Students and teachers join astronomers on the WIYN 0.9-meter telescope

UW astronomer Marsha Wolf (left) and Susan Hollis, a Tuscon school teacher and Girl Scouts of the USA leader, fill the dewar with liquid nitrogen. Photo by S. Sims.

Astronomy Department members recently extended the joy of discovery and learning afforded by UW's WIYN 0.9-meter telescope on Kitt Peak, Arizona to high school students, undergraduates, teachers and Girl Scout leaders.

UW undergraduates and students from the Astronomy Department's Research Experiences for Undergraduates program often travel to Kitt Peak to obtain their data with the 0.9-meter telescope.

Recently, the Astronomy Department expanded the educational role of this telescope.  UW-Madison astronomers Eric Hooper, Marsha Wolf, Andy Sheinis, and Corey Wood, joined by University of Arizona astronomer Don McCarthy, now invite teachers and Girl Scout leaders to 0.9-meter observing runs.

These educators experience research on supermassive black holes, operate the telescope and instrument, take images of celestial objects for their own use, and discuss how to incorporate the experience and new data in the classroom and with Girl Scouts.

This summer, astronomers from across the country led the University of Arizona's annual teenAstronomy Camps, hosted at Kitt Peak for the first time.  McCarthy directed the Camps, while Hooper supervised 0.9-meter observations made by Campers for a variety of
projects, including comets and asteroids, the birth of new stars, black holes, and the spiral arms of galaxies.

These projects may be entered in science fairs or submitted for national competitions - last year a Camper's project won the National Young Astronomer Award!