
In this episode of S4theB!, recorded live in
Chez Jose in Brentwood, just a mile or so from
Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory, I share the remaider of the interview I held with
Rocky Alvey, Dyer Superintendent
(photo above from http://www.wro.org/share/terry/deepimpact.html, which shares information from the Dyer-hosted "Deep Impact" asteroid impact session July 4, 2004), who tells me a little about the upcoming astronomy radio show the observatory is planning. He also describes the work he is doing to create and configure an Internet-accessible robotic telescope on the roof of the observatory so that students and astronomy enthusiasts from all over the world can submit their imaging requests and program the device themselves to take pictures of anything the telescope can train itself upon. NEAT!
I know myself that efforts to make a workable Internet-controlable telescope have historically been unsatisfactory, at least when it comes to functioning intuitively and consistently in the long haul. We hope that Rocky's adoption of
Astronomer's Control Panel software and his hands-on technical skill with hardware and Internet programming will make this new Dyer project one that will remain useful to students for years to come. For more information, email Rocky at the observatory, or email
sciencehotline@vanderbilt.edu. Download the show
here. Warning: Muffled buritto-chewing and explicit laughter involved!
The episode ends with a replay of Rocky's original tune, "
It's All in the Way that We Lean," about the reasons for the seasons!
# posted by Scott Merrick @ 12/26/2005 07:13:00 AM
