BOSS discovery now published in The Astrophysical Journal.
Hi all,
on behalf of the BOSS team (Stu Parker, Peter Marples, Colin Drescher, Pat Pearl, Brendan Downs, and myself) I would like to let you know that The Astrophysical Journal has now published the paper that we contributed to through our work on supernova SN2011ei of July 2011 in NGC6925. Also,of great pride to each of the BOSS members, is a letter of appreciation from the lead investigator, Dan Milisavljevic, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. I have attached a copy of the letter in case you are interested.
Stu made the discovery at his 'Parkdales' observatory in NZ. Within minutes of Stu's call to me, I commenced taking several images from my "Leyburn Dusty Downs" observatory in Queensland for initial confirmation images and other images for brightness measurements over the next few days, Colin did the initial position and brightness analysis and followed up with brightness measurements, and Peter prepared and sent the alert to the CBAT.
The paper is entitled "Multi-Wavelength Observations of Supernova 2011ei: Time-Dependent Classification of Type IIb and Ib Supernovae and Implications for their Progenitors". This discovery was made only a few days after the explosion and consequently, has been particularly valuable because the early discovery allowed many professional instruments using different wavelengths to analyse the new supernova.
A key science outcome described in the paper is that this supernova changed its characteristics, and therefore, its supernova classification in a matter of days. Previously, it was thought that this was possible only over a matter of months, so the opportunity of early observations coupled with regular longer term measurements actually extended the current understanding and theories of these tremendous events.
As a bunch of amateurs who are simply doing what they love, we are all completely gob-smacked that we could contribute to this field, even if it's a relatively small way.
It's an understatement to say that we are 'over-the-moon' with this result, and of course, the kind letter from Dan.
Clear skies, here's to the next one!
(Refer to The Astrophysical Journal, volume 767,page ID 71.)
Wonderful News Greg.
Congratulations to Stu and the BOSS Team for a job well done
One of the BOSS supernova that I haven't observed,as it was too faint
Cheers
A remarkable achievement and great recognition for your team - well done!
I had a quick look at the Journal Citation Reports entry for The Astrophysical Journal, and it's a highly cited journal in astrophysics (i.e. many other academics read and cite work published in that journal).
In case others are interested in taking a look, a pre-print is available for free download here:
Hi all,
thanks heaps for a your kind comments, we appreciate them.
Also, I thought you might like to see the colour image of the galaxy and the SN that Stu keeps on the BOSS website, so I added it to to my original post above.
Keep looking up!
[ the below information is, I am sure, known to BOSS members, but it should be valuable to our diverse IIS readership in providing a perspective on 'pro' vs 'amateur' research ]
Well, each of the BOSS members now has his own individual citation record.
It's the ultimate accolade, as each of you are now officially researchers who will be cited in other papers.
A person can only be cited if he/she has actually done scientific research;
and we all know that, these days, the bar is set very high before a person can say that they are a scientist.
For instance, if people go along the 'official route' of becoming a scientist, they virtually have to get a PhD before they are even allowed to sweep the floor of the observatory!
Moreover, I might add, I can list many individual cases of people who did astronomy PhDs who nonetheless were still unable to do research afterwards; which just goes to prove that doing scientific research is not easy!
In contrast, BOSS have achieved the status of becoming researchers in a more enjoyable way;
through enthusiasm, enjoyment, the excitement of discovery, hard work, diligence, and the efficient application of a great deal of knowledge.
One good thing about your non-standard path to becoming 'research men' is that, as amateurs, you don't have to turn up to work at the observatory unless you feel like it!!
Hi Robert,
thanks for that 'non-standard' response...and I must mention that, I always feel like turning up at the observatory, its only the crappy south-east Queensland weather that stops me most of the time, not even a lack of sleep can usually keep me out if it's clear...
Hi Robert,
thanks for that 'non-standard' response...and I must mention that, I always feel like turning up at the observatory, its only the crappy south-east Queensland weather that stops me most of the time, not even a lack of sleep can usually keep me out if it's clear...
Hi Greg,
It sounds to me like it is your enthusiasm and enjoyment of astronomy that gives you your 'focus' and your 'get up and go' and, even more importantly for an advanced amateur astronomer, your will to 'get back into it even after a significant distraction'
It is sometimes hard to get anything much done, as a serious amateur astronomer, due to the inevitable distractions of 'non-astronomical life'. At least we all do astronomy 'just for fun', but there is always that frustration of never having enough time to get even more serious about our astronomical projects.
I wish I had some of that focus. My own pattern is to tend to work on astronomy for two or three months consistently, but then to get distracted by some of my non-astronomical scientific hobbies.(palaeontology, entomology, fungi, soil science, etc.) (maybe I'll bring the stereomicroscope to the observing site, one day, in case it gets cloudy.....it will give us something to do!)
How good is that! Well done to all the “BOSS” Team, I am in awe of your prodigious, individual and collective efforts in chasing down these ephemeral phenomena!
Thanks to all for your responses.
As we (thats everyone here, not just the BOSS team) are all in this for the love of the hobby first and foremost, it is so inspiring that professional astronomers still value the input of amateurs in 2013 even with all the technology available.
In 1988 as our honoured guest of the SAS, the late great Sir Patrick Moore said that professional astronomers rely on the amateur for time dependent observations/discoveries. He and my dad were my inspiration into this hobby, I hope the letter Greg posted above will be inspiration to young and young at heart amateurs here in IIS.
Now if only this bleedin cloud would go.