The 1999 IAPPP - Western Wing

Symposium on Telescope Science

Lake Arrowhead, California

May 26-27, 1999

  

The 1999 Lake Arrowhead Symposium was sponsored by Apogee Instruments, Santa Barbara  Instrument Group, Sky & Telescope, Software Bisque, and What in the World for the  purposes of advancing the use of photometric and CCD imaging capabilities by both amateur  and professional astronomers.

After resort check-in and registration Wednesday afternoon, the photometry workshop in the  evening allowed everyone who participated to gain some "hands-on" experience  with the latest computer-controlled telescope mount hardware, and pointing, imaging, and  photometry software.

Many good discussions of the latest techniques and ideas went on into the late hours at  the outdoor patio next to the What In The World Shop, just a short walk from the Resort.  While back at the Resort, others kept lively discussions going throughout the evening in  the I.A.P.P.P. Hospitality Suite.

Beginning Thursday morning, the 90 conference attendees heard talks on many subjects  related to astronomical photometry and CCD imaging, including presentations by noted  experts such as Richard Berry, Dr. Barrett Duff, Dr. Rick Fienberg, Douglas George, Alan  Holmes, John Hoot, Tom Bisque, and others, all in the enjoyable surroundings of a  comfortable resort.

Following an enjoyable mid-day luncheon with Alan Holmes from SBIG as the speaker, the  talks resumed for the rest of the afternoon. Thursday evening, most of the conference  participants heard Rick Fienberg, President of Sky & Telescope deliver an interesting  lecture on the "Future History" of CCDs (with some notes on their past history)  over an enjoyable dinner banquet. Following the dinner, door prize drawings were held, and  lucky winners took home a new CCD camera and other items.  The program was as follows:

Dr. Dave  Kenyon: CCD Imaging: Process and Techniques

Douglas George: Optimizing Your CCD System

John Menke: Portable Remote Observatories

Dr. Barrett  Duff: Bringing CCD Resolution Into Focus

Robert Denny: Automated CCD Astrometry With Portable Telescopes

Colleen Gino: Real Telescope Questions With Virtual Answers

Alan Holmes: The SBIG CCD Spectrograph

Dr. Scott Teare: Near-IR Imaging Near The Diffraction Limit With Meter-Class  Telescopes

Dr. Weidong Li: The LOSS and the BAO SN Survey: Two Automated Supernovae Searches

John Hoot: CCD Photometric Determination of Asteroid Rotation Periods

Richard Berry: True-Color Tricolor CCD Imaging

Leroy Snyder: Binary Maker 2.0

Derald  Nye: Some Photons Captured On CCDs At 30 FPS

Dr. Rick Fienberg: The History Of The CCD In The 21st  Century