This is my first post. I'm not your typical amateur astronomer, I don't have a telescope. I download data from the Kepler, Wise and Fermi telescopes and mathematically analyse it. I also research subjects in depth, the latest being the history and astrophysics of the nearest stars and brown dwarfs. I read the astronomy magazine
http://arxiv.org/archive/astro-ph
I'm posting here because I've put together 12 astronomy-related topics that I've been looking at over the past 5 years in a free book
http://freepages.misc.rootsweb.ances...0Astronomy.pdf
I hope that at least one of the topics within will attract the eye of a professional astronomer - leading to further work. The topics are:
1. The H-R diagram extended for brown dwarfs and planets.
2. Astronomy’s blind spot – a telescope proposal.
3. Physical modelling of planets, moons and dwarf planets – a proposal.
4. Fermi’s unidentified sources no longer a mystery.
5. Busting four modern planet-formation myths (using Kepler data).
6. Discovery of the nearest stars. Who? and When? 7. Search for Jupiter-distance planets in Kepler data.
8. Inappropriateness of the Lutz-Keller equation for brown dwarfs.
9. Table. The FOV of some telescopes.
10. Relative scientific contribution of spacecraft and telescopes.
11. Some of the largest lenses used in telescopes.
12. Goddard optimisation and multistage. Into space for less than $600?
13. Miller-Urey revisited – a proposal.
14. Ultra-high temperature nuclear reactor for rocket propulsion – an unsuccessful idea.
The one closest to my heart right now is "2. Astronomy’s blind spot – a telescope proposal." This is a telescope designed to see transients in space within 45 (or 60) degrees on the Sun. To be used to complete a triplet with Pan-STARRS (northern hemisphere) and LSST (southern hemisphere).
