Principal Astronomer: Mike Seeds

Science Mission:

The Phoenix 10 is managed by a Principal Astronomer (PA), Mike Seeds, at Franklin and Marshall College. The PA manages the list of stars which the telescope observes, deals with astronomers requesting observations, monitors telescope operation and accuracy, reduces data, and distributes it to observers around the world. Users pay a small fee for their data, and the income goes to the Fairborn Observatory The Phoenix 10 observes in the Johnson UBV system using a diaphragm 60 arc sec in diameter and integrations of 10 seconds. It can locate and observe stars as faint as 8th magnitude between declination limits -10 and +75. Stars are observed in groups of three. A group consists of the varible star and a comparison star no more than 1 degree away and of roughly the same magnitude and color. A check star no more than 3 degress from the variable is also observed. Users are responsible for selecting appropriate comparison and check stars. A single group observation consists of a variable minus comparison and a check minus comparison magnitude difference in the UBV filter bands. A successful group observation is any observation that includes a varible minus comparison magnitude difference in the V band, and users pay $2.00 for each such group observation. The telescope typically observes a group once a night during the season when it culminates at midnight, and the total cost to observe a group, although it varies significantly depending on the nature and location of the group, is about $150.

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