Fraser Lewis: Linking Real Astronomy Research to the Classroom
1. Fraser Lewis
Faulkes Telescope Project
Liverpool John Moores University
The Open University
Linking Real Astronomy
Research to the
Classroom
2. Robotic telescopes allow us to obtain
images from distant good quality sites
There are ONLY 3 * 2-metre telescopes that do this for
education (and only 1 person ⌠!)
FT
LT
12. Education
FT initiatives:
⢠Twinning schools
⢠Themed Observing Days
⢠Teacher Training (online and F2F)
⢠School-based Support Centres
⢠Down2Earth
Schools initiatives:
⢠After-school Astronomy clubs
⢠GCSE Astronomy support
13. âThemed Observing Daysâ
Pro-Am-Schools collaborative
projects - day, weeks or months
Projects include:
⢠Colour Imaging
⢠âLifecycle of Starsâ
⢠Asteroid Rotation
⢠Tracking NEOs
⢠X-ray systems in outburst
⢠Compact galaxy groups
14. Asteroids, comets & NEOs
⢠FT observing programmes â asteroids and
comets in space
⢠âDown 2 Earthâ project â impacts and
meteorites
http://education.down2earth.eu
39. Fastest Rotating Asteroid!
⢠FTS observations by British amateur astronomer
⢠Part of new collaborative project to survey properties
of small NEAs
QuickTime⢠and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
40. International Education
⢠Belgium
⢠Poland
⢠Russia
⢠Portugal
⢠USA
⢠Australia
⢠France
⢠Netherlands
⢠Germany
⢠Italy
⢠Spain
⢠India
⢠Israel
41. ⢠Image specific objects showing stars at
different life stages
⢠Schools process images, create poster
Lifecycle of Stars
Birth Life Death
45. ďŹ WWW access to research grade telescope
networks
ďŹ International collaboration
ďŹ Infrastructure + Research + Education
ďŹ Larger network plans:
0.4m mid 2014?, then 2-3 sites/year
1m early 2013, then 1-2 site/year
âWe will always keep you in the darkâ
46.
47.
48. LCOGT Plans
Funded FTP Sept. 05 â July 09
Additional core networks:
Education - 6 clusters of 0.4m (x 2-4)
Research - 6 clusters of 1.0m (x 2-3)
~$100 million programme
Eventually â free access globally
Wayne Rosing
49. Faulkes Telescopes
~ÂŁ10M Dill Faulkes Educational Trust
~ÂŁ1M STFC (UK research organisation)
~ÂŁ0.6M Government (Education)
50.
51.
52. Overview (in ~ 10 minutes !)
⢠Robotic/remote-control telescopes
⢠Background to FT
⢠LCOGT â a global network
⢠Examples of FT projects
âOpen clusters
âAsteroids, comets and NEOs