[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]
[Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences]
[12s23 / 12.409 Observing Stars and Planets]

12s23 Publicity Photos

Full-size images can be viewed by clicking on the associated tiny-size images.

The Freshman Handbook for the class of 2000 (Fall 1996) cover photo of the total solar eclipse of 1991 July 11 is by 12s23 instructor Steve Slivan.
In 1991-92 the front covers of the student directory and the staff directory both featured 12s23 astrophotos. The photos were taken at MIT's Wallace Astrophysical Observatory in Westford, MA, by TA's Joe Harrington ('88) and Steve Slivan ('84), respectively.

Caption for Student Directory

The cover photograph was taken by Joe Harrington, on December 6, 1990, at MIT's Wallace Astrophysical Observatory in Westford, Massacusetts. This was for the undergraduate seminar ``12s23 Observing Stars and Planets,'' in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. To capture the night sky, the camera was mounted on a tripod for a 25-minute exposure on Kodachrome 200 film; the 28mm lens was set at f/3.5.

Earth's rotation during the exposure draws the star images into trails whose colors are related to stellar temperatures. The constallation Orion (the Hunter) is rising to the right of center. The red streak to the right of the three stars of the Hunter's belt is the Orion Nebula, a region of ionized hydrogen gas in which new stars are forming. Two sloping lines that cross the star trails are the running lights of aircraft.

In the foreground, moonlight shows several portable telescopes, and red flashlights create ghost-like images. The nearby city of Lowell lights the horizon.

Caption for Faculty and Staff Directory

The cover photograph was taken by Steve Slivan, on July 31, 1987, at MIT's Wallace Astrophysical Observatory in Westford, Massacusetts. This was for the undergraduate seminar ``12s23 Observing Stars and Planets,'' in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. To capture this section of the summer Milky Way in the constellation Cygnus (the Swan), the camera rode ``piggyback'' on a telescope tracking with Earth's rotation during the 15-minute exposure.

At the upper left, the bright star Deneb marks the top of the Northern Cross, whose longest arm extends diagonally to the star Beta Cygni at the lower right - the three other bright stars on the opposite diagonal (in the middle of the photograph) form the crossbar. This constellation lies among the dense starfields of the Milky Way, since the observer looking toward Cygnus views our disk-shaped galaxy edgewise.

In the lower left quadrant is a section of the Cygnus Rift, a so-called ``dark nebula'' of interstellar dust which obscures the stars behind it.

Left of Deneb is the North America Nebula, a region of glowing gas whose outline resembles the continent for which it is named.

This photo of a 12s23 observing session appeared in the ``Courses and Degree Programs 1991-92'' and was used as the cover of the Fall 1991 ``Undergraduate Seminars'' guide. Photo from fall term 1990 by UTA Linda Sauter ('92) showing TA Steve Slivan ('84) and students Renee Mong ('91) and Chantell Wyland ('91).

Another photo of a 12s23 observing session has been used in the ``Freshman Handbook'' each fall since 1990. Photo from spring term 1989 by TA Steve Slivan ('84) showing students Annette Serra ('91) and Michele Bierbaum ('92).
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