September 2024

Observing Program Division – Update – What’s Up With My Magnetometer?

For those of you braving the Solar Maximum AL Observing Challenge or the new Space Weather Observing Program, you may have noticed that your homemade Soda-Bottle Magnetometer is not working the way we all expected it to.  We have uncovered (with the help of many of you…) that there are some challenges facing us.   This link will share what we have learned.  Good luck – and keep on observing.  https://www.astroleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Magnetometers-Challenges.pdf

Space Oddities Live

Want more information about all manner of things related to space?  There is a weekly webcast from Space Oddities Live that covers current events (NASA and ESA missions, the Sun, The Moon, The planets, Comets, etc.) as well as intersting topics (recently: the Big Band and Moons of the Solar System).  They also share images sent in my their viewers.  Aaron Clevenson, of the Astornomical League,  has joined their panel (with one other American and a bunch of British folks).  It is broadcast at 3 PM Eastern Time.  If you can’t make a mid-day broadcast, then they are all recorded and available on YouTube.

To check out their channel:  https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceOdditiesLive

Solar Max Webinar

The Astronomical League working with the Star Library Network is bringing you a webinar about the Solar Maximum.  The one-hour webinar will be in the afternoon on Wednesday, September 11, 2024.  The focus of this webinar is the Astronomical League’s Solar Maximum Observing Challenge and how to build a homemade magnetometer.  For more information and to register for the webinar go to the Star Librabry Network’s website:  https://www.starnetlibraries.org/event/experience-solar-maximum-with-the-astronomical-leagues-observing-challenge/

Looking for Answers – Cosmo can lead the way

A high school student, a member of the Astronomical League, working with the University of Washington has developed an astronomy chatbot that aims to make learning about our universe accessible for various age groups. Cosmo allows users to explore the wonders of our universe and learn about complex astronomical concepts through a conversational interface that is available in multiple languages!  In line with their shared mission of making our universe universally accessible, this tool is available free on-line.  After “kicking the tires” the chatbot did amazingly well at answering my questions.  It provided accurate information and at  an age-appropriate level.  But like all advanced computer applications it can make mistakes, but the ones I have seen were minor.

More information can be found at these links:

  • Information about the project at the University of Washington:  Facebook page
  • A Demo video of Cosmo:  Demo video
  • And Cosmo itself:  Cosmo

Thank you Claire for sharing this amazing resource with the astronomical community and the world.

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