GTN Update GLAST LAT Collaboration Meeting October 2002 Gordon G. Spear Sonoma State University

Topics to be covered... n What is the GTN? n Science objectives n Participation n The AAVSO partnership n Some sample results n The SSU robotic telescope n The GTN and GLAST

GTN GLAST Telescope Network

What is the GTN? n Collaboration among small observatories and observers n Surveillance and follow-up observations of blazars and related objects to be observed by GLAST n Archive magnitude measurements and CCD images n Students, teachers, amateur astronomers, professional astronomers

Science Objectives n Establish base-line optical activity levels for bright, Gamma-loud AGNs n Provide optical follow-up observations for GLAST targets n Provide optical triggers for observations by GLAST

Program Objects n EGRET detected AGNs that are optically bright n TeV sources with optical associations n Bright and faint source lists n Northern hemisphere and Southern hemisphere source lists

The GTN Program Objects

Recommendations for Participation One or more of the following... n Access to telescopes or observing time n Access to computers and software for analysis of blazar observations n Agree to obtain minimum of two observations a month n Agree to participate in one intensive observing campaign every two years n Maybe adopt a particular object on the GTN list? n Maybe develop robotic telescope system?

Examples of participants n RCT Consortium –Western Kentucky University, Kitt Peak n Elk Creek Observatory –Holton Kansas school district n Baker Observatory –Southwest Missouri State University n SSU Observatory –Sonoma State University, California n WYTEC –Wyoming Technology for Education n URSA –Undergraduate Research Studies in Astronomy, Univ. of Arkansas

Elk Creek Observatory

Baker Observatory

Sonoma State University Observatory

Wyoming Technology Education Consortium Douglas Observatory

URSA (Undergraduate Research Studies in Astronomy) University of Arkansas Robotic Telescope System

The AAVSO Partnership n The AAVSO and the GTN have agreed to a partnership to encourage and support observations of the GTN blazars n AAVSO --> American Association of Variable Star Observers

The AAVSO n Non-profit educational and scientific organization n Thousands of members in many countries n Over 90 years experience observing and archiving variable star observations n Amateur and professional astronomers

The nature of the AAVSO partnership n AAVSO will add the bright GTN blazars to their observing list n AAVSO will adopt the GTN photometric sequences n AAVSO will archive GTN magnitude determinations (Lightcurve Generator) n GTN will archive CCD images (GIAS) n AAVSO will upgrade their data system

Some Examples of GTN Data 3C66A V-filter, stack of 4 2-minute exposures

3C66A - SSUO

AAVSO Data for 3C66A

SSUO and URSA for BL Lac

Mrk SSUO

The SSU Robotic Telescope System n Paramount-ME w/Celestron-14 and Apogee AP-47 –0.4 meter telescope, point to better than 1 arcminute, track to better than 2 arcsec, CCD with better than 90% QE n Will be installed at dark site and begin science observations in 2003 n Observe GTN blazar fields every clear night beginning next year and continuing through the GLAST mission

What will the GTN do for GLAST? n Base-line activity levels for optically bright Gamma-loud blazars n Observing campaigns for GLAST targets n Follow-up observations for GLAST targets n Optical triggers for GLAST observations n Direct involvement of students, educators, amateur astronomers, and professional astronomers with the GLAST mission

What can GLAST and the LAT do for the GTN? n How can you help the GTN? –We need your input. –What would you like to see from the GTN? n Encourage your colleagues to become GTN participants. n Become a mentor for a GTN participant

What “value added” can we offer to GTN participants? n Offer to serve as a mentor for GTN participants. n Offer to speak at GTN member institutions. n Offer to answer questions from GTN participants about your work and about GLAST. n Provide information about your work on GLAST for newsletters to be sent to GTN participants.