Jing Qu ’13
Student Discovers Eclipsing Variable Star Methodical analysis of multiple batches of telescopic images taken at the Phillips Academy Observatory led to Ji Seok “Joshua” Kim ’15’s discovery of an eclipsing variable star—a first for the school’s burgeoning astronomy program. Kim, a native of Seoul, South Korea, is a student in physics instructor Caroline Odden’s advanced Astronomy Research course. The sequential images examined by Kim originally were taken to determine the rotation period of specific asteroids. The 10th-grader focused instead on hundreds of peripheral stars, creating a lightcurve—a graph of amplitude versus time—for each one. Weeks of persistence paid off with the detection of a star whose brightness changed discernibly over the span of several hours, a star 630 times fainter than the dimmest star that can be seen by the human eye alone. Kim was eager to take additional images with the observatory’s 16-inch telescope, but, at Odden’s suggestion, he requested assistance from John Briggs ’77 at the HUT Observatory in Eagle, Colo., where the night skies were considerably clearer. “Kim’s preliminary information, complete with pictures, plots, and celestial coordinates, made it reasonably certain that the star in question was indeed variable,” says Briggs, who regularly collaborates with Odden. “Variable stars vary in brightness often because of an object passing between the terrestrial observer and the target star. In many cases, as in Kim’s, the object is another star, known as a binary companion star.” “Right now I only have data on my star’s visible light spectrum—a very tiny range of light,” says Kim. “If I uncover more detailed data by looking at other wavelengths, such as the Ultraviolet of the X-Ray, I can discover so much more.” With two full years remaining at the Academy, Kim says he may study asteroids or search for planets outside the solar system. Although variable stars are relatively common, Briggs notes that it is “fundamental astronomical exploration” to discover and document additional examples. Kim’s discovery was confirmed and recorded by the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) in early April.
R ead John Briggs ’77’s article about Kim’s discovery at
www.andover.edu/magazine.
Connected Learning Update Tim Draper ’76 Is Looking for Heroes On April 12 in Ted Parker’s Economics Research Colloquium, venture capitalist and founder of Draper University of Heroes Tim Draper ’76 cracked open a discussion of Robert Reich’s Aftershock: The Next Economy and America’s Future. “I’ve got a question,” he said. “Let’s say each of you has an acre of land. Stephanie [Kim ’13] goes and farms her land. And you guys all goof off. Maybe you shoot a few rabbits and stay alive. All of a sudden Stephanie’s crop comes in. She’s been working hard, hard, hard—day and night. First of all, do you [Stephanie] think they deserve what you’ve built? And secondly, do you guys think you deserve what she built?” With that, Draper sparked a passionate discussion about economics, entrepreneurship, social responsibility, globalization, morality, and politics that students are unlikely to forget. Draper, aka “The Riskmaster,” is known worldwide for his unconventional tactics; commitment to learning and young people; successful investments in Skype, Tesla Motors, and SpaceX; and, yes, strong ideas. About the experience, Tyler Olkowski ’13 says, “I disagreed with some of Mr. Draper’s beliefs, but these disagreements led to thoughtful debate. He definitely forced me to articulate my opinions and stand up for what I believed in.” Later that afternoon, while speaking in Kemper Auditorium to a broader audience made up of students, parents, alums, and other members of the PA community, Draper described the many ways he has changed the world, as well as his desire to help others learn to do the same. His well-tested philosophy? Try and fail. Try and fail. Try and fail. A philosophy that he’s sharing in big ways at Draper University of Heroes, his unconventional boarding school in San Mateo, Calif., launched as a pilot program last summer that has enrolled its inaugural class of “heroes” this spring. It teaches innovation, entrepreneurship, and fearlessness through which Draper plans to revolutionize how business and entrepreneurship are taught. “There’s nothing quite like it,” Draper says. And he’s right. —Kristin Bair O’Keeffe
Gil Talbot
R ead more about Draper University of Heroes and connected learning at www.andover.edu/magazine.
Instructor Caroline Odden and Joshua Kim ’15 with the light curve from his variable star discovery. The shape of the curve coupled with the short orbital period (approximately 8.3 hours) suggests that the star and its binary companion are very close together, perhaps even touching.
[Editor’s note: Connected Learning Update is a new feature in Dateline Andover. Events shared here are by no means the only connected learning events happening at PA, but in each issue, we’ll highlight one or two that stand out.] Andover | Spring 2013
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