HR: 0800h
AN: ED31A-0732    [Abstracts]
TI: The Radio JOVE Project - An Inexpensive Introduction to Radio Astronomy
AU: * Thieman, J R
EM: thieman@nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov
AF: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 633, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771
AU: Higgins, C
EM: higgins@physics.mtsu.edu
AF: Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Murfreesboro, TN 37132
AB: The Radio JOVE project began over six years ago as an education-centered program to inspire secondary school students' interest in space science through hands-on radio astronomy. The project was begun on small grants from the Goddard Space Flight Center Director's Discretionary Fund, the Initiative to Develop Education through Astronomy and Space Science (IDEAS) program, and the American Astronomical Society. Students build a radio receiver and antenna kit capable of receiving Jovian, solar, and galactic emissions at a frequency of 20.1 MHz. More than 600 of these kits have been distributed to students and interested observers (ages 10 through adult) in over 30 countries. For those who are not comfortable building their own kit, the Radio JOVE project has made it possible to monitor real-time data and streaming audio online from professional radio telescopes in Florida (http://jupiter.kochi-ct.jp) and Hawaii http://jupiter.wcc.hawaii.edu/newradiojove/main.html). Freely downloadable software called Radio-Skypipe (http://radiosky.com) emulates a chart recorder to monitor ones own radio telescope or the telescopes of other observers worldwide who send out their data over the Internet. Inexpensive spectrographs have been developed for the professional telescopes in Hawaii and Florida and freely downloadable spectrograph display software is available to receive this research-quality data. We believe the amateur network data to be of value to the research community and would like to have students more directly connected to ongoing research projects to enhance their interest in participating. Results of the project and plans for the future will be highlighted.
UR: http://radiojove.gsfc.nasa.gov
DE: 6900 RADIO SCIENCE
DE: 6954 Radio astronomy
DE: 0800 EDUCATION
SC: Education and Human Resourcese [ED]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting