McQuown Scholar students at Yerkes Observatory organize astronomy events for high school students from the surrounding communities. On this page we put together information to organize ongoing events. The page will also be used to collect ideas for future events as well a record of past events, including Yerkes Young Stars and SOFIA-Yerkes events.
Ideas for future events:
Ideas:
The Choreography of the Universe
Like graceful dancers, the stars, planets, comets, and every object in the universe moves in a beautifully choreographed display! Learn how, through the amazing power of gravity, the pieces of the universal dance come together to give us moon phases, eclipses, tides, meteor showers, and all the periodic phenomena that brighten astronomers lives.
Schedule:
Events:
Meeting / Who's doing What
Foods / Snacks
See Magic of Astronomy for more details
McQuown Scholars Meeting November 9, 2015
Many meteors with programming and Europa Report. Sample images and files on the file manager under stars/Outreach/YYSTARs Previous Event Info/2015_Overnight
Screenshots from a JavaScript Pong game made by Kyle. You can play it yourself HERE
Screenshots of Evan's app "Diversion Pursuit" created during the overnight.
Ben's Image Processing Examples
You can make images brighter or darker.
You can shift the RGB spectrum.
You can invert the light and dark.
And you can generate a color palette given any picture.
Plans for Summer and Next Year
Meetings for January through April were organized by individual subgroups.
Christmas Constellations
Rough Schedule:
Deep-space Descriptions
You hear about them all the time—Nebulae, Clusters, Galaxies, even stars themselves—but just what are they? In this meeting you’ll learn about the different astronomical objects that appear so often in books and in telescopes: what they are, what they look like, and where to find them.
Rough Schedule:
Intro to YYSTARs
Come and find out what the Yerkes Young STARs are all about! You can learn about what we do here at YYSTARs, find out which groups you might be interested in, and learn everything about how things work in this exciting group!
Rough Schedule:
Notes: LOTS of new students came--the advertising apparently worked well! Little discussion on business; hopefully that will increase as students become more active. Talks finished on time at 8:30 - good observing (Marc needs to refresh his memory on constellations). We did M57 with the 24", and various other targets on the lawn. Various students got to point telescopes: I think everyone had a very good time!
Summer Plans
Selection of Officers:
Plans for the summer:
Go over group goals
Congratulations to Graduates:
Privileged Planet
Last month, we talked about the possibilities of life on other planets, and the characteristics of planets than can support life. This month, we're talking about our own planet, Earth, and how it has managed to support such diverse life. The partnership between Earth and its life is truly something remarkable.
Rough Schedule: Clear
Rough Schedule: Cloudy
The Possibilities of Alien Life
It's a question that humans have asked for many years: a question that has yet to be answered. Is there life on other planets, and, if so, is it intelligent? In this meeting, you'll learn how exoplanets (planets orbiting other stars) have been found, and the methods people are using to search for alien life. It's an intriguing question that many still seek to answer.
Rough Schedule: Clear
Rough Schedule: Cloudy
Debrief: Marc's talk went well (everybody was interested), but ran a little long: we didn't end up doing Stellarium at all. However, we were able to talk about some YYSTAR business that needed addressing, so that was good.
A few months ago, we talked about how we can observe remotely using the Stone-edge telescope. There is another resource available for remote observing as well: SKYNET. SKYNET is a system of many telescopes--our own Yerkes 41" among them--that can be used to image celestial objects without the necessity of nice local weather. At many of our star-parties, the public also gets to use SKYNET to take images, but not with the level of control that you can use. You’ll learn how to take images, and process those images--often with spectacular results. When you leave, you'll know that, somewhere, a telescope is waiting to take an image of some beautiful nebula, just especially for you.
Rough Schedule: Clear and Cold
Rough Schedule: Cloudy
Rough Schedule: Clear and nice (but this is February. It's not usually nice!)
Debrief: everyone enjoyed using SKYNET, and some people even got their images taken during the meeting! I think it all went well.
Regularly Scheduled Programming
It's in your phones, in your computers, even in your microwave ovens! Programming is essential to every piece of technology you can get your hands on. In this meeting, we'll be using the Arduino to do everything from simple tasks, such as turn a light on and off, to more complicated jobs, such as moving a motor with the wave of a hand.
Debrief: I think it went quite well: everyone seemed to have a good time, and understand what was said. We ran late enough that we weren't able to talk about the upcoming events, but we did end on time.
Remote-Control Telescopes I -- Stone-edge
Sometimes it’s too cloudy, too windy, too stormy, or just too cold to observe! When this happens, we can use other telescopes around the world—we call it ‘remote observing’. One of the telescopes that we have the privilege of using is at the Stone-edge observatory in California. You can learn to image with this telescope, and learn to process these images: creating beautiful color pictures that everyone enjoys.
As an added benefit, this meeting will be our YYSTARs Christmas party! Dress festively, and feel free to bring a plate of cookies to share!
(The picture below is for the website)
Rough Schedule: Clear and Cold
Rough Schedule: Cloudy
Rough Schedule: Clear and nice
Debrief: It wasn't good weather, so only a few people came, but Josh and Ben were present via Skype. I think people really were interested, and had a good time!
Comets: Ison and friends
This month, comet Ison will be viewable from our area! What will it be like? We don't know. Some say that it will be spectacular, a beautiful sight not often seen. Others say that it will be a disintegrated disappointment. In this program, you'll learn about the possibilities and probabilities of Ison appearance--as well as the basics of what comets are and where they orbit. Comets are hard to predict, but they're worth it to find.
Rough Schedule: Clear Weather
Rough Schedule: Cloudy Weather
Debrief: It was clear! Talking about projects took much longer than expected, so we didn't observe on the lawn. However, Kyle's presentation was very good: people were interested and actually took the handouts with them! We also looked at Uranus through the 40". We had twelve students, two of whom had not come before, and several adults. All-in-all, it was a good evening!
Constellation Education
Learn about the myriad constellations that grace our night sky! You’ll learn how to find and identify constellations, learn a bit about the myths behind the constellations, and make a starwheel to help you find these constellations when you’re outside. If it is clear, we’ll go outside to see constellations, and learn how to use them to find some of the deep-space objects. If it it’s cloudy, we’ll observe virtually with the computer program Stellarium.
Rough Schedule-Clear Weather
Rough Schedule-Cloudy Weather
We'll give the students an option: they can take their starwheels home if they want to, or we can store the starwheels here.
Debrief: It was CLEAR! Everything went well, and I think people had fun. The weather was cold, but clear, so people got to look at constellations, and look through both the 40" and Sirius B.
Intro to the Yerkes Young Scholars in Technology, Astronomy, and Research (STAR) Group
In the September meeting, we'll discuss the plans and opportunities for students in the Yerkes Young STARs group. We’ll talk about the sub-groups of the YYSTAR group: technology, plate-vault research, education and outreach, and more! Come find out what we’re all about, and learn how you can get involved!
Rough Schedule:
If it is cloudy, we'll talk about SKYNET from 8:45–9:15 (probably breaking into smaller groups). Then we'll go up to see the 40", take the group picture, etc.
Debrief: Only one new person came, so that wasn't good. Otherwise it went reasonably well. It was cloudy, so we did do SKYNET. We needed a little more loose time, because some people talked too much. However, I think everybody, including the new person, was interested.
Plan:
Tech:
Summer
Yes
Staff:
Raki - President
Neil - Vice President
Marc - Mentor
Meetings: Thursdays
Projects:
Improvements/Goals:
Do more Tech Competitions
More science competitions
For Programming:
Break big learning groups into splinter groups
Give projects that advance programming skills
Outreach:
Staff:
Christy - President
Kyrstyn - Vice President
Vivian - Mentor
Meetings: Fridays
Projects:
Improvements/Goals:
Use 24 inch/South Building/Dobsonians/Sirius B
Sirius B Imaging
Train Outreach students to use telescopes and help people
Asteroids:
Staff:
James - President
Vivian - Mentor
Improvements/Goals:
Get computers set up for asteroid work
Participate in asteroid searches
Stone Edge (New):
Staff:
Josh - President
Vivian - Mentor
Goals:
Simplify use of Stone Edge
Observing (New):
Staff:
Christy - President
James - Vice President
Vivian - Mentor
Goals:
Observe when it's nice out
Request a night that sounds good?
Plate Vault:
Staff:
Ben - President
Dr. Osborne - Mentor
Do research with the plate-vault plates
Communications:
Staff:
KC - SUPREME RULER of Communications and Propaganda
Raki - Assistant Ruler of Communications
Kyrstyn - Backup Ruler of Communications
Sending out texts to those who prefer
Presidents report to KC for communication
Preparing propaganda materials (posters, flyers, etc.)
Yerkes Young STARs
Staff:
Christy - Co-President
Raki - Co-President
Vivian - Mentor
Goals:
More organization
End on time
New people/ veteran groups?
Time -- 7:30–9:30
Outside
Structured lectures
Feel free to interrupt
Dumb 'em down (simplify, if you prefer!):-)
Don't go overboard with help
SUMMERTIME:
Astronomy lectures
Intro to Astronomy with Karyn
Applying basic physics to astronomy
Tuesday nights (times pending)
Volunteer
YAAYS
Mentors
Kids older than kids taught
Mentor per splinter group
Bilingual Nights
Perseids Public Night
Star Party
Something about biking/walking scale of universe
High School Summer Nights
Overnight observing: 11 PM - 5 AM
Program that we did: Observing 40inch, Observing 24inch (eye and camera), Hacking in the Library (new computer, build robot, arduino), Astronomy topics talk outside, Pizza for Dinner
Orientation to Observing and Yerkes and People
Plan:
Plan:
Intro: 15 min
Dark Energy Talk (Dr. Rich Kron): 45 +/- 15 min
Observing / V* projects: Remainder of night
Plan: Student Lab tour
Alternate Plan: Fab Lab introduction to 3D and 2D design for students to learn to build things.
Plan: Introduction about Yerkes Activities, Talk about introduction to the Universe, Observing Constellations and 24 inch
Debrief: Ideas for next time: ask the students what they want to do - Ideas.
The 2012 Poster (attached to this page)
Plan
Debrief
Plan: Transit of Venus and observing. HAWC test demonstration. We had a larger group of students that had never been to Yerkes.
Plan: Introduction into Zooniverse. Talk by Kate Meridith about working with Galaxy Zoo. Missing was an activity for the students.
Plan: Comets. Talk by Vivian Hoette and making a comet with dry ice.
Plan: Yerkes SOFIA high school program presentation and asteroid activities.
The slide show about our SOFIA - Yerkes group will be shown. Then we will hear a talk about asteroids and the NEAR mission to the asteroid 433 Eros in particular. After that we will load a python script to simulate orbits of objects under gravitational attraction.
Debrief: General introductions and team updates went well. We will have a few new projects in the spring. The orbits python activity was successful, all groups ended up simulating orbiting objects. Creative orbital configurations were investigated. (What was the name of the driving instructor?)
Plan: Python programing and HAWC tour.
After an introduction into programing we will make a simulation of moving objects using Python. Whoever has not yet seen HAWC will be given a demonstration of the instrument.
Debrief: The introduction went well but most people has older versions of the drawlib on their computers or couldn't find drawlib. General introductions and team updates went well.
Plan: Infrared Camera and SOFIA kits
We will demonstrate the infrared camera and show what can be done with it. We will also play with the SOFIA kits and show the students IR light. If the weather is fine there will be a short introduction in both of these. Otherwise we will do more extensive IR activities and let the students do their own observations with IR and the electronics. If the weather is clear we will then observe with the 24" and take images with the 41". If there is time we will show the students how to make star wheels such that the students can help out during events with younger students.
Like last time we will have short reports from each group about the progress of their projects, make sure parental waivers are complete and talk about the X-mas decoration.
Debrief: Introduction was a bit too long. Everyone played with the kits and looked at the sky. Uranus with the 40" telescope.
Plan: Each group talks about their progress (also individuals). Parental Waivers and signup sheet for X-mas decoration activity. Teams should break into groups to agree on meeting times. The groups should agree on what hardware to buy (arduinos and such).
Talk by Marc about images and image analysis with demonstration and activities. After a short introduction the students will learn to use the imagegui and DS9 programs. Then, if the weather is good we can use the 24" and the 41". The students can then make their own JPEGs using the programs mentioned above. If the weather is bad, the students will continue their group projects and will use existing skynet images to make color JPEGs.
We should also get everyone's E-mail and sign people up to the Facebook group and distribute / collect the forms to be signed by the parents.
Debrief: How it went
7:30-8:30 Review of the projects, then discussion who wants to participate in which project.
Debrief:
Plan:
7:30-8:00 Introduction from Viv and Marc about Yerkes...show intro video
Introduction from the interns (What they are doing) (Lily, Alex, Josh, Becca)
Powerpoint on all the possiblities, ideas, and what Sam and Grant have accomplished
8:00-8:20 Short tour and demonstration of 40 inch
8:20-9:15 Split into groups accordingly
If clear.......Group A=Use dobsonians outside with phone sky applications or pre-cut star wheels. (Constellation demonstration)
Group B=Observe with the 24 inch
Group C=Constellation Photography
if cloudy.....Group A= SOFIA kits and demonstration with the infrared camera
Group B=SKYNET introduction and remote observing (show them the 41 inch?)
-or- find an astronomer to skype in (Max?)
Group C=HAWC talk (Marc)
*Depending on how long the introduction takes, we may have to cut down time for the three rotations.
9:15 Everyone together to discuss future interests and how the night went. What did they or didn't they like the most.
Debrief (How it went):
Good turnout - Interested people!!! Yay!!!
Forgot to show the movie