Published: September 15, 2008
White Bear Lake High School science teacher Peter Pitman, together with seniors Bryant Richardson and Anders Larson, attended a data analysis conference at the Spitzer Science Center on the campus of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena from August 9-12, 2008. Working with students and educators from a variety of school settings and under the tutelage of Dr.Varoujan Gorjian, a research astronomer with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this select group received their first glimpse of images taken by the Spitzer Space Telescope; the precious observing time being awarded to the teachers by the director of the SSC under a grant provided by the Spitzer Space Telescope Research Program for Teachers and Students. The project entitled "IRAC Monitoring of NGC 4051 for Interday Variability," offers participating White Bear Lake students the opportunity to conduct real-time authentic astronomy research and will become an important research component in Mr. Pitman's Advanced Topics in Astronomy course.
NGC 4051, a Seyfert I galaxy found in Ursa Major, is known for its extremely bright galactic center, referred to as an Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), the center of which contains a supermassive black hole. Having been provided with a comprehensive package of background information and journal articles, the students/teachers were well prepared for their four-day work session at the SSC. Upon arrival in Pasadena, the students first examined digital visible light images of NGC 4051 taken by educators/students from several earth-based optical telescopes during a ten-day period in June, which will be used as a standard by which further comparisons of images taken by Spitzer's IRAC camera would be made. Using Aperture Photometry Tool, specifically designed by staff at Caltech, the students developed a protocol by which they would use to compare the sets of digital images. Once the procedures had been established, the students were charged with the responsibility of using their skills to detect reverberation, subtle changes in the brightness of the inner structure of the AGN.
Students Bryant and Anders continue to work on the data analysis. They have shown an amazing ability to tackle a relatively difficult project and proceed with the image analysis in a straightforward, methodical manner. The students have remained in contact with several other participants from the group to not only assist with the data reduction but to become involved in the planning and development of scientific and educational presentations. The students intend to discuss the project and reveal their findings at the American Astronomical Society (AAS) annual meeting in Long Beach, California in January.