AAC Public Meeting @ Florida Museum of Natural History

  • 10 Apr 2018
  • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
  • Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida Cultural Plaza, 3215 Hull Road, Gainesville, FL 32611-2710
Join us for an exciting and interesting evening at Florida Museum of Natural History!

Agenda:
7:00 - 7:15 General Meeting & Announcements
7:15 - 7:30 George H. Russell Award Presentation 
7:30 - 7:45 Refreshments
7:45 - Public Presentation

Speaker: Dr. Stella Kafka, Director, American Association of Variable Star Observers (www.aavso.org)


Title: Observing Variable Stars with the AAVSO

Abstract: The AAVSO was formed in 1911 as a group of US-based amateur observers obtaining data in support of professional astronomy projects. Now, it has evolved into an International Organization with members and observers from both the professional and non-professional astronomical community, contributing photometry to a public photometric database of about 22,000 variable objects, and using it for research projects. As such, the AAVSO’s main claim to fame is that it successfully engages backyard Astronomers, educators, students and professional astronomers in astronomical research. I will present the main aspects of the association and how it has evolved with time to become a premium resource for variable star researchers. I will also discuss the various means that the AAVSO is using to support cutting-edge variable star science, and how it engages its members in projects building a stronger international astronomical community.

Biography:

Dr. Stella Kafka, is the Director of the AAVSO (American Association of Variable Star Observers). Before her tenure at the AAVSO, Dr Kafka held positions at CTIO, Spitzer Science center/Caltech, Carnegie Institution of Washington/DTM and AIP Publishing. The AAVSO is an international non-profit organization of variable star observers whose mission is to enable anyone, anywhere, to participate in scientific discovery through variable star astronomy.

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