PROFILE: Adam is an 11 year science professional formerly from Kitt Peak National Observatory. He was the Lead Observer for all nighttime astronomy public programs and was responsible for their auspicious beginnings as well as subsequent successes. His emphasis is public outreach through observational astronomy. As a public speaker, Adam has developed many entertaining and educational presentations that captivate the public and accommodate all ages and knowledge backgrounds. Early in his career CCD imagery captured his attention and aspirations. Today he is considered one of the top astronomical imagers in the world.
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· Program development · Software development · Optics / Imagery · Process Improvement
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· Optics / Astronomy · Optics / Photography · Graphics development · Scientific and Public Speaker
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Systematically improved CCD image quality through the minimization of telescopic guiding errors and optical aberrations. Developed advanced techniques of image acquisition and image processing. Result: Achieved stellar (FWHM) profiles of 1 arc seconds during extended exposures. This quantifiable and demanding result equals resolutions obtained at large professional telescopes.
Proposed and won the opportunity to build a new public observing program on Mt. Lemmon (just north of Tucson). This facility will be part of the Mount Lemmon Science Center under Steward Observatory and the University of Arizona. This will become a premier venue with greatest ease of accessibility and the largest public telescope in the southwest.
Created, developed and oversaw all fundamental aspects of the Nightly Observing Program (NOP) and Advanced Observing Program (AOP). Established a standard model by which similar public astronomy programs can be constructed. Specially interviewed and trained 10 staff guides while conceiving new program directions and criteria. Accommodated over 50,000 people, garnered over $100,000 in donations and generated profitable revenue for the Visitor Center which saw negative numbers in all previous years to these programs. (http://www.noao.edu/outreach/nop and http://www.noao.edu/outreach/aop).
Expanded the observing programs in 2002 by acquiring a state-of-the-art 20in telescope for the programs.
Presided over and directed the University of Arizona Astronomy Club as an undergraduate in college. Refurbished an existing observatory under the auspices of Steward Observatory and grants from the department of physics. Result: Procured over $2,000 from the above and engineered new structures for the installation of a 16in telescope during the 2 years of my club involvement.
Administered Remote Observing Assistance to the Southeastern Association for Research in Astronomy (SARA). Kept critical telescope and computer systems in working order so that the best science data could be acquired at the observatory. Also monitored the observing conditions and protected the equipment from harm.
Created and programmed a user-friendly gravitational N-body code (orbital program). This simulation was used to improve exhibits at the National Observatory and educate the public about one of many dynamic perspectives in astronomy. Result: Stimulated the public's interest in astronomy by inventing an eye-catching display of the Universe. One of many examples of displays that illustrate the kinematics and dynamism of the universe. Also created a spiral galaxy simulator through cellular analogy.
Tim Ferris’ “Seeing in the Dark” internet telescope
Manger and telescope operator January 2008- present
Mount Lemmon Science Center
Public Observing Programs Coordinator June 2007- present
Astronomical Consultants and Engineering, Tucson, AZ March 2006- present
National Optical Astronomy Observatories, Tucson, AZ. November 1996 to September 2005
Lead Observer/Guide
Developed supporting program materials such as: Software applications, program web pages, computer networking, maintenance and design, instrument testing and maintenance, image processing, professional writing, writing manuals, and product design.
Lead educator and speaker for the nighttime public programs (NOP and AOP) at Kitt Peak national observatory. Direct the work scheduling for assistant guides and oversaw the reservations program for the nightly and all-night public observation programs. These programs are comprised of 80% out-of-state participants and reservations are made 4-6 months in advance, which required working closely with several administrative personnel in the organization. Invited speaker for numerous conferences and professional meetings.
B.S. Astronomy from the University of Arizona. May 1996.
B.S. Physics from the University of Arizona. May 1996
President of the University of Arizona Astronomy Club (1995-1996)
Vice President of the University of Arizona Astronomy Club (1994-1995)
Award: “Undergraduate Teaching AwardE(1994-1996)
President of the University of Arizona Table Tennis Club (1992-1996)
Lead Telescope Operator, Campus Station Observatory (1993-1996)
IBM pc, MAC os, MS Windows, WS Office, Word, Excel, UNIX, C/C++, HTML, Internet, Email
Selected Speaking venues:
2007 November Western Nevada College, Invited Speaker
2007 October Advanced Imaging Conference, San Jose Invited Speaker
2007 September East Coast Conference on Advanced Imaging Invited Speaker
2007 July EPOCH 2007 (conference) Invited Speaker (workshop)
2007 May Riverside Telescope Makers Convention Invited Speaker (workshop)
2007 April North East Advanced Imaging Conference Invited Speaker (workshop and speaker)
2006 November Astronomical Imaging Conference (San Jose) Invited Speaker
2006 October Cincinnati Image Processing Workshop Host
2006 August East Coast Conference on
Astronomical Imaging Invited Speaker
2006 July Let’s Talk Stars with David Levy Invited Speaker (with Miwa)
2006 June Huachuca Astronomy Club Invited Speaker
2006 February Atlanta Astronomy Club Invited Speaker
2006 January Cincinnati Image Processing Workshop Host
2005 November Astronomical Imaging Conference Invited speaker
2003 November Imaging The Sky Conference Invited speaker
2003 July Let’s Talk Stars with David Levy Invited speaker
2002 November Let’s Talk Stars with David Levy Invited speaker
2000 August Oregon Star Party Keynote speaker
1997 July Astronomical League Convention Keynote speaker
Images Published in Books:
Robert Gendler A Year in the Life of the Universe Voyager Press page 132 M7
Sun Kwok Cosmic Butterflies Cambridge Press pages 2,3 M57, M27
David DeVorkin Beyond Earth National Geographic page 189 NGC 891
Michael Bakich Encyclopedia of Amateur Astronomy Cambridge pages 12,13,117,130,132,219,257
261,262,272,275,276,277,280,281,283
284,285,286
Stephen O’Meara The Caldwell Objects Cambridge Press page 89 NGC 4449
William Waller Galaxies and the Cosmic Frontier Harvard Press pages 6, plates 2,3
Jane Peddicord Night Wonders CharlesBridge page 19
Bruce Marcot Owls in Mythology and Culture Key Porter an image of the “Owl NebulaEp. 92
Sarah Hannah Longing Distance Tupelo Press cover of a Poetry book
Images Published in Commercial Products:
2008 Weather Calendar Lightning
National Optical Astronomy Observatory Postcards Lightning and M51 (Whirlpool Galaxy)
National Optical Astronomy Observatory Observing Log Assorted images
The Year in Space 2003 Desk Calendar M104
2002 WeatherGuide Calendar of Phenomenal Weather Events Lightning image for the month of April
Articles Written by Me
“Get the Most from you CCD Images” Astronomy Magazine February 2007 pages 78-81
Columnist Tucson Citizen Living Section 2001-2003 (around 12 articles)
“Observing Like a ProEspan style='mso-tab-count:2'> Astronomy Magazine 2000 October pages 80-86
Numerous On-line texts (captions and articles) at http://www.noao.edu/outreach/nop and
http://www.noao.edu/outreach/aop
Articles Written about Me/My work
Arizona Highways 2004 May “Stargazing at Kitt Peak: the Ultimate Weekend for
Amateur AstronomersE Includes images pages 46 and 47
Ciel & Espace 2004 April Photographiez Le Ciel Includes images pages 50-55
Sky&Tel 2003 Oct “A Peak Experience” by David Levy pages 81 and 82
Space.com 2002 March 5th Amateur Nights, Professional Photos
Astronomie 2002 March “Arizona les astronomes au paradis” pages 11-18
“Advanced Adventures at Kitt Peak Mercury Magazine 2001 July/August pages 32-39
“Advanced Observing Program at Kitt Peak High Altitude Observer 2001 June pages 10-14
“Heavenly ViewEspan style='mso-tab-count:1'> The Tucson Citizen 2001 Dec. 20th Section E.
“Take a PeekEspan style='mso-tab-count:2'> The Arizona Republic 1998 December 5th Life Section
Images Published on well known websites:
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2007 June 15th Messier 96
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2007 April 12th Cone Nebula Neighborhood
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2006 December 28th Moon over Andromeda
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2006 October 31st Sh2-136: A Spooky Nebula
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2006 August 31st Extra Galaxies
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2006 April 3rd Stars and Dust Across Corona Australis
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2006 March 11th Colors of Comet Pojmanski
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2005 May 24th Swirls and Stars in IC 4678
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2005 April 6th M7 Open Star Cluster in Scorpius
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2005 March 21st Orion’s Horse Head Nebula
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2004 December 13th Announcing Comet Machholz
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2004 November 27th NGC 2683: Spiral Edge-on
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2004 September 21st M24: A Sagittarius Starscape
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2004 June 29th In the Center of NGC 6559
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2004 June 2nd The Colorful Clouds of Rho Ophiuchi
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2004 April 22nd Comet C/2002 T7
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2004 April 9th NGC 4565: Galaxy on Edge
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2004 February 19th McNeil’s Nebula
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2004 January 23rd NGC 4631: The Whale Galaxy
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2003 September 1st A Beautiful Trifid
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2003 June 17th The Bubble Nebula
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2003 June 14th The Planetary Nebula Show (repeat)
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2003 April 17th M106 in Canes Venatici
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2002 December 5th NGC 2359: Thor’s Helmut
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2002 July 30th A Star Cluster in Motion
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2002 March 29th NGC 4631: The Whale Galaxy
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2001 December 27th The Incredible Expanding Crab
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2001 October 3rd The Planetary Nebula Show
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2001 April 27th VisitorsEGalaxy Gallery
Astronomy Picture of the Day 2000 July 17th Lightning on Earth
Space.com 2007 December 24th I’ll have a blue (snowball) Christmas
Space.com 2007 December 3rd The Race is on (NGC 488)
Space.com 2007 August 8th NGC 1931
Space.com 2007 June 19th Hold me in your Spiral Arms (M96)
Space.com 2007 April 6th Closing in on the Cone
Space.com 2007 January 8th Nebulous Catch (VdB14/15)
Space.com 2006 December 4th Galactic Neighbor (M31)
Space.com 2006 November 2nd Stellar Sisters
Space.com 2005 May 2nd Spherical Dumbbell (M27)
Space.com 2005 March 22nd Wispy Orion (M42)
Space.com 2004 October 22nd Reflections of Orion (NGC 1977)
Space.com 2004 October 13th Strange Solar Eclipse
Space.com 2004 September 15th That Natal Glow (NGC 7380)
Space.com 2004 August 24th Partly Cloudy Cosmically Speaking (M24)
Space.com 2004 June 15th The Cocoon Nebula
Space.com 2004 May 31st The Red Lagoon (M8)
Space.com 2004 May 19th Huddled Masses (M13)
Space.com 2004 March 31st The Sombrero Galaxy (M104)
Space.com 2004 March 3rd The Cone Nebula
Space.com 2004 February 23rd Amateur Finds New Nebula with Small Telescope
Space.com 2003 December 23rd Making Us Look Small (NGC 1300)
Space.com 2003, October 1st M77, A Classic
Space.com 2003 July 25th Shadow Dancing (VdB 142)
Space.com 2003 May 22nd The Black Eye Galaxy (M64)
Space.com 2003 April 29th A Star Gathering Called M5
Space.com 2002 March 5th Amateur Nights, Professional Photos
Science.nasa.gov 2000, December 17th Learning From Lightning
Spacetelescope.org 2001, January NGC 2903
Images Published in Magazines
Astronomy Magazine Publications
2006 February Astronomy Mag VdB 93 Gallery
2006 January Astronomy Mag NGC 891 Gallery
2005 May Astronomy Mag. NGC 3521 Gallery
2005 April Astronomy Mag. M77 Gallery
2005 March Astronomy Mag NGC 4935 Gallery (full page)
2005 February Astronomy Mag 9 PN images “See a Star Die”
2005 Explore the Universe Integral Sign Galaxy (UGC 3697)
2004 Explore the Universe M5, Thor’s Helmut, NGC 4631
2004 Dec Astronomy Mag. NGC 3628 Gallery (full page)
2004 Oct. Astronomy Mag. 8 Caldwell images “The Caldwell CatalogueEo:p>
2004 Oct Astronomy Mag. 6 more images Gallery
2004 Aug Astronomy Mag. Comet LINEAR Gallery (full page)
2004 July Astronomy Mag. NGC 908 Gallery (full page)
2004 June Astronomy Mag. M66 Gallery (lead image full page)
2004 May Astronomy Mag. McNeil’s Nebula Gallery (lead image full page)
2004 Feb Astronomy Mag. NGC 4654 Gallery
2004 Jan Astronomy Mag NGC 4568, NGC 6537, NGC 6781
2003 Nov Astronomy Mag M3 Gallery
2002 Explore the Universe M51 Gallery (full page)
Sky and Telescope Publications:
2006 March S&T AIC Report (page
2005 Beautiful Universe M1 page 78 (full page)
2005 April S&T Gallery
2005 Jan S&T NGC 6559 Gallery (full page)
2005 Jan/Feb Night Sky M42 in article
2004 Dec S&T M64 Gallery
2004 Nov S&T Gallery
2004 Sep S&T M94,M95 in article
2004 Jun S&T McNeil Nebula in article p. 116
NGC 5529 in article p. 86
2004 Apr S&T Abell 43 Gallery
2004 Jan S&T NGC 2419 in article p. 121
2003 Aug S&T NGC 6818 in article p. 97
2003 Jul S&T NGC 6543, NGC 6503 in article p. 89
2003 Jun S&T NGC 3190 Gallery
2003 Mar S&T NGC 2392 in article p. 96
2003 Feb S&T NGC 2146 Gallery
M79 in article p. 105
2002 Sep S&T NGC 6946 Gallery
NGC 6905 in article p. 101
2002 Aug S&T NGC 6946 in article p. 124
2002 Jul S&T M104 Gallery
2002 Apr S&T M95, M96 in article p. 88
M1 SBIG Ad p. 13
2002 Mar S&T M76 in article p. 109
2002 Feb S&T M1 in article p. 88
2001 Dec S&T NGC 7009 Gallery
2001 Jul S&T M92 in article p. 115
Astronomie 2003 Jan NGC 1535, NGC 1300 in article p. 55
Astronomie 2002 Mar NGC 4038 in article p.61
Coelum 2004 Mar NGC 6207 in article p. 17
McNeil Neb in article p. 32
Polaris: Casopis akademskog astonomskog drustva rijeka
2004 Dec NGC 2683 cover of Croat magazine!
Images in Software Programs
Special Appearances
Live Feed (Many Media Outlets) for July 4th, 2005 Deep Impact
The Today Show 2003 Mars Opposition with David Levy
American Museum of Natural History Astrophysics Exhibit (Jan 2002) NGC 5713
Local Television Stations (interviews and images)