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

2. 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

3. GTN GLAST Telescope Network

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. The GTN Program Objects

8. 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?

9. 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

10. Elk Creek Observatory

11. Baker Observatory

12. Sonoma State University Observatory

13. Wyoming Technology Education Consortium Douglas Observatory

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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

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

19. 3C66A - SSUO

20. AAVSO Data for 3C66A

21. SSUO and URSA for BL Lac

22. Mrk 501 - SSUO

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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.

27. http://glast.sonoma.edu/gtn