporting methods

Co-ordination

Team Leader Website SMS for urgent messages

Quality Control

Data IAU report