Tippy D'Auria

WSP Founder

"Amateur Astronomy / Frustrations & Rewards"

Monday, Feb 8th @ 3pm at the Firepit

 

 

 

Please Note: Tippy will give his presentation at the Firepit on opening day, weather permitting.

Tippy D'Auria is the founder of the Winter Star Party which is sponsored by the Southern Cross Astronomical Society, and he has been the Chairman of that star party for thirteen of its twenty-four years.  Tippy is also a founding board member of Astronomy Outreach network and an advisor for the Meade 4M Community.

In January 2001, Tippy received recognition for his contributions to amateur astronomy, as he was honored by the International Astronomical Union, when an asteroid was given the name "11378 DAuria" in his honor.  That same year, Tippy led an expedition to the volcanoes of Costa Rica, to film a National Geographic documentary called Volcano Hunters.

Tippy joined an elite group of some of the world's best planetary astronomers in 2001 on a mission to record a predicted flash on the Mars in a region called Edom.

In August 2007, Tippy received the 2007 Astronomical League Award for his many contributions to the Astronomical Community.
 
In February 2008, Tippy received an Astronomy Outreach Award – in recognition for his contributions in outreach and public education in Astronomy.

He is a noted astrophotographer who uses cold camera photography for his work and has taught Creative Photography at the college level. Tippy is a writer and an international lecturer as well as an avid volcano hunter.  He has contributed to the section on darkroom techniques for the book Introduction to Observing and Photographing the Solar System as well as co-authoring with Vic Menard, the definite book on telescope collimation, titled Perspectives on Collimation - Principles and Procedures.

Tippy's  Astronomical Vitae

 

 

Tim Khan WSP Director Imaging Panel Instructor

 

Taimur (Tim) Khan, P.E. – Vice President, Southern Cross Astronomical Society / Winter Star Party Director & WSP Speaker Coordinator

Mr. Khan was born and raised in South Florida and has had a passion for astronomy since first being introduce to a telescope in his mid teens. His educational background includes a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Miami. He is a licensed Structural Engineer in the State of Florida and is an active member in the following professional organizations: Structural Engineering Certification Board, Florida Structural Engineer’s Association, Structural Engineer Institute, American Society of Civil Engineers and American Concrete Institute. Mr. Khan is currently vice president of a family owned engineering firm in Miami, Florida, where he has specialized in structural engineering ranging from large high-rise construction and large scale custom homes, commercial projects, Schools, and tract homes. Mr. Khan carries his astronomy knowledge into his professional career by advocating proper lighting techniques to his clients. In addition, Mr. Khan has designed and constructed a hurricane resistant roll off roof observatory to resist both hurricanes and tornadic winds.

During his stay at University of Miami in the mid 90’s, Mr. Khan became President of the University of Miami Astronomy Club as well as an active member of the Southern Cross Astronomical Society.  Mr. Khan has been serving as an officer and board member of Southern Cross for several years, and has been appointed director of the prestigious annual Winter Star Party, held annually in the Florida Keys during February.

Currently, Mr. Khan enjoys heading out to dark skies to observe and photograph the night sky. He has been an active astro-photographer since the mid 1990’s, shooting with both film and CCD cameras.

 

Richard D. Crisp Speaker Widefield Imaging & Tricolor Emission Imaging Wednesday, February 10th @ 12-1pm

Richard has over 30 years experience in R&D/Design in the semiconductor industry having designed many microprocessors and memories in common use from Motorola, Intel and Rambus. Richard was the memory subcommittee chair for the International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) for several years in the 1990s and was the Program Chair of the conference for the year 2000. The ISSCC is the IEEE's premier semiconductor circuits conference with attendance from all over the world and is the place where IBM, Intel, Samsung and others unveil their latest technology developments. It is extensively covered by the financial press and other worldwide news organizations. It is a big deal and being the program chair is a big deal: “I am one of about 55 such chairs in its 55+ year history.” Additionally Richard has about 20 US patents and many more pending. Currently Richard is involved in image sensor and memory packaging technology for advanced chipscale miniaturized applications as director of semiconductor pathfinding at Tessera Technologies (www.tessera.com).

Richard will be speaking on;

1) Widefield imaging with camera lenses: considerations and solutions

2) Tricolor emission line imaging: methods and applications

 

Sheldon Faworski Speaker "Choosing a Telescope for CCD Imaging" Thursday, February 11th @ 1-2pm

Sheldon Faworski has been an amateur telescope maker since 1954; approximately around the same time he started receiving S&T. Sheldon started doing astro photography in the mid-70's.

From 1977 till now, Sheldon has worked in either sales and or product development (mainly telescopes and telescope accessories) for: American Science Center (Chicago) Edmund Scientific Celestron Meade Instruments LOMO America LOMO (St.Petersburg, Russia) Galileo

For more information, visit Sheldon's web site at http://www.masil-astro-imaging.com/home.html

Mark Friedman Speaker "The History & Science of the Astrolabe" followed by an Astrolabe workshop Tuesday, February 9th @ 1-3pm

Meet Mark Friedman who's been active in amateur astronomy for over 20 years. By day he's an Information Technology Executive in the Insurance industry, by night he’s an active visual observer. One of the most influential mentors in Mark’s astronomy career was the late Ron Ravneberg who, among many other things, introduced him to the Astrolabe.

Mark’s very first telescope was a self- constructed 6" dob, right down to the mirror which took around a year to complete. It was special honor for this particular telescope to see first light at the Hidden Hollow Star Party in 1989 and to have its first views shared with none other than David Levy! He has also made several mirrors and built several dobs since then. His most used dob today is a 10" f/5.6, designed by Ron and built with his assistance (they built six of these at one time).

With everything the hobby of astronomy has to offer, what he enjoys the most is visual observing – solar and deep sky. In addition he is a bona fide umbraphile – a total solar eclipse chaser – having just experienced his third TSE this past July off the coast of Iwo Jima. As a member of the Columbus Astronomical Society, he has served over the years in several capacities including trustee. When it is cloudy or near full moon you’ll find Mark curling (yes that Olympic sport on ice most often associated with Canada) and ballroom dancing with his beautiful wife Marlene. A Star Party fan? You know it. Mark's favorite star party is the Winter Star Party. Why? Who wouldn't want to spend every February in the Florida Keys where the seeing is incredible!

Be sure to join Mark as he shares “The History and Science of the Astrolabe”. Following his presentation he will lead a workshop where participants can build their own personal astrolabe and learn how to use it.

 

Ruben Kier Speaker "Best Targets for Astrophotography and What They Reveal About Our Universe" Tuesday, February 9th @ 12-1pm

 

Ruben Kier's photos, articles, and letters have appeared regularly in Astronomy and Sky & Telescope magazines. He has recently joined the Astronomical Advisory Council of the University of Florida, which helps to operate the world's largest telescope in the Canary Islands. This year, Ruben summarized a decade of experience with CCD imaging in his new book, The 100 Best Astrophotography Targets: A Monthly Guide for CCD Imaging with Amateur Telescopes. His goal has been to show how amateur astronomers, using moderately priced equipment, can obtain excellent images rivaling those obtained with the most costly telescopes.

Ruben’s presentation will (1) showcase beautiful astrophotographs, (2) explain how they help us understand what we can see at the eyepiece, and (3) provide valuable tips for imaging. This talk should appeal to both photographers and visual astronomers.

More of Ruben’s images are available on his website, http://www.stardoctor.org

 

Donald C. Parker, M.D.

Speaker

"Weather and The Solar System"

Wednesday, Feb 10th @ 1-2pm

Don Parker, a retired physician from Coral Gables, Florida has had a life-long interest in astronomy and, since 1953, has built a number of telescopes ranging in diameter from three to sixteen inches. Over the years Dr. Parker came to specialize in Solar System research and planetary photography. He has taken over 20,000 photographs and electronic images of Mars and Jupiter, as support for professional astronomers at NASA, JPL, and various observatories.

As a Mars Recorder for the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, Dr. Parker has done extensive research on the climate and meteorology of the planet Mars. He has authored or co-authored over 150 papers on the Solar System and on planetary photography. These have been pub­lished in both amateur and profession­al journals, such as Science, Nature, Icarus, the Astronomical Journal, and the Journal of Geophysical Research. Parker’s photographs and electronic images of the planets have appeared in numerous books and magazines throughout the world, including Encyclopedia Britannica’s 1996 Science and the Future. He is co-author of the book, Introduction to Observing and Photographing the Solar System.

He is a member of many professional and amateur astronomical organizations, including Miami’s Southern Cross Astronomical Society, the American Geophysical Union, the American Astronomical Society, and the British Astronomical Association. He is past director of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers.

In recognition of his contributions to planetary astronomy, Dr. Parker was honored by the International Astronomical Union in 1994, when an asteroid was given the name “5392 Parker”. In 2004 he was awarded the Oriental Astronomical Association’s Gold Medal for his work on Mars.

Dr. Russell Romanella Speaker "NASA's Exploration Mission" Thursday, February 11th @ 2-3pm Due to recent events, Dr. Romanella had to cancel his appearance at the WSP.

Dr. Romanella is the Director of the International Space Station (ISS) and Spacecraft Processing Directorate at NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida where he is responsible for all ground processing of Space Station elements getting ready to fly in the Space Shuttle. Dr. Romanella joined NASA in 1981 as a co-op student while attending Florida State University where he received his degree in Mathematics and computer Science. Dr. Romanella’s broad range of experiences include Space Shuttle processing, the International Space Station, and future NASA Exploration programs including the return of humans to the Moon and the first human landing on Mars. Dr. Romanella has received numerous achievement and performance awards, including NASA's Exceptional Service Medal and the Center Director Award for his leadership in preparing Space Station elements for launch from the Kennedy Space Center.

Dr. Romanella's talk is titled " NASA's Exploration Mission". His talk is about the current Exploration Mission within NASA - where we are and where we are heading with the Space Shuttle and Space Station programs as well as the United States' robotic exploration of the solar system and our plan to return to the moon, on to mars

For more information, please go to the following web page to see Dr. Romanella's NASA biography page:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/biographies/romanella.html

 

Don Singalewitch

Speaker

"Why We are Alone"

Wednesday, February 10th @ 2-3pm

Don holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Chemical Engineering from Newark College of Engineering (now New Jersey Institute of Technology) and has spent his working life in the chemical and electronic industries.

His lifelong interest in astronomy and cosmology led directly to the writing of this paper.

Don is married, and he and his wife, Georgina, have three children: Teresa, Christopher, and Marey.

 

 

Bob Summerfield Speaker "The Sky Tonight" Tuesday, Feb 9th @ 8 pm at the Firepit

 

Better known to most as "The T-shirt Guy," "The Meteorite Guy," "Crazy Bob," or "Everyone's Favorite Pain In The A**," Bob Summerfield is the Founder and Director of Astronomy To Go, a Philadelphia-based, nonprofit educational outreach organization, formally begun in 1990. A life long amateur who's passion for Astronomy began with his first lessons in Space Science in 3rd grade, he has been teaching an adult school class at Cheltenham High School for 27 years, starting before he was a graduate. Bob has worked with Astronomy Clubs, schools, camps, scout troops, museums, and all sorts of civic organizations across the country. The goal is to encourage people to look up, and get to better understand our neighbors and happenings in the Universe, near and far. While most Star Party attendees think of Astronomy To Go's Vendor Booth as a unique Astronomical Gift Shoppe (not to mention a fun place to visit) most don't realize that it's just the fundraising side that supports their real mission of educational and public outreach. Working together with his wife, Lisa, Bob presents hundreds of programs each year for thousands of students of all ages. Their programs range from lectures and slide shows to hands on presentations, planetarium shows, and outdoor observing sessions, night and day. They are also the owners/caretakers of The Yard Scope (36"/f 5) and invite everyone to stop by for some time at the eyepiece.

Bob has appeared on numerous TV programs on ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Discovery Channel and NASA-TV, as well as many radio programs, and in print media, from newspapers nationwide to Sky & Telescope magazine. He has become a regular outreach presenter at the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences annual conference. Bob and Lisa were honored by the International Astronomical Union in 1997 when an Asteroid was named "7344 Summerfield" in recognition of their educational efforts. They were also honored to receive The Omega Centauri Award at the 2002 Texas Star Party for "bringing Astronomy to the public."

For WSP '10, Bob will present "The Sky Tonight" at the Firepit.   This talk is open to all star party attendees, adults as well as children.

You can visit Bob's web site at http://www.astronomytogo.com/

(Please Note: Our ban on using green laser lights is still in effect, but Bob has received special permission from the WSP Director to use a green laser pointer for his talk.)

 

Dr. Fiorella Terenzi Speaker "Sounds of the Universe: Acoustic Astronomy" Thursday, February 11th @ 1-2pm Due to recent events, Dr. Terenzi had to cancel her appearance at the WSP.

 

Look at the stars. Can’t you hear them?  Dr. Fiorella Terenzi, is an astrophysicist, musician and professor of astronomy at Brevard Community College, Florida. Through Dr. Terenzi's ground breaking research we can now listen to the cosmos. This entertaining, informative multimedia lecture includes sounds from radio galaxy UCG 6697, Crab and Vela pulsars, the Sun, Saturn, Jupiter, star HD4993 and star181420, Earth, big bang, quasars and an x-ray black hole.  Learn what sounds can tell us about the Universe, and hear the instrumental harmonies created with the help of celestial bodies as we extend our human senses into the cosmos.  Dr. Terenzi brings to life an ACOUSTIC UNIVERSE where each celestial object is now recognized thru its acoustic signature.

BIO: Internationally renowned astrophysicist, author and recording artist, Dr. Fiorella Terenzi has a doctorate in physics from the University of Milan. In research at the Computer Audio Research Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, she pionereed techniques to convert radio waves from galaxies into sound - released by  Island Records on her acclaimed CD "Music from the Galaxies". Her award-winning CD-ROM "Invisible Universe" and best-selling books "Heavenly Knowledge", "Musica Dalle Stelle", "Der Kosmos ist weiblich" weaves astronomy and music, science and art into a tapestry for the senses. She has appeared on CNN, The Wall Street Journal, People, Time, Glamour and lectured at UCSD, Stanford, MIT.

    Wall Street Journal “Now, thanks to Fiorella Terenzi, an astrophysicist and musician, stargazers can peek through a telescope, glance at the Milky Way and listen to the cosmos. ... Initially, Dr. Terenzi kept acoustic astronomy to herself. But now she turned performer, and Earth people are tuning in."

    Time Magazine: Another practitioner on the rise is Italian astrophysicist, Fiorella Terenzi, who has been described as a cross between Madonna and Carl Sagan. Terenzi has used radio telescopes to intercept radio waves from a galaxy 180 million light-years away, them fed them into a computer, applied a sound-synthesis program to convert her data into music and produced "Music From the Galaxies". Result: part New Age, part Buck Rogers sound track, played on an oscilloscope

You can visit Dr. Terenzi's web site at http://www.fiorella.com/index.htm

Download a PDF copy of Dr. Terenzi's biography

 

Sean Walker

Speaker

"Stitching the Sky: CCD Mosaics with Camera Lenses"

Thursday, February 11th @ 12-1pm

Exploring alternative image-processing techniques is Sean Walker's forte. After earning a BFA from Massachusetts College of Art, Sean merged his artistic talents and love of astronomy by teaching himself astrophotography and digital image processing. Capturing good data is only a small fraction of the work in producing beautiful images; the rest is making the image rise to the level of art. Sean joined the Sky and Telescope Magazine staff in 2000 and currently serves as an assistant editor specializing in the magazine*s astrophotography coverage.

Sean's talk will be on the challenges of creating huge mosaics with camera lenses (based upon his work with Dennis di Cicco and their Eridanus Bubble project).

For more information, visit the Sky and Telescope web site at http://skytonight.com/