| Convenor: | Dave Gault, Occultation Section, ASNSW |
| Committee: | Dave Herald, Graham Blow, Hristo Pavlov |
| Cost: | To be advised |
The Astronomical Society of New South Wales and the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand are pleased to announce that the Second Trans-Tasman Symposium on Occultations (TTSO) will be held in conjunction with NACAA 2008. The first TTSO was held in Auckland, New Zealand in July 2007 in conjunction with the RASNZ’s Annual Conference, and was a great success. Now it’s the Aussies' turn.
Occultations are one of the most dramatic and precise observations an astronomer can make. Whether it be a total lunar occultation, lunar grazing occultation, asteroidal occultation or a solar eclipse, they all involve something moving in front of a star, and they happen in real-time. Observed using modern techniques and equipment, truly astounding measurements can be made to refine and enhance our knowledge of the heavens.
Occultation observing is not a solitary pastime, unlike many astronomy activities. Instead, it takes a team effort to glean the most information from an event. Our team of keen observers is always looking for new recruits, as well as looking for ways to improve and share their techniques and experiences. This is the goal of this Symposium. Come over to the dark side!
Content: The Symposium will consist of a series of talks, demonstrations, and workshops designed to share the knowledge and experience of the presenters. The topics covered will include:
The workshops will be as "hands-on" as possible, and participants are encouraged to bring a laptop to try out the software demos. All participants will receive a DVD containing the software covered in the workshops.
Contributions: If you wish to contribute to the content of the Symposium, the Convenor and Committee would be delighted to receive submissions for presentations on any topic related to occultations. We would welcome, for example, a poster paper or an oral address concerning a recent observation, or a new computer program you have created. The possibilities are broad.
If you wish to contribute, please advise the Convenor of your intent and in particular, state:
Please send your email to Convenor@ttso.nacaa.org.au. Submissions close 10th January 2008.
Schedule: The Symposium will start mid-afternoon on Easter Sunday (March 23), and continue all day Easter Monday (March 24) 2008.
Costs: TBA. A price of around AU$55 is anticipated.
Registrations: You can register via the NACAA XXIII registration page. Registrations will commence in December 2007.