This registration page is for the online InStAR Astronomy Research Seminar for Summer 2022. 
 
Instructor: Rachel Freed
 
Dates:
June 23 - April 17, 2022.
 
Prerequisites: None.
 
Description: Astrometry, which in its most fundamental form involves finding the positions of celestial objects in the sky, is also one of the fundamental types of astronomical research. Whether it is fast-moving asteroids, newly-discovered supernovae, or planetary moons, determining the positions of objects is a basic need for astronomers. ​In this Seminar, researchers will either directly obtain or receive a small astrometric dataset of one or more binary stars with the goal of measuring the position angle and separation distances between the two stars in each system. The practical goal is to add additional data point(s) to orbital plots of the selected binary star system(s) to assisting in determining whether the stars are gravitationally bound or are only optical double stars. This type of research is a long-term effort that requires decades of observations and Seminar researchers provide valuable input into these efforts. Research teams will also write, revise, and submit a manuscript for publication to a journal such as the Journal of Double Star Observations (JDSO).