2019 Symposium on Telescope Science

The purpose of the SAS Symposium is to encourage research using small-telescope observations and amateur-professional collaborations in astronomy.  Targets of interest include asteroids, solar system objects, exoplanets, variable stars, novae and supernovae, and related topics such as instrument design and characterization, and data analysis methods.  Everyone with an interest in small-telescope research is welcome -- amateur astronomers, students, educators, and professional astronomers.  If you want to see how small-telescope observations and measurements are contributing to astronomical science, learn more about photometry, astrometry, spectroscopy, CCD imaging, and the newest hardware and software techniques, this is the conference for you!  The 2019 Symposium is a joint meeting with the Center for Backyard Astrophysics.

Activities:  We have two educational workshops scheduled for Thursday (May 30,2019). The morning workshop is "Scientific Analysis of Amateur Spectra" conducted by Dr. David Boyd. The afternoon workshop is "Paths to Precision Photometry" by Dr. Arne Henden.  An "Evening with the Pro's" session on Thursday evening and two days of technical paper presentations (Friday and Saturday, May 31-July1, 2019). The closing banquet  is Saturday evening.  In the Display room, our corporate sponsors will be showing their latest product offerings and discussing recent developments.

Call for Papers:  Papers are solicited on all aspects of astronomical science that are (or can be) pursued by observations with small telescopes (less than 1-meter aperture), such as

• Investigations of variable stars, eclipsing binary stars, double stars and stellar systems

• Investigations of asteroids and other solar system objects; and exoplanets

• Progress, status, and planning for upcoming events such as the TESS follow - up initiative

• Instrumentation for photometry, astrometry, spectroscopy, polarimetry, and fast-cadence observations (e.g. occultations)

•Investigations of atmospheric effects, light-propagation and scattering, light pollution monitoring

• Innovative use of astronomy in undergraduate education.

Format: Papers for Presentation consist of a 20-minute presentation (including Q&A), and a written paper that is published in the Symposium Proceedings.

Papers without Presentation are included in the Proceedings, without oral presentation.

Poster Papers are welcomed and can be included in the Symposium Proceedings book.

Important Dates:

Abstract submission is now open.

Abstracts should be sent to: program@SocAstroSci.org.

Indicate whether you propose a Paper with Presentation, Paper without Presentation, or Poster.

Abstracts are due: March 30, 2019.

Authors will be notified of acceptance within a week of submittal.

Final papers for Proceedings are due: April 26, 2019.

Presenters must register for the Symposium!

You may propose more than one paper for presentation, but normally only one Presentation per author will be scheduled. There is no limit to the number of Posters or Papers without Presentation.

You can see the scope and content of presentations from recent Symposia by downloading the Proceedings from the SAS website and viewing the videos of presentations from recent Symposia. Send your abstract to the Program committee, at Program@SocAstroSci.org.

Registration:  The Registration link (above) will take you to the on-line registration form.

Room Registration: You can register for a hotel room at the Ontario Gateway Hotel here.