APRIL 2008

Inishowen students search the cosmos for unidentified objects

An exciting astronomy outreach programme comes online next month when Inishowen students will get the chance to search the cosmos for unidentified objects. A link up between the Tarleton State University observatory in Texas and the Inishowen planetarium will allow students here the chance to operate a Texan telescope remotely, via the Internet.

Ashleigh McFadden, Director of the Inishowen Planetarium said, "A student at any school, anywhere in Ireland will be able to control this telescope, point it at whatever part of space they like and start taking pictures. All they need is Skype and a good Internet connection. To me the really cool thing is the possibility of having comet Bun an Phobail, or whatever if someone from here finds a new asteroid.

The first experimental log-on will take place at the Inishowen Planetarium in the coming weeks and after the bugs are ironed-out local students will be free to search the heavens. The creator of the project, Tarleton Planetarium Assistant Director Larry Barr, said, "Because of its size and field of view, the Tarleton telescope is for near-Earth searches only, but that's OK we can leave the origin of the universe to Hubble, To me the excitement for the amateurs is finding that space crash that's heading right for us. Students will receive instruction on how to work the link. Essentially you will talk to a technician at the observatory and give him or her a set of co-ordinates. Then pictures of the same part of space can be taken at regular intervals and if something has moved, then we can tell you what it is. You may be seeing a planet or a known asteroid, but the object could be unknown and after it's checked by the International Astronomers Union to verify the find is yours, you'll get to name it".

"I think that the kids here, if they know that there's someone over here inviting them to use their telescope, I'm hoping that it will inspire them more than just hearing about it another way. About 15,000 students go through our planetarium in Texas each year and when you show them a picture from the hubble telescope and see the excitement on their faces it's amazing. Now it is up to people like me and Ash, their parents and teachers to make sure the kids keep hold of that." Said Larry.

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