Maria Mitchell Association Logo

Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association REU-NSF Interns Attended the 245th American Astronomical Society Meeting in Washington, D.C.

January 24, 2025

NANTUCKET, MA—On the occasion of the 245th American Astronomical Society (AAS) Meeting, and the 178th anniversary year of the discovery of Miss Mitchell’s Comet, interns from the Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) of Nantucket Island, journeyed to Washington, D.C., to represent the MMA and present their work. Building on the legacy of Maria Mitchell, the first female American astronomer, the MMA offers STEM research and education opportunities to interns from across the country via their paid internship programs.

 

The MMA’s Maria Mitchell Observatory has operated the National Science Foundation- Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF-REU)- program each summer for decades. The program is funded by a generous grant from the National Science Foundation, which allows the MMA to bring six top undergraduate students to the MMA each summer who are selected out of a pool of approximately 380 applicants from around the United States.

 

January 12 -16, the MMA’s Summer 2024 NSF-REU interns presented their research on fascinating subjects, from finding baby stars, to understanding how galaxies grow over time, and how dark matter influences galaxy cluster collisions. MMA Executive Director, Joanna Roche, attended the conference and presented each student with a bound book of their cohort’s papers. “The research and projects that this year’s REU interns presented are as fascinating as they are well done. We are so proud to continue the tradition of nurturing young scientists through our REU program.”

 

This summer’s NSF-REU interns and their research presentations which they presented at the AAS are: 


Naija Bruckner | Rice University, majoring in Astrophysics, presented “Probing Circumgalactic Medium Turbulence with Synthetic Absorption.” Her topic was turbulence in the circumgalactic medium (the gas around galaxies). By examining snapshots of simulated galaxies at different redshifts, she found that higher ions are better tracers of turbulence and movement of gas in the CGM than low ions. This finding can be used to improve our interpretation of observed CGMs and the movement of gas within by looking at absorption lines particular to higher ions in actual observation.

 

Sophia Chan Davis | University of Michigan, double majoring in Astronomy & Astrophysics and Interdisciplinary Physics with a minor in Museum Studies, presented “Shining the X-ray light on Planetary Nebulae in Globular Clusters.”. She focused on investigating the origins of planetary nebulae in globular clusters, utilizing advanced X-ray observations to enhance our understanding of stellar evolution.  Her findings suggest its X-ray emissions come from shock interactions within the nebula, making K648 the most distant planetary nebula with X-ray emission ever observed.


Jillian Epstein | Cornell University, majoring in Engineering Physics and minoring in Astronomy, presented “Searching for X-ray Counterparts of Protostellar Cores.”  She is interested in optics and astrophysics with a particular interest in high-energy astrophysics, cosmology, and astrophysical instrumentation. She used archived Chandra X-ray Observatory data to research the X-ray components of protostars under Dr. David Principe from the MIT Kavli Institute. Epstein utilized the CAIO suite of tools in Python to analyze X-ray spectra.

 

Fiona Lopez | Texas A&M University, majoring in Physics and Astronomy, presented her research titled “Understanding the Interplay Between Dust, Gas, and Stars in High-Redshift Galaxies with ALMA and JWST” in collaboration with Dr. Mónica Relaño from the University of Granada, Spain. Her work explores the complex roles of interstellar dust, gas, and stars in high-redshift galaxies, leveraging observations from ALMA and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to gain deeper insights into these distant cosmic systems. 

 

Nicolas Mazziotti | University of Arizona, majoring in Astronomy and Physics, presented, “Exploring Dark Matter and Galaxy Clusters.” His presentation at AAS was about his MMA research with Dr. Lindsay King (UT Dallas) on simulations of merging galaxy clusters. 

 

Gada Tefera | Pomona College, majoring in Computer Science, presented “Investigating the Impact of sub-DLAs on the Neutral Hydrogen Mass Density of the Universe.” He focused on investigating the contribution of sub-Damped Lyman Alpha systems to the neutral hydrogen content of the early universe using spectra from the KODIAQ DR3 sample of 727 quasars. He developed and implemented spectroscopic analysis methods using Python tools, including LineTools and XSpectrum1D, to identify and characterize absorption systems. He led a systematic search resulting in the identification of 555 absorbers, including 415 sub-DLAs, representing one of the largest high-redshift sub-DLA samples ever assembled. He performed analysis of absorption features and metal line systems to determine column densities and metallicities across redshift range 2 < z < 6. 

 

The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first female professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages.
 

####

For Immediate Release

January 24, 2025

Contact: Joanna Roche

jroche@mariamitchell.org

Recent Posts

Maria Mitchell In Her Own Words

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • February 10, 2025
Feb. 15, 1853. I think Dr. Hall (in his “Life of Mary Ware”) does wrong when he attempts to encourage the use of the needle. It seems to me that the needle is the chain of woman, and has fettered her more than the laws of the country. Once emancipate her from the “stitch, stitch, stitch,” the industry of which would be commendable if it served any purpose except the gratification of her vanity, and she would have time for studies which would engross as the needle never can. I would as soon put a girl alone into a closet to meditate as give her only the society of the needle. The art of sewing, so far as men learn it, is well enough; that is, to enable a person to take the stitches, and, if necessary, to make her own garments in a strong manner; but the dressmaker should no more be a universal character than the carpenter. I believe MM’s words are self-explanatory, no commentary needed on my part. JNLF

Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association and Nantucket Lights Releases Report on the Nantucket Sky Quality Monitoring Project

February 7, 2025
NANTUCKET, MA—– The Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) and Nantucket Lights are pleased to release the Nantucket Sky Quality Monitoring Project (SQM) report by Dark Sky Consulting , LLC. The joint program, launched in 2022, involves collecting night-sky brightness data from around Nantucket Island from citizen-scientists using handheld Unihedron Sky Quality Meters (SQMs) as measurement devices to study light pollution. Observations were made from June 2022 to November 2024 at eight sites (Nantucket Town; Madaket Beach; Nantucket Elementary School; Nantucket Memorial Airport; Altar Rock; 'Sconset; Wauwinet; and Surfside Beach), a ninth site (Cisco Beach) was added in August 2024, for which only three months of data are available. These efforts establish a baseline for assessing the effectiveness of actions to mitigate light pollution going forward. The distributions separate into two broad populations (high development: Nantucket Town; Nantucket Elementary School; and Nantucket Airport) and low/no development: (Madaket; Sconset; Wauwinet’; Surfside Beach; Cisco Beach; and Altar Rock). The darkest readings among the latter tend to occur in spring and summer. For high-development sites, the width of the distribution increases distinctly in summer and its mean shifts toward brighter values. We interpret this as due to an increased population on the island during the summer season. The group follows the data collection procedure recommended by DarkSky International. Readings are taken under conditions intended to minimize interference from environmental influences. For example, reading does not commence until the end of astronomical twilight, which occurs about 90 minutes after sunset. Observers are encouraged to report only data taken under conditions of clear skies, which is sometimes not possible due to the vagaries of Nantucket weather. Additionally, they avoid obtaining data when the Moon is above the horizon to limit the contaminating effect of its light. Readings are taken after the conclusion of astronomical twilight during the week between the last-quarter and new Moon phases. Analysis of the night-sky brightness measurements since 2022 show that the data are broadly valid and reproducible, and that outlier values can largely be explained by the influence of environmental conditions. Distributions of measurements across various cuts (location, year) are normal as expected for random sampling of the assumed underlying “populations” of night-sky brightness values. And there is not a great deal of night-sky brightness variation from one year to the next, either on a per-site basis or island-wide. From this, we can broadly conclude that light emissions on Nantucket have, in recent years, increased only at a very slow rate. The Nantucket Dark Sky Monitoring Project continues to be monitored, and data is being collected and analyzed. You can find more detailed information on the Nantucket Island Night Sky Quality Report here: Nantucket-Report-FINAL-250123.pdf Nantucket-Annex-FINAL-250123.pdf The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first female professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages ###

Maria Mitchell Vestal Street Observatory Conservation Update: February 2025

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • February 3, 2025
We are still quietly working away. Now that the paint and plaster repairs are done, the woodwork and shelving has been conserved, and the floor has been redone in the Astronomical Study, we have turned to the concrete floors. These are being worked on by Evita Caune of Riptide Finishes – she had done Hinchman House’s cellar floor and those in the Research Center. The Observatory cellar floor is coming along and she is also working on the Pillar Room – so named because tit houses the pillar that supports the telescope in the Dome Room. If there was an original finish on any of the three concrete floors – the Pillar Room, the Dome Room, the cellar under the Astronomical Study – it is gone. They applied many layers of paint that eroded and chipped with time. I do now know why the Pillar Room had a red floor at one point (took me long enough) – probably to match the red tile they put on the original wood floor in the Astronomical Study. Evita is giving us a nice clean coating in the Pillar Room and the cellar and we may have a bit more fun with the floor in the Dome Room – all of this is reversible which comes from a conservation perspective. All the interior conservation work was funded by the Community Preservation Act – as was the exterior conservation. One note – the Astronomical Study’s original floor was a total loss as far as finish is concerned. I may have noted this before. It was truly sad. The original wood floor was covered in multiple layers – tarpaper glued to the wood. Then a layer of red tile (tested and was safe), then another layer of tarpaper and glues. Then foam padding and a 1980s blue wall-to-wall carpet – they liked that carpet so much it used to be in the Astronomer’s Cottage too! We thought the tar paper beneath the tiles would be easily removed from the wood. It was not. It had basically melted and seeped into the floor so we have to lightly sand the floor and then refinish it. That was quite sad – but at least we have the original wood floor intact. JNLF
Show More
Share by: