iya 2009 homepage

A "IYA 2009" FRIENDLY OBSERVING CHALLENGE ACTIVITY
STARTING IN SEPTEMBER 2008
AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE YEAR 2009
(Your opportunity to win $1000+ U.S.D. for just observing!)

Welcome! to Palominas Starhaven Observatory and amateur astronomer Doug Snyder's web pages celebrating the world's recognition of IYA2009. (Doug's alternate email is: starhaven@palominas.com ) WAIT, you say, ITS ONLY 2008. Here's the good part - the year 2009 is the 400th anniversary of the invention of the TELESCOPE (at least here on Earth) and astronomy organizations and associations all around our world want to help make this year-long-plus occasion memorable, so let us start a little early! After all, THE UNIVERSE IS YOURS TO EXPLORE AND DISCOVER AS WELL AS SHARE and if we just sit around and waste our opportunities, then shame on us!
PLEASE attend an astronomy event near you at every opportunity or host one or more of your own.....
PUBLIC ASTRONOMY OUTREACH MAKES THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE - EVERY TIME, AND ALL THE TIME!

NOW, please consider participating in my 'OBSERVING I' challenge and please review the contents of my Astronomy Outreach Resources Kit. Your comments, suggestions and questions are always welcome! Feel free to email me, but no spam email please!

Don't Get Caught
Without Wearing Your
free Infinity Lapel Pin!

Actual Pin looks better than this photo!

To Link to the Official 'IYA2009' Website, click on the image to the left! We appreciate your participation and remember that the Universe Is Yours To Discover!!

From the U.S. IYA2009 Site:
The main U.S. GOAL for IYA 2009 is “To offer an engaging astronomy experience to every person in the country, nurture existing partnerships and build new connections to sustain public interest.”

In the year 2009, the world will celebrate the International Year of Astronomy as it commemorates the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s use of a telescope to study the skies, and Kepler’s publication of Astronomia Nova. 2009 is also the anniversary of many other historic events in science, including Huygen’s 1659 publication of Systema Saturnium.

From the NASA IYA2009 Site:
NASA invites YOU to join us in the celebration of IYA 2009. This website will be your portal to exciting NASA resources, events, and opportunities for involvement as we develop our program of regional and national IYA activities for students, teachers, and the public.

OUTREACH RESOURCE KIT
CONTENTS & INFORMATION

In addition to the INFINITY Challenge, there will be at least three other astronomy challenges introduced in the months ahead: (1) A Challenge For YOUNGSTERS 16 Yrs and Under;
(2) COMBATING LIGHT POLLUTION; (3) WHY ASTRONOMY OUTREACH?

2009
INTERNATIONAL YEAR of ASTRONOMY

This observatory (Palominas Starhaven Observatory) is offering, at NO COST to those who accept this challenge,, a ONE-OF-A-KIND ' I Observed Infinity' cosmic astronomy metal lapel pin and printed certificate to help commemorate IYA2009.

This challenge, open to amateur astronomers only, is to observe and document 1 or more optical wavelength astronomical objects that are at 1.3 Billion (Bn) light years OR more approximated distance from Earth, and to convince the judging committee that the observations did indeed take place. Entries can be submitted from film or digital photographs, CCD images, visual observation, artwork, DVD video, or other realistic mediums. Each valid entry that is submitted will be rewarded with an Infinity pin and a registered certificate. Please, only one entry per challenge applicant. Each entry MUST include an object designation that matches an astronomical object with a suspected, or known, redshift value greater than 0.10000. A recommended website for determining this fact is named NED (NASA Extragalactic Database) . It is strongly urged that all observing sessions or events associated with this challenge be conducted as a Astronomical Outreach Gathering among Public, Friends or Family (large or small).

To read a recent document about the estimated age of the Universe, visit this link:
http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/universe/uni_age.html

Quantities are limited and for postal purposes, only U.S.A. mailing addresses are eligible.
You do not have to be a resident of the U.S.A., but your mailing address does.
The actual major length of the pin is 1.25 in. (3.2 cm) and this is how it looks (shown below).
	If you would like more information regarding the challenge, please email me and we'll work the details out! The name of my outreach astronomical observatory is Palominas Starhaven Observatory and it is indeed a place of 'cosmic astronomy' where Infinity awaits all who visit there. doug.snyder@astronomyyear2009.com

More Information if you so desire:
Cosmic Greetings! - My name is Doug Snyder. I own and operate a southern Arizona observatory
named Palominas Starhaven Observatory. I am a passionate amateur astronomer and am the co-discoverer of Comet Snyder/Murakami (C/2002E2). A main belt asteroid has been named in my honor (for successful anti-light pollution efforts) and I am very proud of that! This asteroid is designated (15512) Snyder. I also belong to a local astronomy club of which I served as President for several years. I am also a contributor to NASA's Night Sky Network through my astronomy club in Arizona, and the club is also a participating organization of the Astronomical League. I am also very proud to be a member of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and IOTA , as well as the IDA.

A 'just' award is $1,000.00+ (USD) to the observer winning the challenge. No purchase from this website or observatory is necessary and the deadline for entries is 30 OCTOBER, 2009.
The challenge starts on 1 JULY, 2008 (07/01/2008) and, for each of the months of September through December, 2008, there is an additional $100 added to the award prize. Each entry is valid only if they are distinctly independent astronomical objects. There are no age limitations for this challenge.
Why 1.3Bn l.y. distance, you ask? That is based upon approximately 10% of the age of the Universe, as estimated by many professional astronomical entities. Can we measure infinity? I think not., but where does your -infinity- begin? Did you know that just 1 light-year equals ~5,900,000,000,000 miles (that's 5.9 trillion) or ~9,500,000,000,000 kilometers! Have you ever read the book "One...Two... Three...Infinity" by George Gamow. (first published in 1947) Such an inspiring work to many.

Okay, you ask.....what objects can be observed from here on Earth by amateur astronomers that are estimated to be at about 1.3 Billion light years away (or more). That distance approximately corresponds to a redshift value of 0.1 . "The edge of the visible universe is at redshift infinity." And it is reported that the most distant Quasar has a redshift of 6.4. Most recently, GRB's as far away as 7.5 Billion light-years have been detected and observed (a 'z' of 0.94). [GRB 080319B].
See this site: http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/redshift.html

Okay, here is a short list that I am currently compiling as the year of 2009 draws nearer:

Quasar 3C 273 in the constellation of Virgo. This quasar is between 2 and 3 Billion l.y.'s away.
It's 'z' value (redshift) is 0.158
Quasar 3C 295 in the constellation of Bootes; the 'z' value is 0.461
.
There are more than 10 additional Quasar's that have a magnitude of 15.0 or brighter.

Some of the members of the Galaxy cluster Abell2065 in the constellation of Corona Borealis; this cluster is about 1.5 Billion l.y.'s. distant.
(See http://www.saguaroastro.org/content/Abel-Galaxy-Clusters.htm )

Certain GRB's that become optically visible for a time (Gamma Ray Bursts - see above)

I am quite sure there are many other objects between the boundaries of 1.3Bn and 13.7Bn l.y.'s, but can amateur astronomers observe and document them? I think so.....I'll be trying also. Good Luck!

For many other deep-space challenges , visit this great web site. However, note that not all objects qualify for being at 1.3 Billion l. y. away or more.