[BAA-ebulletin 00961] Invitation to the 2nd BAA Workshop on Exoplanet Studies in support of space observatories: 2017 March 02

[BAA electronic bulletins service]

Dear BAA Member,

The second workshop* on amateur observations of exoplanets (including those 
in support of the Twinkle and ARIEL space missions) will be held on 
Thursday, March 02 from 11:00-13:30 in Room G21A on the ground floor of 
Senate House, Malet Street, University College London, WC1E 7HU. BAA members 
and others interested in exoplanet studies are invited to attend this 
meeting.

This is an exciting time in astronomy with, for instance, the announcement 
just yesterday of the remarkable discovery of the first system of 7 
Earth-sized planets orbiting another star**. The workshop will start with a 
series of short talks followed by an hour or so of active discussion to 
which all are welcome to participate.

Speakers from the professional and amateur community will give talks on 
progress towards the goal for amateurs to observe relatively bright stars 
that host one or more exoplanets. A BAA Exoplanet Working Group, set up 
following the first meeting, will report back to the community and the 
Twinkle team will present the science case for the amateur campaign and 
introduce the list of target stars involved. The challenge of precision 
photometry required to monitor exoplanet transits of their parent star will 
be discussed along with plans for data analysis, the development of 
analytical tools, and the potential for collaboration with other 
organisations including schools via the ORBYTS programme.

On the agenda are 10-minute talks by BAA members, including a progress 
update by our working group, namely:

Mark Trapnell - Amateur observing programmes and working together
Sam Anahory - Proposed exoplanet group
Mark Salisbury - Some examples of exoplanet transit observations
Richard Miles - Challenges of millimagnitude photometry

It is expected that time will be available during the afternoon for 
follow-up informal discussion involving active observers and the Twinkle 
team, as well as a more detailed consideration of project proposals.

A map showing the location of the meeting can be found here:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Senate+House,+London+WC1E,+UK/@51.5209778,-0.1309316,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x48761b31e4f5d2cb:0xc46235a56cc91926!8m2!3d51.5209742!4d-0.128726?hl=en

The nearest underground rail stations are Goodge Street and Russell Square. 
We also intend to stream the meeting live on YouTube.

If you are planning to attend then please contact the undersigned, or the 
BAA Office (0207 734 4145, office [at] britastro [dot] org), to confirm.

See you there!


Richard Miles
Director, BAA Asteroids and Remote Planets Section
arps [at] britastro [dot] org


* Details of the first workshop can be found at:

http://britastro.org/asteroids/Twinkle.htm
and at:
http://www.twinkle-spacemission.co.uk/twinkle-amateur-campaign/


** 
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-telescope-reveals-largest-batch-of-earth-size-habitable-zone-planets-around


2017 February 23