Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science (PJAS): Astronomy Project Page

Professor Kevin Luhman (kluhman @ astro.psu.edu) is administering the program. He and Chris Palma (cpalma @ astro.psu.edu) are available to answer questions by email. If you wish to begin research in astronomy that is more advanced than desribed here (e.g., at the level of a college student), please see this page

Frequently asked questions

Ideas of possible PJAS astronomy projects:

• example projects
• winning projects from The National Young Astronomer Award

Previous PJAS astronomy projects:

• 2008 - PJAS state meeting astronomy projects
• 2005 - PJAS state meeting astronomy projects
• 2004 - PJAS state meeting astronomy projects
• 2003 - PJAS state meeting astronomy projects
• 2002 - PJAS state meeting astronomy projects
• 2001 - PJAS state meeting astronomy projects
• 2000 - PJAS state meeting astronomy projects

Previous PJAS astronomy award winners:

• 2008 - PJAS state meeting astronomy award winners (with project information)
• 2008 - photo of winners (Wesley Strickland, Robyn Smith, Nicole Melso)
• 2007 - PJAS state meeting astronomy award winners (with project information)
• 2007 - Pittsburgh Gazette article about the junior high school winner (Danielle Kumpf)
• 2007 - photo of high school winner (Thomas Pazamickas)
• 2005 - PJAS state meeting astronomy award winners (with project information)
• 2005 - Three of the PJAS state meeting astronomy award winners (Corinne Bishop, Thomas Pazamickas, David Riddell)
• 2004 - PJAS state meeting astronomy award winners (with project information)
• 2004 - Three of the PJAS state meeting astronomy award winners (Kristen Brotherson, Katie Pazamickas, Andrea Appel)
• 2004 - Katie Pazamickas, PJAS state meeting astronomy award winner, analyzing satellite data
• 2003 - PJAS state meeting astronomy award winners (with project information)
• 2003 - Three of the PJAS state meeting astronomy award winners (Emily Southerton, Dan Weber, Jayme Detweiler)
• 2003 - Jayme Detweiler, PJAS state meeting astronomy award winner (with sponsor Patricia Neel)
• 2003 - Katie Pazamickas, PJAS state meeting astronomy award winner, entering satellite data and formulae into Microsoft Excel
• 2003 - Emily Southerton, PJAS state meeting astronomy award winner
• 2003 - Dan Weber, PJAS state meeting astronomy award winner (with sponsor Charles Rodkey)
• 2002 - PJAS state meeting astronomy award winners (with project information)
• 2002 - PJAS winner plaques for junior high school
• 2002 - PJAS winner plaques for high school
• 2002 - Two of the PJAS state meeting astronomy award winners (Eric Durback and Vlad Grigorescu)
• 2002 - Lindsay DeCarlo, PJAS state meeting astronomy award winner, with her lunar cratering project
• 2002 - Eric Durback, PJAS state meeting astronomy award winner, with his telescope
• 2001 - PJAS state meeting astronomy award winners (with project information)
• 2001 - PJAS winner plaques for junior high school
• 2001 - PJAS winner plaques for high school

Pennsylvania amateur astronomy clubs (if you know of others please send the WWW addresses):

• Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
• Astronomical Society of Harrisburg, Harrisburg, PA
• Berks County Amateur Astronomical Society, Reading, PA
• Central Pennsylvania Observers
• Chesmont Astronomical Society, Philadelphia, PA
• Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers, Philadelphia, PA
• Greater Hazleton Area Astronomical Society, Hazleton, PA
• Lackawanna Astronomical Society, Clarks Summit, PA
• Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomical Society, Allentown, PA
• Susquehanna Valley Amateur Astronomers, Lewisburg, PA
• York County Astronomical Society, York, PA

Other amateur astronomy support organizations:

• The American Association of Amateur Astronomers
• The AstroAlert News Service - Very Useful!
• CBA: Center for Backyard Astrophysics
• AAVSO: American Association of Variable Star Observers
• VSNET: Variable Star Network
• IOTA: The International Occultation Timing Association
• International Small Telescope Cooperative

Robotic telescopes that you may be able to use for PJAS projects:

• Automated telescope list
• Iowa Robotic Telescope Facilities
• Bradford Robotic Telescope

Articles about successful PJAS and related projects (not all astronomy):

• Statistical analysis in the PJAS using Minitab (PDF format; from the Minitab newsletter)
• JoHanna Przybylowski, a former PJAS astronomy participant, is a National Young Astronomer Award winner!

Students with excellent PJAS astronomy projects should also investigate:

• The National Young Astronomer Award
• The Intel Science Talent Search
• The Siemens Westinghouse Science and Technology Competition
• The Pennsylvania Academy of Science awards

Pennsylvania teachers with an interest in astronomy should investigate:

• The Penn State Inservice Workshops in Astronomy (PSIWA)
• The National Science Education Standards

The PJAS astronomy outreach program is currently funded by the National Science Foundation through a CAREER award to Professor Kevin Luhman. Previously, it was funded from 2001-2005 by an NSF CAREER award to Prof. Niel Brandt.