获得凯克一夜观测权的天文爱好者沃尔特和他的梦。（附他的照片）
;)
California Amateur Astronomer Wins ASP Keck Auction
Walter Cruttenden of Newport Beach, California will experience what many amateur astronomers would consider to be a dream come true. Later this year, Cruttenden will join professional astronomer Geoff Marcy in the control room of the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii as Marcy and his colleagues hunt for extrasolar planets. Cruttenden earned this opportunity by submitting the winning bid of $16,000 in an auction hosted on eBay. The auction was a fund-raiser for the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP).
"I'm totally thrilled to be meeting someone on the leading edge of discovery," says Cruttenden. "I've never done anything like this before, and I've never even been above 13,000 feet," he adds, referring to the high altitude of the W. M. Keck Observatory.
On a date yet to be determined, Cruttenden and a guest will be flown to the big island of Hawaii for a 5-day trip. While in Hawaii, they will receive a VIP tour of the W. M. Keck Observatory (home of two 10-meter telescopes, the world's largest optical telescopes) on the summit of Mauna Kea, enjoy a dinner hosted by Geoff Marcy, and spend a night in the observatory's control room (located in Kamuela) as Marcy and his colleagues search for planets orbiting other stars.
Marcy is an astronomer at the University of California, Berkeley. Along with Paul Butler of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, Marcy co-leads the team that has discovered approximately 70 of the 100 or so known planets outside the solar system. "I love the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and I'm honored to have helped fund its activities," says Marcy. "The ASP has the wonderful goal of bringing the beauty and mystery of the universe to young folks in the classroom, and to inquisitive folks of all ages."
The auction was held on eBay from January 14 to January 23. Proceeds from the auction will support the ASP's nationwide education and outreach programs. To show its support to the amateur astronomy community, the ASP plans to donate 5 percent of the winning $16,000 bid to an amateur astronomy club of Cruttenden's choice.
"We're delighted with the success of this fund-raising experiment," says ASP Executive Director Mike Bennett. "We sincerely appreciate Mr. Cruttenden's donation, and we thank the other bidders for their interest as well."
Cruttenden, age 52, is president of Cruttenden Partners in Newport Beach. He is married and has 4 sons. "I'm so excited about this trip. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience," he says. Cruttenden has a long-standing interest in astronomy, particularly the connection between what ancient astronomers knew about the sky and what astronomers like Geoff Marcy are learning today with modern technology.
The ASP extends its deepest thanks to Geoff Marcy, the W. M. Keck Observatory staff, and eBay for their cooperation.
The non-profit Astronomical Society of the Pacific was founded in 1889 in San Francisco and is still headquartered there today. The ASP has since grown into an international society. Its membership is spread over all 50 states and 70 countries and includes professional and amateur astronomers, science educators of all levels, and people in the general public. The ASP publishes the bimonthly Mercury magazine for its members, a technical journal for professional astronomers called Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, and an on-line teachers' newsletter. The ASP also coordinates Project ASTRO, a national astronomy education program. The Society produces a catalog and website of extensive astronomy-related products for educators and the public.
Image courtesy of Geoff Patino
沃尔特和他的望远镜的照片 |
|
置顶卡
变色卡
千斤顶
显身卡
