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High School Sophomores Discover Asteroid

Posted by kdawson on from the october-sky dept.

Several readers sent us the story of three high school sophomores in Racine, Wisconsin who were just notified that a celestial body they had discovered during a science project has been verified as an asteroid. The students at Racine's Prairie School will be given the opportunity to name the asteroid in about four years. They used a telescope in New Mexico, belonging to a college in Michigan, that they controlled over the Net.

7 of 126 comments (clear)

  1. Re:How does that work, exactly? by yotto · · Score: 2, Informative

    You wait a while and check again to see if it moved.

    --
    Pulp Audio Weekly - Geek News and Reviews
  2. This is more common than you'd think by ThreeGigs · · Score: 5, Informative

    Bob Holmes' website:
    http://ari.home.mchsi.com/index.htm/

    List of asteroids discovered this school year:
    http://ari.home.mchsi.com/mp_discoveries_table_2007.htm/

    And some info on the telescope he uses to capture images:
    http://bi-staff.beckman.uiuc.edu/~melockwo/telescopes/holmes32/holmes32.html/

    Same deal as this article. He uploads pics for students at participating schools to work with.

    1. Re:This is more common than you'd think by Jugalator · · Score: 2, Informative

      Remove the last slash on all the links.

      Yes, it was sloppy, but we all know that file extensions don't end with a slash, right..? :-)

      --
      Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
  3. Re:Obviously by KudyardRipling · · Score: 2, Informative

    Names of which to be wary:

    * S.C.Johnson, Horlick's, Case or other local manufacturer
    * Arthur's Diner (fictional)
    * names of models of AMC automobiles (Rambler, American, Classic, Ambassador, Matador, Javelin, Hornet, Gremlin, etc.) Oh ,wait, that's KENOSHA up the coast.
    * Anything Danish.
    * Max Hardcore

    --
    Submission as evidence constitutes plaintiff and/or prosecutorial misconduct.
  4. Re:Uhoh by Gospodin · · Score: 4, Informative

    It might make you feel better to know that those star naming deals are scams. They are not creating official names. What they tell you (in very careful language) is that the name you choose will go in the [insert important-sounding catalog name]. But that catalog is really just one they keep. Scientists don't use it.

    Also, according to Wikipedia, when these high-schoolers name the asteroid, the IAU gets to vet the name. If it's "Johnsmithisajerk", they'll probably say no.

    --
    ...following the principles of Heisenburger's Uncertain Cat...
  5. Re:Uhoh by jank1887 · · Score: 2, Informative

    FYI: Toy name: Shining Stars website: www.shiningstars.com some international astronomy society: International Star Registry yup, the same guys that have been letting people buy star names for the past decade or so for about $50. The new $15 stuffed toy is a bargain. It even gives you a cheap Webkinz knockoff website to play on. Took my 6 year old less than a half hour to get thoroughly disgusted with it and request playing Webkinz next time. The toy itself is half decent though.

  6. Re:How does that work, exactly? by Sperbels · · Score: 2, Informative

    This will get you started. http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/iau/info/Astrometry.html#name