SPECIAL SESSION 8: Amateur and professional astronomers in Europe: how pro-am cooperation is changing astronomy

Many amateur astronomers, after being involved with observing for a number of years, want to do something more. They would like to make a meaningful contribution to astronomy, either through public outreach, informal education, or research. The International Year of Astronomy 2009 has been the ultimate proof that such cooperation are possible, desirable and generate highly valuable outcomes. On the research side, astronomy is one of the few sciences where amateurs can contribute to leading-edge knowledge. This is made possible by the availability of affordable, advanced equipment, especially CCD cameras and spectroscopes.

During this symposium we will explore the current status of professional and amateur cooperation in astronomy and explore the possible future plans for a common platform to foster or even strengthen cooperation.

SOC:

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Programme

0900-1030
   
0900
Pedro Russo
 The pro-am cooperation in the framework of the International Year of
Astronomy

0915
Pedro Ré
Pro-am Collaborations

0930
Jose Ribeiro
Amateur Astrophysics

0945
Jean-Luc Dighaye
EurAstro pro-am activities

1000
Vadim Burwitz
High resolution spectrographs in amateur spectroscopy

1015
David Martinez-Delgado
Searching For Stellar Tidal Streams in Nearby Spiral Galaxies: A Pro-Am Collaboration

                        
1430-1600

1430
Michael Risch
Contemporary Observatory Techniques for Amateurs, Schools and Universities

1445
Gernot Meiser
The World at Night -- IYA2009 Special Project

1500
Anita Heward
Europlanet Joint-Research Activities: Empowering the amateur community

1515
P. Ailleris
Unravelling the sky's mysteries and isolating its anomalies: the Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena Observations Reporting Scheme

1530
Lamy H.
BRAMS, the Belgian RAdio Meteor Stations: a collaboration between professionals and radioamateurs

1545
Vitor Bonifácio
A new breed of 19th century amateur astronomers

1630-1800

1630
FORUM