Friday, June 7, 2013

Radio and Optical Telescopes for School Students and Professional Astronomers - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - SKYNET

References:
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013AAS...22134524H

http://skynet.unc.edu/

http://salsa.skynet.unc.edu/s

http://www.nrao.edu/pr/2012/skynet/

http://www.nrao.edu/index.php/learn/gbsc

http://www.gb.nrao.edu/20m/fantastic/

http://www.gb.nrao.edu/20m/fantastic/teachers.html

"...The NRAO 20m telescope is now on-line as a part of UNC's Skynet worldwide telescope network. The NRAO is completing integration of radio astronomy tools with the Skynet web interface. We present the web interface and astronomy projects that allow students and astronomers from all over the country to become Radio Astronomers. The 20 meter radio telescope at NRAO in Green Bank, WV is dedicated to public education and also is part of an experiment in public funding for astronomy. The telescope has a fantastic new web-based interface, with priority queuing, accommodating priority for paying customers and enabling free use of otherwise unused time. This revival included many software and hardware improvements including automatic calibration and improved time integration resulting in improved data processing, and a new ultra high resolution spectrometer. This new spectrometer is optimized for very narrow spectral lines, which will allow astronomers to study complex molecules and very cold regions of space in remarkable detail. In accordance with focusing on broader impacts, many public outreach and high school education activities have been completed with many confirmed future activities. The 20 meter is now a fully automated, powerful tool capable of professional grade results available to anyone in the world. Drop by our poster and try out real-time telescope control! ..."