Puckett Observatory

Key takeaways

Puckett Observatory belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
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Reproduce the core statement of Puckett Observatory from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Puckett Observatory is a private astronomical observatory located in the state of Georgia. It is owned and operated by Tim Puckett. Its primary observation goals are the study of comets and the discovery of supernovae. To facilitate the latter goal it sponsors the Puckett Observatory World Supernova Search whose astronomers have discovered 369 supernovae.

Telescopes The Puckett Observatory houses two telescopes. The 60 cm (24") Ritchey–Chrétien telescope was custom engineered and built by Puckett, and took nine years to complete, going online full-time in 1997. The telescope features a new type of hybrid disk/band worm drive designed by Puckett in 1993. It is one of the largest telescopes in the state. The other observatory telescope includes a Celestron C-14 Schmidt–Cassegrain with a Software Bisque's Paramount ME Robotic Telescope System.

World Supernova Search The Puckett Observatory World Supernova Search was formed in 1998, with its principal investigator being Tim Puckett. The search consists of a team of amateur astronomers located in the United States, Canada, India, Greece and Italy. Observatories participating in the search included the Puckett Observatory, and telescopes located in Portal, Arizona and Osoyoos, British Columbia (Jack B. Newton, Ajai Sehgal). The observatory uses computers to control the robotic telescopes and sends the images to volunteers via the Internet. Each image is manually compared ("blinked") to archive images. At least 40 hours each week are required to run the search operation. Team members have contributed thousands of hours to analyzing the data.

Notable discoveries An HST Search for the Progenitor of the Type Ib Supernova 2010O in NGC 3690/Arp 299: Authors Bond, Puckett, et al. See also: Amateur, NOAO, HST, and Chandra Observers Team Up to Search for Supernova Progenitor Type Iax Supernovae:A New Class of Stellar Explosion. This new class currently has 25 members, are spectroscopically similar to SNe Ia, but have lower maximum-light velocities, and most have hot photospheres. Relative to SNe Ia, SNe Iax have low luminosities for their light-curve shape. The Puckett Observatory Supernova Search has discovered 7 of them: 2008ha, 2008ae, 2007J, 2006hn, 2005cc, 2003gq, 2002bp. The POSS search team made a rare discovery of two supernovae in one galaxy. Possible quasar in Bootes. - Variable Object in Bootes Cataclysmic Nova in Hercules - CBET 226 SN 2005bc SN 2005gl SN 2008ha CBET 1966 : 20091011 : VARIABLE STAR IN PEGASUS SN 2002bj Supernova fits into new class SN 2012A Announcement in Sky and Telescope SN 2012A Astronomy Picture of the Day SN 2012A Puckett Scores, AAVSO Gets Assist Minor planet: 1999 JR137

Tim Puckett Timothy David Puckett was born in 1962 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and is an amateur astronomer and astrophotographer with over 30 years experience. Experienced in the field of amateur CCD (digital) astro-imaging, Puckett has operated numerous CCD cameras since 1989. He has built several robotic telescopes and is currently operating an automated supernova search patrol and comet astrometry program which uses 60-cm and 35-cm telescopes. Puckett's photos of comets and deep-sky objects have been published in books and magazines in several countries, including Great Britain, Japan, Italy, Germany, Australia and South Africa. His work has also been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN, BBC, The Discovery and Learning Channels and Good Morning America. Puckett is a robotic-telescope consultant for professional observatories. In recognition of Puckett's contributions to the field of astronomy, asteroid 32096 Puckett, discovered Orange County Astronomers (OAC) Michael Collins and Minor White at the OCA-Anza Observatory (643) in 2000, was named in his honor. The official naming citation was submitted by Michael Peoples and published by the Minor Planet Center on November 9, 2003 (M.P.C. 50252). Puckett was the recipient of the American Astronomical Society's 2011 Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award. This award is presented for an achievement in astronomical research made by an amateur astronomer. The award citation reads: "To Tim Puckett for his Puckett Observatory World Supernova Search program that has discovered more than 200 supernovae".

See also History of supernova observation List of astronomical observatories

Bibliography

About Puckett and published images Zimmerman, Robert. The Great Supernova Race. Sky and Telescope, October 2013, pp. 16–21. Ferris, Timothy. Seeing in the Dark. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2002. pp. 280–81, 339n Hale, Alan. Everybody's Comet: A Layman's Guide to Comet Hale-Bopp. Silver City: High-Lonesome Books, 1996. p. 72 Mobberley, Martin. The New Amateur Astronomer. London: Springer-Verlag, 2004. pp. 155, 156, 164. Pasachoff, Jay M. Stars and Planets, Peterson Fields Guides. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000. Ratledge, David. Software and Data for Practical Astronomers: The Best of the Internet. London: Springer-Verlag, 1999. pp. 51–52. Sagan, Carl, and Ann Druyan. Comet. New York: Ballantine Books, 1997. p. 178. Zimmerman, Robert. "Become a Super Amateur." Sky and Telescope, October 2009, 32–37. AstroGuide 1997 (Japan). AstroArts, Inc. Puckett Comet Images Coelum: Mensile di Astronomia Scienza e Telescopi. April 1998. p. 89 Dürer's Saint Jerome (Video). London: The National Gallery, 1996. Puckett Comet Images. NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day: Moon over Andromeda (1 August 2013) NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day: Rosette Nebula (14 February 2008) NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day: Cone Nebula (12 April 2007) NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day: Moon over Andromeda (28 December 2006) NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day: Comet Tempel-Tuttle (16 November 2002) NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day: Comet Hale-Bopp (8 May 1997) Astronomy Outreach Network CNN Sky and Telescope:100th Supernova Space Today Online New York Times NASA Stardust Mission Space Daily Comet 73 P Schwassmann-Wachmann Image CNN NASA Deep Impact Sky and Telescope San Francisco Chronicle 11/06/09 Tim Puckett's Award Winning Ambition (AAS Chambliss Award) AAS Honors Distinguished Astronomers with 2012 Prizes

By Puckett Ratledge, David, ed. "The CometWatch Program." The Art and Science of CCD Astronomy. London: Springer-Verlag, 1997. pp. 61–71

References

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Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Puckett Observatory

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Puckett Observatory claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Puckett Observatory before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Puckett Observatory ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Puckett Observatory

In research: Puckett Observatory appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Puckett Observatory in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Puckett Observatory is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical observatories in Georgia (U.S. state), so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Puckett Observatory outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study Puckett Observatory in 20 minutes

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Frequently asked questions

What is Puckett Observatory in simple terms?

Puckett Observatory is a private astronomical observatory located in the state of Georgia. It is owned and operated by Tim Puckett.

Why does Puckett Observatory matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Puckett Observatory?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Puckett Observatory.