Astronomy from the Ground Up! Program
Parkes Observatory, 15 - 17 May 2009
Venue, Date and Times
The workshop will be held at the Visitors Centre at Parkes Observatory. It starts at 10.00 am with registration open from 9.30 am on Friday 15 May 2009. The workshop will conclude by 12.30 pm on Sunday 17 May.
Program*
| Day 1: Friday 15 May | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Session | Speaker | Topic & Comments |
| 9.30 - 10.00 | Arrival/Registration | Theatre 1, Visitors Centre | |
| 10.00 - 10.15 | Workshop opening | Rob Hollow, | Welcome, administrative details |
| 10.15 - 11.15 | Talk 1 | Prof Ray Norris | Indigenous Astronomy |
| 11.15 - 11.30 | Talk 2 | Rob Hollow | Setting the Context: Why Astronomy & IYA? |
| 11.30 - 12.30 | Talk 3 | Rob Hollow | 400 Years of Discovery with the Telescope |
| 12.30 - 13.30 | Lunch |
Dish Café | |
| 13.30 - 14.30 | Talk 4 | John Sarkissian | Exploring the Solar System |
| 14.30 - 15.00 | Activity Session 1 | Rob Hollow | Simple Ideas to Engage Students |
| 15.00 - 16.00 | Talk 5 | Minnie Mao | The Life of Stars |
Evening Session: Held at the
Astronomers' Lodge |
|||
| 16.30 - 18.00 | Practical session | Rob Hollow | Running a Viewing Night, held outside |
| 18.00 - 19.00 | BBQ Dinner |
||
| 19.00 - 22.00 | Viewing Night | Various staff | Please bring warm clothing |
| (Weather permitting. Alternative activities will run if it is too cloudy or wet) | |||
Day 2: Saturday 16 May |
|||
Time |
Session |
Speaker |
Topic & Comments |
| 9.00 - 10.30 | Telescope Tour | Rob Hollow and ATNF Staff | Enclosed footwear essential. Bring cameras! |
| 10.30 - 11.00 | Morning Tea |
Dish Café | |
| 11.00 - 12.00 | Talk 6 | Assoc. Prof David McKinnon & Dr Lena Danaia | Tackling Student Preconceptions |
| 12.00 - 13.00 | Activity Session 2 | David McKinnon, Lena Danaia & Rob Hollow | Modelling Activities |
| 13.00 - 14.00 | Lunch |
Dish Café | |
| 14.00 - 15.00 | Talk 7 | Dr Shaun Amy | The Connected Telescope: eVLBI |
| 15.00 - 15.30 | Talk 8 | Dr George Hobbs | Being an Astronomer |
| 15.30 - 16.30 | Activity Session 3 | Rob Hollow | Astronomy simulations & software |
| 16.30 - 17.15 | Optional 3D Space Theatre Shows | VC Staff | 3D astronomy shows |
| 18.00 - 20.00 | Dinner by the Dish |
Dish Café | |
| 20.00 - 21.30 | CSU Remote Telescope | Dr David McKinnon | Use of CSU Remote Telescope via internet |
Day 3: Sunday 17 May |
|||
Time |
Session |
Speaker |
Topic & Comments |
| 9.00 - 10.00 | Talk 9 | Dr George Hobbs | Pulsars & Gravitational Waves |
| 10.00 - 10.30 | Morning Tea |
Dish Café | |
| 10.30 - 11.30 | Talk 10 | Dr Ettore Caretti | Cosmology |
| 11.30 - 12.00 | Talk 11 | Rob Hollow | ASKAP & the SKA |
| 12.00 - 12.30 | Closing Session | Rob Hollow | Workshop evaluation & final discussion |
| 12.30 - 13.30 | Lunch |
||
| Conclusion of workshop | Participants may stay on to explore more resources | ||
*Please note this program is subject to change. Updated 21/4/09
Registration will be inside the Visitors Centre. Most talks and activities will take place in Theatre 1 within the centre. Locations for other activities will be provided during the workshop. Please note that for the telescope tour you will require enclosed footwear.
Morning teas and lunches will be in the Dish Café which is adjacent to the centre. Dinner on the Friday night is a barbeque given by the Parkes Observatory Staff Club which will be held at the Astronomers' Lodge. Directions to the Lodge will be given during the day sessions.
Access
When arriving for registration on the Friday please follow the signs to the Visitors Centre and visitors car park. Information about the Visitors Centre and how to get there can be found here.
Enquiries
Should you wish to know more about the workshop please contact:
Robert Hollow
Education Officer
CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility
phone 02 9372 4247
fax 02 9372 4444
Email: Robert.Hollow@csiro.au