The SAS and the Center for Backyard Astrophysics (CBA) held a joint meeting 2006. It was the largest symposium to date when 119 participants came from around the world to participate. The Symposium expanded to a third day to accommodate workshops on the day before the regular paper sessions. Workshops were held with Jerry Foote hosting one called “Essentials”, Brian Warner giving one on transforms using his Photored software, and Tony Vanmunster on his PerAnSo software.
Rick Fienberg of Sky & Telescope magazine started off the symposium talking about all of the opportunities being created for collaboration between professionals and amateurs from data being created by the large surveys. It was followed by a pair of talks on the upcoming opportunity to observe the eclipsing binary Epsilon Aurigae. Don Yeomans finished up by giving the Keynote address on his adventures with the press and colleagues chasing Near Earth Asteroids.
The Symposium was notable for attracting CBA members from New Zealand, South Africa, the Netherlands and from around the United States. They gave several talks on their favorite subject – cataclysmic variables. Is there any other kind of star?
The complete Proceedings are available.
Rick Fienberg: Pro-Am Collaboration: A New Paradigm
Jeff Hopkins and Robert Stencel: Single Channel UBV and JH Band Photometry of Epsilon Aurigae
Gene Lucas: Long-Period Eclipsing Binary Epsilon Aurigae Eclipse Campaign
Dale Mais and Robert Stencel: Three Years of Mira Variable Photometry: What Has Been Learned?
E.R Craine, Roy Tucker, and A.L. Kraus: Collborative Research Opportunities with the Global Network of Astronomical Telescopes (GNAT):
Christopher Watson: The International Variable Star Index (VSX)
Joe Patterson: Superhumps in Cataclysmic Variables
Jennie McCormick: CCD Photometry from a Small Observatory in a Large City
Berto Monard: Faint CV Monitoring at CBA Pretoria
Tom Krajci: Cleaning up the GCVS Eclipsing Binary Listings: Strategies and Tools to Maximize Success
Tonny Vanmunster: The Detection of the WZ Sge-type nature of the dwarf novae ASAS 023322-1047.0 and ASAS 102522-1524.4 by the Center for Backyard Astrophysics.
Smith/Genet/Heather: Compact, Off-the-Shelf, Low-Cost Dual Channel Photometer
Aaron Wolf: Extrasolar Planets and the Race to Uncover the First Habitable Terrestial Planet
Grant Christie: Detecting Exoplanets by Gravitational Microlensing using a Small Telescope
Jeff Hopkins and Philip Bennett: Single Channel UBV Photometry of LP Eclipsing Binary VV Cephei
Lance Benner: Arecibo and Goldstone Radar Imaging of Near-Earth and Main-Belt Asteroids in 2005
Michael Busch: Radar images and shape models of asteroids 10115 (1992 SK), 23187 (2000 PN9), and 29075 (1950 DA).
Daniel Reichart: UNC-Chapel Hill's Gamma-Ray Bust Follow-up Programs
Brian Warner: Recent Asteroid Lightcurve Studies at the Palmer Divide Observatory
Mikko Kaasalainen: Follow-up Data for Large Photometric Surveys
Lee Snyder and Dave Lapham: Monitoring Changes in Eclipsing Binary Orbits
Robert Stephens and Brian D. Warner: Analysis of GSC 2475-1587 and GSC 841-277: Two Eclipsing Binary Stars Found During Asteroid Lightcurve Observations
Thomas G. Kaye: Switching to Infrared! A New Methodology for Amateur Imaging in the Mid-IR
Whorton/Hoot: Ground Imaging for Solar Sail Orbit Determination: A Proof of Concept
Donald K. Yeomans: Finding Near-Earth Objects Before They Find Us
Tony Vanmunster presents a workshop on his PerAnSo software