SSH Seminar: Binary Star Research at Keene State
Presented by Dr. Steven Harfenist: Since the fall of 2014, Physics faculty and approximately 20 student researchers have been imaging and analyzing binary stars using the department's 9.25-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope interfaced with a laptop computer. This talk will cover the fundamentals of binary stars, our research methods, and the growth of our ability to gather reliable data for inclusion in the Washington Double Star Catalog, a database maintained by the Office of Naval Research that contains data on approximately 150,000 binary star pairs. Our work over this time has led to three publications, all of which include a majority of student authors.
To request accommodations for a disability, please contact the coordinator at least two weeks prior to the event.
