2005 National Young Astronomer Award Results
The Astronomical League is pleased to announce the winners of the 2005 National Young Astronomer Award program. Thousands of high school students from across the United States were eligible to compete for the 2005 award, and this year’s submissions were of extraordinarily high quality.
The applications were submitted to a panel of national judges, all noted astronomers.
This year’s judges were Dr. David Hans Hough, professor at TrinityUniversity, Dr. David L. Lambert, from the University of Texas and Dr. Robert Stencel, professor at the University of Denver. In addition to other prizes, all finalists won complimentary memberships in the International Dark-Sky Association.
From research projects dealing with a variety of astronomy topics to the building of telescopes, mounts and accessories, there are many areas to choose from for an NYAA submission. We encourage young astronomers to avail themselves of this opportunity. For more information about entering the 2006 NYAA awards program, pleasecontact Mr. Carroll Iorg, A.L. Awards Coordinator, at (phone: 816-444-4878). Information is also available on the League’s website
Our 2005 NYAA winners are:
Christopher Limbach 1st place
Christopher is a senior at MarquetteUniversityHigh School, Milwaukee, WI. He has won an all-expenses paid trip to ALConExpo 2005, the Astronomical League’s annual convention, which will be held this summer in Kansas City. In addition, Meade Instruments Corp. has graciously donated one of their fine LX-200 telescopes, valued at over $3,000 to the first place winner. Also McDonald’s Observatory has donated life-time passes to the 1st and 2nd place NYAA winners. And finally, all NYAA winners will receive a complimentary membership in the International Dark Sky Association. A League plaque will be presented to Christopher at the Saturday night banquet at AlconExpo 2005.
Christopher became interested in astronomy at age 8. He has promoted astronomy in a variety of ways at his high school. While serving as science club president at his high school, he was most active in alerting the student body to important astronomical events such as the Venus transit, Leonid and Geminid meteor showers, lunar eclipses and the appearance of the comet Macholz in various ways including his column in the school newspapers titled “Astronomer’s Notebook.”
Christopher operates his own Cosmos Observatory, named after Carl Sagan’s famous book and Chris’s family dog. After completion of his observatory, he began to conduct asteroid light curve work. Since this was quite difficult and the local skies were not suited for all-sky photometry, he turned his attention to eclipsing binary stars. The primary research paper Christopher submitted for the NYAA packet “Light Curve Analysis of Eclipsing Binary Star EP Aurigae” details his study of the eclipsing binary star EP Aurigae. Inclination, mass ratio and the stars’ radii relative were determined.
In an accompanying paper entitled “An Approximate Method for Modeling Non-Contact Eclipsing Binary Stars and an Analysis of its Accuracy”,Christopher investigates an alternative, although approximate means of modeling a binary star system with photometric data only. To quote from his paper, “By using current stellar models, the B-V magnitude can be used to estimate the temperature, luminosity, mass and radius of the primary star. This greatly restricts the number and range of variables drastically changed during modeling. In order to determine the accuracy of this method of inclination, mass ratio and relative stellar radii, 10 detached eclipsing binary systems with traditionally derived parameters were analyzed using the method under investigation. The resulting models were then compared back with the accepted values.”
The conclusions of his study indicate that “System modeling using the methods investigated yields accurate inclinations, but less accurate mass ratios, relative radii and temperature. This may be improved through better conversions between temperature and mass, radii and luminosity. Furthermore, error may be reduced through use of software that models more complex phenomena such as limb darkening. Although the results of this investigation cast doubt on the modeling method proposed, the idea may still hold promise, and further improvements on the technique may yield acceptably accurate models of eclipsing binary systems.”
He also submitted another paper entitled “The Next Amateur Revolution: Making Larger Aperture CCD Imaging More Affordable” with his NYAA application. Christopher has participated in two astronomy clubs, the Milwaukee Astronomical Society and the Northern Cross Science Foundation.
More information regarding his experience with his observatory, including its custom focus motor, dew shield and scripted control software can be found on his observatory’s website at
Kevin Iott-2nd place
Kevin Iott, our 2nd place NYAA winner will also receive an all-expenses paid trip to ALConExpo 2005. In addition, he will receive a Meade ETX 125 telescope with computer controls and field tripod valued at more than $1,000, compliments of Meade Instruments. A plaque recognizing this achievement will also be presented to Kevin at the 2005 convention.
Kevin received his first telescope, an 80mm refractor, as a Christmas present when he was 10. His interest waned after a short period of time, but later that year he went to an astronomy camp near his home, and his interest in astronomy was rekindled in a big way. Observing from a completely wooded area, shielded from city lights, he did some experimental work with CCD imaging. He was able to track down many nebulae and planets at the astronomy camp, with the most exciting attraction being his first view of the planet Saturn through the telescope.
His astronomical interests expanded in succeeding summers at astronomy camp. While working at a local science store, he became the resident telescope expert, handling all of the telescope orders and questions. In addition, he handled the public outreach the store did with its own star parties.
During his junior year in high school, he enrolled in a machining course. During the year, he designed and built a prototype of his own original telescope mount. He entered this in the Michigan Industrial Technological Education Society, winning first place in both the designing and machining categories. When Kevin met mirror-maker John Zeigler, he was offered the opportunity to design and build a mirror grinding machine for Mr. Zeigler’s facility. Kevin finished the project on time and under budget. To quote Mr. Ziegler, “I measured some of the critical components and found the features centered with an accuracy better than one-thousandths of an inch. Considering the nature of these features, this was not an easy accomplishment.”
One of the major highlights of Kevin’s involvement in astronomycame when he displayed his new telescope mount at Stellafane. He met many experienced and famous amateur astronomers, and his mount won first place in its category, and he was awarded an excellent collection of premium eyepieces.
Kevin’s goal is a career in the field of astronomy, either designing or building telescopes and mounts. Recently he has been working with the 2004 NYAA winner, John Davis, with the development and building of telescope mounts.
Benjamin Jones-3rd place
Benjamin is a junior at O’Connor High School in Helotes, TX. He received his first telescope one Christmas when he was seven years old, a gift from his grandmother. He is an avid observer, having earned many Astronomical League awards including the Messier certificate, Lunar Observing Program, Double Star Observing Program, Meteor Observing Program, Silver Caldwell Observing program and one of the newest awards, the Globular Observing program. He is over half way done with the Herschel 400 list. All of these awards were earned using his eight-inch Dobsonian telescope.
His favorite objects are galaxies and galaxy clusters. For the past several years, he has attended the Texas Star Party, viewing all of the objects on the star party’s observing lists.
Along with his extensive activity in the various facets of amateur astronomy, he currently serves as president of the astronomy club he founded at his high school. The club has done much astronomy education at the school through Benjamin’s many presentations about the various astronomical events. In addition, he designed several observing programs for the club, taught students how to observe through the telescopes and set up star parties for them at the school. He has also received several awards from his participation in his high school band. Benjamin also volunteers during the summers at George Observatory, including its ChallengerLearningCenter.
He has been actively involved in projects to curtail light pollution and researched a project entitled “Light Pollution: A Quantitative Analysis, The Death of the Night Sky.” He is a member of the IDA, and has been most active in his own town as well as in the city of San Antonio dealing with the various governmental agencies to try to help foster better lighting. Currently, he is chairman of the committee in his home town of Helotes, TX that is drafting a new outdoor lighting ordinance for the city.
His career goal is to become a corporate attorney and incorporate his passion for astronomy in his vocation as well.
Benjamin will be mailed a beautiful plaque in recognition of his special achievement.
Other top finishers in the 2005 NYAA competition are:
Zach Garrett, Broken Arrow,OK, “Using the Mt.Lemmon 60” Ritchey-Chretien Reflector to Measure the Elemental Composition and Mass of the Accretion Disk Formed by the Unusual Object SS433”
Justin Parish, Tyler, TX, “Importance of Amateur Astrometry of Near-Earth Objects and Minor Planet Studies”
Eric Sauder, Manheim, PA, Building Radio Telescopes From Used Satellite Television Dishes”
Gavin Wandrey, Chagrin Falls, OH, “Space Weather”
Paul Zaich, Irvine, CA, “Productivity and Impact of Optical Telescopes”