PULSE@Parkes Project: Applications Now Open

The PULSE@Parkes project (PULsar Student Exploration online at Parkes) is an innovative project that provides high school students the opportunity to control the famous Parkes radio telescope remotely over the internet to observe pulsars.

Students can analyse their data to determine a number of properties of the pulsars, the post-supernova remnants of dead stars. Their results feed into a growing database used by professional astronomers. They may discover a new pulsar or help determine the distance to existing pulsars. Students can help monitor them, identify unusual ones or sudden glitches in their rotation. Through participating in this project the students will meet professional astronomers, learn how to control a state-of-the-art telescope, experience some real science and share their work with students from other schools.

Schools may now apply for an observing session using Parkes and to take part in this exciting project.

Added by Robert Hollow on 2008-04-02