Monthly Guest Speaker Topic
April General Meeting At the
Goethe Link Observatory
May 31th, 2008
"A Search for New Planets”
Ronald Kaitchuck
In recent years over 250 planets have been found beyond our solar system orbiting other stars.
These planets have been detected indirectly, either by their gravitational effects on the visible
star or by the slight drop of light when the planet transitions in front of the star. So far,
only a few planets have been found in binary star systems. The existence of these planets raises
questions about the long-term planetary orbit stability and the mechanism of planetary formation
in binary star systems. I will discuss an ongoing program that utilizes the BSU observatories to
detect planetary transits by an unusual technique. The search results to date will be presented.
Ronald Kaitchuck is a professor of Physics and Astronomy and director of the Ball State University Planetarium.
He earned his bachelors degree in Physics from Loyola University in Chicago. He earned his Master
of Science degree in Physics from Ball State University in 1972 and his Ph.D. degree in
Astronomy from Indiana University in 1981. He has authored or co-authored over 60 scientific publications,
two books and contributions to Scientific American and the Encyclopedia Britannica.
His book, Astronomical Photometry, co-authored with Arne Henden, has become a standard
reference book for both amateur and professional astronomers.
He became the Ball State University Planetarium director in 1992. He oversaw a major renovation
of the facility, bringing it to a level where it can now offer the same programs seen in major
planetariums such as the Adler in Chicago. For the last ten years he has taught the only
training program in the nation for planetarium operation and production. He is currently
the president of the Muncie Astronomy Club.
Last Updated: 05/02/08
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