1981 Autumn: Prof. James Elliot adds a weekly observing session to survey subject ``12.113 - The Solar System'' to illustrate the practice of astronomy as an observational science. 8-inch telescopes are hauled up to the roof of the Green Bldg. each observing night for the weekly visual observing sessions. Sessions only meet when a recorded message left at 5pm confirms it's clear enough to observe. Senior Heidi Hammel is the teaching assistant. Sophomore Steve Slivan is a student in the class.
1982 Spring: The observing sessions are split off as a separate undergraduate seminar and ``12s23 - Observing Stars and Planets'' is offered for the first time. Sessions now meet regardless of weather. Film astrophotography is added.
???: Instructor Linda French becomes the staff member in charge of 12s23.
???: 12s23 operations are moved over to the CSR, Rm. 37-602. The observing platform on the roof of 37 proves a better-suited site for observing than the roof of 54 for most purposes because it's much less windy and has almost no obstructions to viewing.
1986 Autumn: Steve Slivan (now a graduate student TA) begins to assemble a set of course handouts for students in 12s23, completing the first versions a year later. Junior Deepto Chakrabarty is a "UTA" (undergraduate teaching assistant).
1987 Autumn: 12s23 is moved to a dedicated lab classroom, 37-562. This improves security for the substantial amount of equipment used by the class, and we no longer have to shoo people out of shared common room space when it's time to give (or prepare for) a class.
1988 Autumn: Prof. Jack Wisdom becomes the faculty in charge of 12s23.
1989 Spring: Prof. Richard Binzel becomes the faculty in charge of 12s23.
1990 Spring: 12s23 has been offered every fall and spring term since 1982, but the spring term version is reluctantly suspended after spring 1990 so that Steve can devote the time needed to finish his dissertation on schedule.
1991 Autumn: Along with 12s23 Steve teaches one section of a new seminar ``12s24 - Advanced Observing Stars and Planets'', which uses the Wallace Observatory telescopes. Unofficial subtitle is ``Dead Astrophotographers Society''
1993 January: A ten-night IAP version of 12s23, ``12s22 - Hands-on Astronomy'', is created at the request of the Department. 12s22 is co-led by Prof. Charles Counselman and Prof. Gordon Pettengill. (Final Report)
1993 Autumn: Prof. Binzel obtains a grant and purchases six complete CCD imaging systems for 12s23 including MacIntosh control computers.
1994 Spring: New survey subject ``12.401 - Beyond the Solar System'' is created and fills the gap left at least 6 years earlier when ``12.114 - Stars and Galaxies'' was discontinued. But unlike the earlier subject, 12.401 also includes a weekly observing session modeled after 12s23 to illustrate the practice of astronomy as an observational science. Prof. Counselman co-teaches the class with Heidi Hammel (now a Principal Research Scientist), and Steve Slivan is the TA.
1994 Autumn: Prof. Counselman becomes the faculty in charge of 12s23.
1995 Autumn: Prof. Counselman and Steve Slivan (now a Postdoctoral Associate) agree to take freshman advisees in 12s23 as part of the Freshman Advisor Seminar program. The class remains open to non-advisees and upperclassmen as well, and Donna Friedman at the UAAO alerts us that 12s23 is the longest-running seminar in the Undergraduate Seminar Program. Steve installs the IRAF CCD image processing software on Athena for use by students in the class.
1996 Spring: Prof. Counselman obtains six visual spectrograph kits for 12.401.
1996 Autumn: 12s23 is assigned an ``alias'' subject number of 12.409 to sidestep the confusion of non-advisees and upperclassmen who mistakenly think 12s23 is exclusively for freshman advisees. Deepto Chakrabarty (now a Postdoctoral Fellow) rejoins the staff of 12s23, now as a third session leader and freshman advisor. 12s23 becomes the first seminar ever to enter an eight in the Intramural Crew Challenge.
1998 Autumn: Steve Slivan (now an Instructor) teaches both 12s23 and 12.410J this term, and 12s23 challenges 12.410J in IM Crew. After the race start, one of 12.410J's two boats veers rapidly off-course and collides with the 12s23 boat, enabling the second 12.410J boat to win the title of "fastest rowing observational astronomy class".
2000 January: In absence of 12s22, junior Margaret Pan offers ``Hands-on Astronomy'' as a noncredit activity. (post-activity summary)
| semester | section leaders | section assistants |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 Spring | Elliot, Hilbert | Twomey, Mei, Pan |
| 2000 Spring | Elliot, Smith, Osip | Pan, Crooks |
| 1999 Spring | Slivan, Foust | Pan |
| 1998 Autumn | Slivan, Smith | Nielsen, Pan |
| 1997 Autumn | Slivan, Chakrabarty | Nielsen, Carnasciali |
| 1996 Autumn | Slivan, Counselman, Chakrabarty | Cooray, Thomas, Luk |
| 1995 Autumn | Slivan, Counselman | Cooray, Vogel, Forbess |
| 1994 Autumn | Slivan | Baumgartner, Cooray |
| 1993 Autumn | Slivan | Lucas, Tran |
| 1992 Autumn | Slivan | Bandyopadhyay, Canalizo |
| 1991 Autumn | Slivan, Harrington | Bandyopadhyay, LeDell |
| 1990 Autumn | Slivan, Harrington | Rivkin, Sun, Sauter, Layden |
| 1990 Spring | Binzel, Young | Rivkin, Sun, Sauter |
| 1989 Autumn | Slivan, Rivkin | Sun, Sauter |
| 1989 Spring | Slivan, Young | Ramsay, Rivkin, Sun, Layden |
| 1988 Autumn | Slivan, Young | Wisdom, Lentz, Ramsay, Cordella |
| 1988 Spring | French, Young, Kangas | Chakrabarty, Lentz, Ramsay |
| 1987 Autumn | French, Slivan, Bosh | Lentz, Ramsay |
| 1987 Spring | French, Killian, Slivan | Chakrabarty, Lentz, Gleason, Blizzard |
| 1986 Autumn | Killian, Slivan | Kramer, Chakrabarty, Crespi, Menchaca |
| 1986 Spring | ||
| 1985 Autumn | ||
| 1985 Spring | ||
| 1984 Autumn | ||
| 1984 Spring | ||
| 1983 Autumn | French, Melroy, Remillard | Covault |
| 1983 Spring | French, Pinson | |
| 1982 Autumn | French, Klavetter, Aldering, Freedman | |
| 1982 Spring | Hammel, Klavetter, Aldering |
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12s23 home |
Last modified 2001 Apr 25 |
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