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Thursday 23 February 2017

[BAA-ebulletin 00961] Invitation to the 2nd BAA Workshop on Exoplanet Studies in support of space observatories: 2017 March 02

BAA electronic bulletin

Dear BAA Member,

The second workshop* on amateur observations of exoplanets (including those in support of the Twinkle and ARIEL space missions) will be held on Thursday, March 02 from 11:00-13:30 in Room G21A on the ground floor of Senate House, Malet Street, University College London, WC1E 7HU. BAA members and others interested in exoplanet studies are invited to attend this meeting.

This is an exciting time in astronomy with, for instance, the announcement just yesterday of the remarkable discovery of the first system of 7 Earth-sized planets orbiting another star**. The workshop will start with a series of short talks followed by an hour or so of active discussion to which all are welcome to participate.

Speakers from the professional and amateur community will give talks on progress towards the goal for amateurs to observe relatively bright stars that host one or more exoplanets. A BAA Exoplanet Working Group, set up following the first meeting, will report back to the community and the Twinkle team will present the science case for the amateur campaign and introduce the list of target stars involved. The challenge of precision photometry required to monitor exoplanet transits of their parent star will be discussed along with plans for data analysis, the development of analytical tools, and the potential for collaboration with other organisations including schools via the ORBYTS programme.

On the agenda are 10-minute talks by BAA members, including a progress update by our working group, namely:

Mark Trapnell - Amateur observing programmes and working together
Sam Anahory - Proposed exoplanet group
Mark Salisbury - Some examples of exoplanet transit observations
Richard Miles - Challenges of millimagnitude photometry

It is expected that time will be available during the afternoon for follow-up informal discussion involving active observers and the Twinkle team, as well as a more detailed consideration of project proposals.

A map showing the location of the meeting can be found here:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Senate+House,+London+WC1E,+UK/@51.5209778,-0.1309316,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x48761b31e4f5d2cb:0xc46235a56cc91926!8m2!3d51.5209742!4d-0.128726?hl=en

The nearest underground rail stations are Goodge Street and Russell Square. We also intend to stream the meeting live on YouTube.

If you are planning to attend then please contact the undersigned, or the BAA Office (0207 734 4145, office [at] britastro [dot] org), to confirm.

See you there!


Richard Miles
Director, BAA Asteroids and Remote Planets Section
arps [at] britastro [dot] org


* Details of the first workshop can be found at:

http://britastro.org/asteroids/Twinkle.htm
and at:
http://www.twinkle-spacemission.co.uk/twinkle-amateur-campaign/


** https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-telescope-reveals-largest-batch-of-earth-size-habitable-zone-planets-around


2017 February 23

BAA-ebulletin mailing list visit:
http://lists.britastro.org/mailman/listinfo/baa-ebulletin
(c) 2017 British Astronomical Association    http://www.britastro.org/

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Good Clear Skies
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Astrocomet
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Colin James Watling
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Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
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Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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Lyra Main Website: http://www.lyra-astro.co.uk/

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