{"id":33902,"date":"2018-08-31T15:05:29","date_gmt":"2018-08-31T19:05:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=33902"},"modified":"2018-08-31T19:41:16","modified_gmt":"2018-08-31T23:41:16","slug":"astronomers-organizing-to-save-wwv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/astronomers-organizing-to-save-wwv\/","title":{"rendered":"Astronomers organizing to save WWV"},"content":{"rendered":"

As an amateur astronomer, I knew it was only a matter of time before the astronomical community became involved to save WWV<\/a>.\u00a0 Specifically, it’s a group of mostly amateur astronomers who observe and record occultations<\/em>.<\/p>\n

What’s an occultation<\/a>?\u00a0 It’s the term when a solar system object passes in front of, and blocks out a star.\u00a0 Why is this important to observe?\u00a0 Lunar occultations are the easiest to observe (if the star is bright enough, one can do a crude observation with binoculars or even the unaided eye).\u00a0 But there is very valuable science to be had with smaller objects.\u00a0 When a dwarf planet [like Pluto] or an asteroid – passes in front of, and “blinks\u201d out or blocks the light of a star – measurements can be taken that reveal the dwarf planet or asteroid’s size\/diameter.\u00a0 We can even determine if an object is round\/oval – or maybe cigar-shaped when multiple ground observers record and accurately time<\/em> how long the star “blinks” (or if the star doesn’t get covered by the asteroid in some locations but does in others). Okay, that is Occultations 101 (if you are interested in learning more, see the link).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Credit: Upcoming occultation – showing the path where the occultation is visible – from IOTA: International Occultation Timing Association<\/strong><\/p>\n

Note 1:\u00a0In 2017, amateur astronomers using a 3\u201d telescope determined that an asteroid had a moon!<\/a><\/strong>I had a 3\u201d telescope, back in the 1970s, when I was a kid!<\/em>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Credit: Sky and Telescope Magazine & IOTA: the International Occultation Timing Association<\/strong><\/p>\n

Note 2:\u00a0<\/strong>Multiple occultation observations involving the dwarf planet Pluto (and its next target – a “KBO”) are helping scientists navigate the New Horizons space probe (and to identify hazards) as it speeds through space to its next target – nicknamed Ultima Thule – beyond Pluto (on January 1st, 2019).<\/a><\/p>\n

Equipment used to record and document these fleeting events (some graze occultations only last fractions of a second) requires \u2013 you guessed it \u2013 time stamped video devices.\u00a0 Back in the old days before video and other advanced equipment, astronomers would sit a shortwave radio next to the telescope with a tape recorder to audibly capture & record the time signal with the observer noting the start\/stop of the event (we\u2019ve come a long way since then \u2013 time stamped equipment has advanced this from \u201capproximately\u201d to \u201cexact science\u201d!).<\/p>\n

The main point of this blog entry: astronomers have been asked to sign the White House petition to maintain NIST stations funding<\/a>. Sky & Telescope Magazine<\/a>, if they haven\u2019t already, will be posting an article with an interview that they conducted with one of the leading occultation observers that includes a link to the petition on their web site.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s hope this momentum continues to build \u2013 and that it makes a difference!<\/p>\n

Guest Post by Troy Riedel.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As an amateur astronomer, I knew it was only a matter of time before the astronomical community became involved to save WWV.\u00a0 Specifically, it’s a group of mostly amateur astronomers who observe and record occultations. What’s an occultation?\u00a0 It’s the term when a solar system object passes in front of, and blocks out a star.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,43],"tags":[4579,69,7204,4581,68,7202,426,7203],"class_list":["post-33902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","tag-astronomy","tag-nist","tag-nist-2019-budget-request","tag-troy-riedel","tag-wwv","tag-wwv-closure","tag-wwvh","tag-wwvh-closure"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-8OO","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":33632,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/lennarts-wwvh-5-mhz-qsl\/","url_meta":{"origin":33902,"position":0},"title":"Lennart’s WWVH 5 MHz QSL and a quick NIST update","author":"Thomas","date":"August 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor,\u00a0Lennart Weirell, who writes: I saw the recent posting of a QSL card from WWV. Here is my QSL card from WWVH, Hawaii 5 MHz from 2006 [above]. Thanks for sharing this excellent QSL, Lennart! Update on shutdown of WWV, WWVH and WWVB Post Readers:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/WWVH-2006-11-21-697x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/WWVH-2006-11-21-697x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/WWVH-2006-11-21-697x1024.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":33657,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/information-from-the-nist-regarding-possible-closure-wwv-radio-stations\/","url_meta":{"origin":33902,"position":1},"title":"Information from the NIST regarding possible closure WWV radio stations","author":"Thomas","date":"August 20, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Regarding the NIST FY2019 budget which includes a request to shutdown WWV, WWVH, and WWVB, many of you have been asking if there has been an update. We will keep you posted as this budget moves through the process, but in the meantime I'll share the feedback and links provided\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-Main-Building-1024x463.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-Main-Building-1024x463.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-Main-Building-1024x463.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":36125,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/02\/fy-2019-nist-budget-looks-good-for-time-stations\/","url_meta":{"origin":33902,"position":2},"title":"FY 2019 NIST budget looks good for time stations","author":"Thomas","date":"February 15, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to the number of SWLing Post readers who have forwarded this article from the ARRL News\u00a0that notes the WWV Special Event Station, planned for later this year, is a go. This is great news indeed. With regards to the FY2019 budget uncertainty surrounding NIST radio stations WWV, WWVH\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/MattDeutch-WWVB-1024x600.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/MattDeutch-WWVB-1024x600.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/MattDeutch-WWVB-1024x600.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":33521,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/nist-fy2019-budget-includes-request-to-shutdown-wwv-and-wwvh\/","url_meta":{"origin":33902,"position":3},"title":"NIST FY2019 budget includes request to shutdown WWV, WWVH, and WWVB","author":"Thomas","date":"August 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to a number of\u00a0SWLing Post readers who have pointed out the NIST\u00a02019 Presidential Budget request which has now been posted online and includes a desired reduction of: \"$6.3 million supporting fundamental measurement dissemination, including the shutdown of NIST radio stations in Colorado and Hawaii\" I've always considered WWV\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/WWV-TimeCodeGenerator-1024x582.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":33716,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/nist-official-response-to-closure-questions\/","url_meta":{"origin":33902,"position":4},"title":"NIST: Official response to closure questions","author":"Thomas","date":"August 23, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I've just received the following formal response from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) regarding the\u00a0President\u2019s NIST FY 2019 budget request: (Source: NIST) NIST has a long-standing history of providing time and frequency services through our radio stations and we appreciate that many people use these services.\u00a0\u00a0 NIST\u2019s\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/wwvFtCollinsbuilding.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/wwvFtCollinsbuilding.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/wwvFtCollinsbuilding.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":33570,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/08\/white-house-petition-to-maintain-nist-funding-of-wwv-time-stations\/","url_meta":{"origin":33902,"position":5},"title":"White House petition to maintain NIST funding of WWV time stations","author":"Thomas","date":"August 16, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Tom Kelly, who shares the following: I recently read your article concerning the proposed shutdown of the NIST stations WWV\/WWVH. To that end, I have gone ahead and created a Whitehouse petition to see if this decision can be reversed: https:\/\/petitions.whitehouse.gov\/petition\/maintain-funding-nist-stations-wwv-wwvh Would there be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/WWV-White-House-e1534421489887.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/WWV-White-House-e1534421489887.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/WWV-White-House-e1534421489887.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33902","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/73"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33902"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33902\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33902"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}