*** ONE SMALL STEP FOR AN ASTRONOMY PROFESSOR ... ***
Astronomer Chris Churchill,
whose research focuses on studies of quasar absorption lines, has been awarded tenure
in the NMSU Astronomy Department. Let's hear it for the power of high resolution quasar
spectra!
*** RECENT ASTRONOMY GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS ***
Congratulations to graduate student Chas Miller,
winner of the 2009 Murrell Award
for outstanding research and professional development. We salute Chas for his ground-breaking
research on a variety of solar system topics, including observations of mutual events of Uranian
satellites during the 2007-2008 equinoctial season and significant involvement in the LCROSS
lunar impact mission.
Read more about the research Chas does in the August 2009 NMSU
Research Newsletter.
*** A (NEW) STAR IS BORN ***
Congratulations to our senior graduate student Douglas Hoffman, who successfully defended his PhD thesis
research on Automated Variable Star Classification Using the Northern Sky
Variability Survey in September of 2009! Doug has accepted a
position as a postdoctoral fellow with the NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) in Pasadena,
California. We wish him all the best on his next adventure!
*** ASTRONOMY DEPARTMENT OPEN HOUSE ***
Please join us at the campus observatory at 7:00pm on Friday, November 20, for a
guided tour of the skies above. Professor Nancy Chanover will present a
short astronomical slide show. Sky viewing through telescopes will include
the first quarter Moon,
the planet Jupiter, Alberio (Beta Cignus, a double star system), M57 (the Ring
Nebula), M8 (the Lagoon Nebula), and Globular Cluster M13.
Children are particularly welcome!
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