CUREA- Consortium for Undergraduate Research and Education in Astronomy

As mentioned, in the summer of 2003 I participated in the 2 week intensive program called 'CUREA' sponsored by the Mt. Wilson Observatory Association. Eight students were selected to participate that year. This was a diverse group from all over the world! There is an application process which is not especially rigorous, but considering the time and effort the staff apparently dedicates to this activity, they want to be sure you are serious about your commitment to it. The program is designed for undergraduates thinking about a possible career in astronomy or amateur astronomers. You basically live there for 2 weeks. The first week is spent learning to use the equipment and daily classes are dedicated to various topics including optics, ccd, spectroscopy and photometry. The second week is devoted to a 'mini-project' of your choice under the tutelage of a professional astronomer. There are also tours of the various ongoing research projects on Mt. Wilson as well as day trips to nearby renowned facilities such as the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena and Mt. Palomar.

This was the view, daily, as one walked from the dormitory to the library!

The library to the left is where daily lectures were held and where access to computers and reference materials was. I can be seen in the picture above reading I believe it was Sky & Telescope (the guy with the reading glasses!).To the right is the 'workhorse' for the night-time astronomy activities, a Meade 16" reflector, shown here during a solar imaging session. There are dedicated telescope operators in addition to the astronomers who assist during the observing sessions.

Mt. Wilson was originally founded to study the Sun, so a fair amount of time is spent on Solar physics. To the left is the first facility created on Mt. Wilson, the Snow Observatory, which houses a 24" reflector dedicated to observing the Sun. To the right is our class assembled inside the observatory for an observing session. Daily solar observing consisted of sunspot drawings and use of the observatory spectrograph. Solar spectra were recorded on film which was processed in the observatory darkroom. Doppler shifts of the spectral lines at the east and west limbs of the solar disc enabled us to calculate the Sun's rotation rate.

More solar astronomy! The 150 foot Solar Tower is operated by the UCLA Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics. The Sun's image is projected down to the base of the facility where it can be safely studied! For more info on the tower click here

The 60-inch telescope was the first optical telescope built in the early 1900's. This scope is used mainly for visitors and amateur astronomy groups. We did get the opportunity to view Mars during the famous 2003 apparition! Enough said!

I couldn't finish this page without throwing this in! Most people know the name 'Hubble' from the orbiting space telescope that bears his name, but not as many know that it was Edwin Hubble who shocked the astronomy world with his discovery of distant galaxies and the expansion of the universe. He was able to do it with the aid of the largest telescope in the world back in the early 20th century, the 100 inch Hooker reflector on Mt Wilson. We had a chance to tour the observatory and deep in its 'bowels' were the lockers of some of the scientists who used the telescope regularly. It was so dark down there that I apparently had some difficulty centering the target and as a result, the final 'E' was cut off!

The CUREA program was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in quite some time and is highly recommended for anyone with a passion for astronomy. It is offered yearlly during the summer. More details can be found here

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