Observing Sections' Webinar Series: Schedule of Topics

Each webinar's speaker(s) and their specified topics will be announced as each webinar approaches.

June 27th: Bright Star Monitor (BSM) Webinar

Presenter: David Cowall 
     Topics:
         - Henrietta Leavitt
         - Overview and missions of the BSM Section
         - Hardware
         - IT/AI
         - Emily Morgan Telescope
         - Educational Opportunities
     Q & A

July 11^th: Eclipsing Binaries

     Topics and panelists:
         - Intro to EBs, Gerry Samolyk
         - AAVSO Legacy EB Program, Gerry Samolyk
         - The science of O-Cs, Gary Billings
         - Planning EB observations, Gary Billings
         - Introduction to PHOEBE 2.3: a binary simulation and fitting program, Bert Pablo
      Q&A

July 18^th: Exoplanet 

     Topics and panelists:
         - The AAVSO Exoplanet Section: Its History and Purpose – Dennis Conti, AAVSO
         - The Role of Amateur Astronomers in Exoplanet Discovery – Dennis Conti, AAVSO
         - Student Involvement in Exoplanet Discovery – Caroline Odden, Phillips Academy
         - The AAVSO Exoplanet Database – George Silvis, AAVSO
         - The Role of Amateur Astronomers in Exoplanet Follow-up – Rob Zellem, JPL/NASA
      Q & A

July 25^th: High Energy Network

     Topics and panelists:
         - Introduction – Dave Hinzel and Stella Kafka
         - “Hunting the Stellar Undead” – Greg Sivakoff
         - “Observing GRB Optical Afterglows” – Arto Oksanen
         - “Finding the Source of Gravitational Waves in the First Few Minutes: The HotShots Citizen
            Science Project” – Ann Zabludoff
      Q & A

Aug. 1^st: Long Period Variables

     Topics and panelists:
         - Introduction – Rich Roberts
         - Dark Skies, Bright Kids – Abby Waggoner
         - LPV Maser Campaign – Dr. Michael Stroh
         - R Aqr and Other Symbiotics – Dr. Margarita Karovska
      Q & A

Aug. 8^th: Short Period Pulsator

     Topics and panelists:
         - Introduction – Eric Hintz (2 minutes)
         - Types of Short Period Pulsators and why do they pulsate – Eric Hintz (15 minutes)
         - Why do we want to study SPP – Eric Hintz (15 minutes)
         - The AAVSO Legacy Observing Program – Gerry Samolyk (15 minutes)
         - Student Study of the SX Phe Variable XX Cygni – Richard Berry (15 minutes)
         - Cadence in Modern SPP Observing – Eric Hintz (10 minutes)
         - How can YOU get involved? – Eric Hintz
     Q & A (20 minutes)

Aug. 15^th: Photoelectric Photometry

     Panelists: Tom Calderwood and Jim Kay
     Topics:
         - Origins of PEP
         - Why should I care?
         - PEP at AAVSO
         - Observing Procedure
         - A Romp With Betelgeuse
         - Summing Up
     Q&A

Aug. 22^nd: Spectroscopy

     Topics and Panelists:
         - Introduction to Spectroscopy – Tom Field
         - Science cases and AVSpec – Stella Kafka
         - Amateur Spectroscopy Projects – Percy Jacobs
         - Astronomical Spectra with a Dob – Lauren Herrington
         - LowSpec 3D printed spectrometer: Solar and other spectra – Tim Stone
      Q & A

Aug. 29^th: Young Stellar Objects

      Panelists: Mike Poxon, Bill Herbst
      Tentative presentation schedule:
         - Star Formation
         - Specific YSOs
         - Astrophysics
         - Observing Them
       Q & A

Sept. 5^th: Solar

     Topics and Panelists:
         - An introduction to solar observing and the AAVSO Solar Section – Kristine Larsen
         - Old Very Low Frequency (VLF) radios to New VLF radios collecting data for the AAVSO Solar                                   Bulletin – Rodney Howe
         - Sharing Your Sunspot Data Through The Solar Bulletin – Kim Hay
         - Uploading your Sunspot Data – Sara Beck
      Q & A

Sept. 12^th: Cataclysmic Variables

     Topics and Panelists:
         - The CV Bestiary – Shawn Dvorak
         - The Center for Backyard Astrophysics: Key Projects – Dr. Joe Patterson
         - New Insights into Novae from High Cadence Photometry – Dr. Fred Walter
     Q & A

Sept. 19^th: Instrumentation & Equipment I: The Tools of the Trade

     Topics and Panelists:
         - From Photos to Photometry – Molly Wakeling
         - Photometric Filters – Phil Sullivan
         - Characterizing a Camera – Timothy Weaver
         - AstroMakers – George Silvis, Alan Sliski, Aaron Sliski, and HG Adler
         - Observatories – Tom Smith
     Q & A

Sept. 26^th: Instrumentation & Equipment II: Focus on CMOS Cameras

     Topics and Panelists:
         - CMOS and CCD Cameras Compared – Arne Henden
         - What CMOS Can Do – Gary Walker
         - Cameras on the Market – Arne Henden
         - Photometry with a One-Shot Color Camera – Richard Berry
     Q & A

Oct. 3^rd: Celebrating our Observers

     Panelists providing their own experiences and perspectives as observers:
         - Barbara Harris
         - Bob Massey
         - Chris Colvin
         - Molly Wakeling     
         - Gordon Myers
         - Bob Buchheim
      Q & A
     

Thank You to our Observing Sections' Webinar Series Sponsors: