lots happening

[Ashish Mahabal]

Hi Rob,

"Classification"
(though one can say it lurks in some of the subtopics).
Anyway, the SN classification challenge is here.

-ashish

#####################
Hi all,
   the SN photometric classification challenge is ready.
   Details are given at

       http://arxiv.org/abs/1001.5210
   or
      http://www.hep.anl.gov/SNchallenge/

   When you go to the SNchallenge link, note that there
   is also an  "Amateur SN Challenge Quiz".

   Enjoy,
   Rick, Alex, Saurabh, Steve
#####################

On Wed, 27 Jan 2010, Rob Seaman wrote:

> Howdy,
>
> With the new year under way, it seems time to discuss a number of ongoing 
> initiatives:
>
> 	1) Hotwired book - the editors have distributed a number of writing 
> assignments with a deadline of Valentine's Day.  We plan to have boxes of 
> these to hand out like candy at meetings starting with SPIE this summer.
>
> 	2) SPIE - thanks to all who submitted abstracts.  The initial program 
> for conf. AS107 has been submitted and looks excellent.  Pending any changes 
> from above, there will be a solid block of time domain talks all day on 
> Thursday 1 July, spilling over to the morning of the 2nd.  The final schedule 
> comes out in April.
>
> 	3) The U.S. National Observatory (ie, "your observatory") is turning 
> 50!  We are holding two workshops in March, celebrating a stellar past and 
> anticipating an even greater future.  The "future" workshop is "The Eventful 
> Universe" (http://www.noao.edu/meetings/eventful-universe), focusing 
> explicitly on time domain astronomy.  Several friends of VOEvent are on the 
> SOC or giving invited talks.  One day of the workshop will consist of 
> break-out sessions on several topics - I plan to chair one on VOEvent.
>
> 	This will be the one meeting this year that will explicitly look at 
> far future trends guiding the science and technology of time domain 
> astronomy.  Your participation will make it even better.  One favor: between 
> delayed VAO funding and a likely freeze on federal facilities, our 
> accountants are fretful.  Please click through to http://bit.ly/9V5Eb7 right 
> now to indicate even a smidgeon of desire/intent to attend.  The form is not 
> directly tied to payment and abstracts can follow later (although titles are 
> nice).  I believe there are registration waivers available for students.
>
> 	4) Time series - we are pressing forward on v2.0 with the intent of 
> reaching an IVOA recommendation at the Victoria InterOp in May.  Time series 
> are hot - see the many incredible Kepler papers.
>
> 	This is the time, we are the people.  (Read Henry V act VI scene III 
> if you need more of a pep talk.)
>
> 	5) VAO Facility for Rapid Transients?  VAO is ramping up in 
> anticipation of funding.  Science priorities will be set.  We need to make 
> the case frequently and fiercely that "real time astronomy" is part of the 
> mix.
>
> 	6) Boston ADASS tutorial?  Proposals for a ADASS Sunday tutorial will 
> be accepted in the next month or so.  Boston is a good place to consider 
> hosting a VOEvent session, if only due to the presence of the CBAT/MPC.  The 
> Sky/WWT tutorial was very successful in Quebec.  We can do as well or better. 
> Ideas for the program?
>
> 	7) Infrastructure.  Excellent work was contributed last year on a 
> variety of issues related to deployable VOEvent-aware software, including a 
> broker from Bob Denny and an iPhone app from the LSST folks.  Deployable is 
> not the same as deployed.
>
> 	Let's make 2010 a year of planting and growing our infrastructure.
>
> Rob
>
> PS - speak up if I omitted your favorite topic!
>

-ashish

Ashish Mahabal, Caltech Astronomy, Pasadena, CA 91125
http://www.astro.caltech.edu/~aam aam at astro.caltech.edu

What if this weren't a hypothetical question?