Chelen Johnson
IDYL is the IDentification of YSOs in the Lagoon Nebula. This team is looking for known and new YSOs in M8, the Lagoon Nebula.
I already had a pretty good idea of how astronomers do science, but NITARP helped me see more exactly how data is collected, processed, and analyzed. It helped me also see that I can do astronomy myself, and can make a contribution beyond my own classroom. Not only can I analyze astronomical data to find scientifically useful results, but I can publish my work as a poster and be part of this community. I did not feel like a stranger or usurper or even out of place – it felt like I belonged.
The most interesting thing [of my NITARP experience] was having to actually do research – researching articles & known information; looking up images in databases; doing photometry; making judgments on sources.
Through this whole process I’ve learned that astronomy research is about connections. Who you meet, what they do, and how each has a part in a greater picture. Sharing information, connections and discussions.
