By Paul Breitenstein

In Cooperation with the Planetarium Münster, teachers from Pascal-Gymnasium, Ratsgymnasium Münster and Nepomucenum Coesfeld took part in the first online-training (“Astronomy 2.0”). This was held “online” not only because of the Coronavirus, but also because this is a normal way of working in modern scientific work – this is the era of Astronomy 2.0!

In two conference sessions of 2.5 hours each, the teachers learnt how to work with students using the 23 LCO research telescopes accessible through the Faulkes Telescope Project, and how to evaluate astronomical images created.

Optionally, the teachers had the opportunity to control the 2-meter Faulkes Telescope South in Siding Spring, Australia, and Faulkes Telescope North, Hawaii, directly in special sessions (using the remote control mode).

First remote session (Wed, May 13, 2020 / 8:15-8:45 UT)

Real Time Interface with the 2m Faulkes Telescope South (FTS): observations of the galaxies NGC 2997 and NGC 5128 were obtained with different colour filters (RGB, each 120s). Michael Weiermann from Nepomucenum Coesfeld made several colour images, including this one of NGC 5128:

Second remote session (Thu, May 14, 2020 / 8:15-8:45 UT)

Real Time Interface of the 2m Faulkes Telescope South (FTS): this time, the task was to capture the comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) and the Ghost of Jupiter (NGC 3242) in colour. The exposure times had to be adjusted. One result was the following picture of NGC 3242 (RGB 1s each):

First Part of the workshop for teachers (Fri, May 15, 2020)

Program:

• Introduction of participants
• Explanations of the function of the virtual conference room
• Presentation of the working environment of the LCO telescopes
• Creating own work orders for the LCO telescopes; targets: M9 ; M13 ; M27 ; M57 ;
• NGC3242 ; C/2017 T2 (PanSTARRS)
• Homework
• Further planning

Second part of the workshop for teachers (Tue, May 19, 2020)

Program:

• Asteroid hunt (remote session, if possible)
• Download of fit-packages from LCO sience archiv
• Unpack LCO archive files
• Download and install the Astrometrica software
• Creation of MPC reports with Astrometrica
• Results
• Homework
• Further planning

Some of the observations (this time using FTN) in this session were used to confirm that newly discovered asteroid NEO 2020 KN1 was an Amor type:

Images obtained 2020 05 19 ; 14:16:31 – 14:28:55 UT
4 images, each stacked, 4 x 15s

A day later, the discovery and confirmations were accepted by the Minor Plant Center with the following Minor Planet Electronic Circular being issued:

2020 KN1 = C2TAZN2 (May 20.19 UT) [see MPEC 2020-K80]
Orbit type: Amor||Near-Earth Object [ Animation ]
Telescope: F65 – Haleakala-Faulkes Telescope North
Name: 2020 KN1

Observers: M. Weiermann, N. Reinhard, T. Sieger, L. Broering, P. Breitenstein.
Measurers: M. Weiermann, L. Broering, P. Breitenstein.