University of Calgary’s Rothney Astrophysical Observatory 50th Anniversary

On September 20, 2022, current and former students, staff, and faculty of the University of Calgary’s Rothney Astrophysical Observatory belatedly celebrated the 50th year of its opening dedication, and thus fifty years of research, hands-on training for astronomers, astrophysicists and other scientists, and community outreach.  The event, planned by current RAO staff Phil Langill and Jennifer Howse and former directors E. F. Milone and T. A. Clark, consisted of an in-person and live-streamed ceremony at the observatory near Priddis, Alberta, emceed by current director Philip Langill.  It involved the unveiling of the RAO’s original sun dial (designed by Tim Kirkham, first RAO engineer, and now reconstructed by technician Bill Stillaway, and Alan Clark), and featured talks by former graduate student Sean Dougherty and former department head Russell Taylor, both of whom are now observatory directors in Chile and South Africa, respectively.

1. Background

The initial planning for an observatory had arisen from suggestions by senior members of the Space Group of the Department of Physics (subsequently, Physics & Astronomy) at the University of Calgary that courses in astronomy be included in its curriculum offerings to complement an existing graduate program. In early 1970, Alan Clark was assigned the task of designing an observatory to support this new undergraduate program and produced a proposal which included the purchase of telescopes and a classroom. Enquiries about a site at or near the Canadian Department of Energy, Mines, & Resources’ Photographic Zenith Tube installation south of Calgary led to an offer of a quarter-section of land for the observatory by Sandy Cross, a prominent rancher and long-time citizen of this area with deep connections to the early history of Calgary. Thus began a very fruitful and enjoyable collaboration with Mr. Cross and his family. The adopted name of the resulting observatory incorporates the family name of Rothney in recognition of this initial gift. On a cold evening in the fall of 1971, Clark and his newly arrived colleague, Eugene Milone, who had previously developed a similar observatory at a liberal arts college in the U.S., established the N-S line for the piers of the 40-cm telescope. The initial plant thus consisted of the telescope and its dome, a pair of trailers joined to provide classroom and workspace, and a multi-pillar terrace for student observing, all thanks to provincial matching funds.  This phase was described by Milone et al. (1972).  The RAO was formally opened in February, 1972 by Margaret Burbidge, the newly appointed Director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory, with the unveiling of the Clark sundial. [She returned in 1997 for the 25th anniversary celebration.]  Clark and Milone became responsible for operations of the RAO and were formally designated co-directors in 1975.

Initial instruments were an IR FTS for solar work (described below) and an optical photoelectric photometer for variable star work (later to be incorporated into the RADS differential photometry system), funded through NRC grants to Clark and Milone, respectively. Clark & Milone (1979) issued the first external report of the RAO’s early development.

Subsequently, a leased 1.5-m canogen-coated metal mirror was parlayed into a 1.8-m alt-alt mounted telescope in a dome and observatory building, and a former Baker-Nunn Satellite Tracking Camera was resurrected as an equatorial telescope with a large format CCD camera to enable the detection of transient objects such as variable stars, comets, and asteroids.

Research carried out on these telescopes and instruments are summarized below, along with further developments, and the current status of the RAO.

2. Solar research associated with RAO by T. A. Clark and members of the solar group.

  1. Very early measurements of 5-minute oscillations in the infrared region of the solar spectrum were carried out in 1975-6 with Douglas Burrell, using the 0.4m telescope as a “solar spar” for tracking, with 0.15m diameter, f/20 optics feeding an innovative very-rapid-scan Fourier-Transform Spectrometer.
  2. The U of C balloon-borne solar telescope developed in the 1970s by the group and built in Faculty of Science Workshop was used to measure the far IR and sub-mm regions of the spectrum. Several of the resulting measurements are still unique, including the only radiometrically-calibrated temperature measurement from the temperature minimum region of the solar atmosphere AND the only measurements in the world of emission lines from transitions between high levels of the hydrogen atom (n= 12-11, 13-12,etc) While the work with this balloon-borne-telescope was not carried out at the RAO, the “new” building was designed specifically to house the telescope and move it in and out of the “balloon bay” for adjustment and calibration of the steering servo systems, etc.
  3. Solar eclipse observations at IR wavelengths, initiated in 1972 at the RAO and continued first from NASA Lear Jet and Convair Galileo Airborne Observatories and later from a locally-owned Lear Jet with a modified window followed by observations from mountain altitudes. This important series of observations established the depth of the cool CO layer in the solar atmosphere to high precision.

3. Stellar research associated with the RAO by E. F. Milone and associates and students

The topic highlights of this work were:

  1. Light curve asymmetries in short-period eclipsing binaries to uncover new physics. The O’Connell Effect (Milone & Wesselink 1983) was defined and studied in optical and infrared passbands, resulting in the identification of apparent infrared excesses in these systems) and a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon was undertaken (Davidge & Milone 1984). This work led to the improvement of light curve analysis programs to treat eclipsing binary light curves with anomalies (e.g., Milone, et al. 1987);
  2. Determinations of fundamental stellar data through acquisition and modeling of light and radial velocity light curves of variable stars (e.g., Milone et al. 1991; Wilson, et al. 1993);
  3. Study of binaries in star clusters (the binaries-in-clusters program) to leverage the environment of eclipsing systems to enhance the knowledge of both the binaries and the clusters in which they were found, including ages, distances, and chemical composition (e.g., Schiller & Milone 1987, 1988; Milone, et al. 2019); and, to enhance these studies,
  4. Improvement of optical photometric and infrared precision through improved methods of data acquisition and data reduction and analysis. This work led to the development and realization of RADS — the Rapid Alternate Detection System (Robb, et al. 1982; Milone & Robb 1983) and the Infrared Working Group passband system (Milone 1988; Young, et al. 1994; Milone & Young 2005).

Some results of this research can be found in the research papers/reports listed in §7, below.

4. RAO Development Highlights

When Milone arrived at the RAO, in Fall, 1971 his first act was to establish, with Alan Clark, the north-south line for the polar alignment of the newly acquired 16-inch telescope of the RAO. The second was to acquire a photoelectric photometer to carry out precise photometry of starlight; this was the subject of his first equipment grant request. Through the 1970s this instrument was used to obtain light curves of variable stars, particularly eclipsing binary stars whose absolute properties can be determined through the timing and geometric analysis of the periodic changes in brightness and colour that these objects undergo as they move around each other. The work provided opportunities for student training on both undergraduate and graduate levels, and led to dozens of research reports and papers.  Two of the major studies that resulted from this were: the O’Connell Effect of light curve asymmetries in eclipsing binary light curves and a binaries-in-clusters program that leveraged the environment of eclipsing systems to enhance the knowledge of both the binaries and the clusters in which they were found. Both programs resulted in masters and PhD theses.

In the 1980s, a differential photometry system was developed to improve photometric precision through dynamical compensation for the varying transparency of the atmosphere: the secondary mirror on the 41-cm telescope was systematically moved to sample alternately the light from a target star, a comparison star, and the night sky near them. This was known as the Rapid Alternate Detection System (RADS).  Thanks to careful and extensive work by the department’s technicians and colleagues from the department, it worked well when used by an equally fastidious observer. We mention here the contributions of Charlie Hansen for design and Fred Babott for the execution and maintenance of the system, and, starting with Russ Robb, many fine observers, including, especially, James van Leeuwen who excelled at producing precise light curves.  Many research papers based on RADS observations followed.  Also in this decade with the help of the DAO we acquired a spectrograph for the spectral classification of stars, and with the assistance of Dr. George Coyne then director of the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, a 1.5-m metal mirror as the nucleus of an infrared telescope project. A major equipment grant permitted erection of a mounting of unique design, especially suited for a high-latitude site, and with contributions from Sandy Cross and provincial matching, a building to house it in, and the acquisition of new photometers.  At this time, a former satellite-tracking camera became available from the Cold Lake Forces base in northern Alberta. Alan Clark designed a mounting for it in the west wing of the new observatory building.  In this decade also, Milone and collaborators worked to improve the Wilson-Devinney eclipsing binary light curve modeling program to permit identification of the spectral features in the asymmetries of light curves, to incorporate improved stellar atmosphere models to better represent the flux from the stellar surfaces, to model light curve anomalies with star spots (e.g., Milone, et al. 1987), and to improve the chances of finding absolute minima in the parameter space of the models (see Milone 1989; Kallrath & Milone 2009).

In the 1990s, we contracted with the Astrophysical Research Consortium to obtain a 1.8-m high quality optical mirror to replace the metal mirror, which, while functional for purely infrared photometry, could not produce high quality stellar images. Alan Clark, then an emeritus professor, managed the project.  The successful figuring of this mirror in Arizona enabled the formal completion of the project by 1997.  The Infrared Telescope (IRT) then became the Alexander R. Cross Telescope (ARCT).  Another major program during this time was the design of a new set of infrared filters which would be less sensitive to water vapour than all previous filters.  Custom Scientific produced the IRWG (named for the IAU Commission 25’s Infrared Working Group) filters and they were used in the IR photometer at one of the ports of the ARCT.  With the help of student observers, the success of this program was demonstrated and resulted in numerous publications (e.g., Milone & Young 2005).  The description of the RADS and the IR filter programs and results from them are summarized in the proceedings of sessions of the History of Astronomy Division at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Long Beach, California in January, 2009 (Milone & Sterken 2011).

At the end of the decade a major infrastructure upgrade grant was awarded by the province of Alberta for a proposal led by Milone; this permitted the automation of the ARCT and the 41-cm telescope and the transformation of the Baker-Nunn satellite tracking camera into an equatorially driven imaging telescope telescope for wide-field variable star studies and a search for asteroids and comets. Mike Mazur, a former undergraduate astrophysics major and then geophysics graduate student was hired to manage the project.  The meteorite scientist Alan Hildebrand provided a funding contribution and was involved in the acquisition of a large-format CCD camera to take maximum advantage of the 10-degree field of view.  Two dozen new variable stars and recovery of another dozen variables (by graduate student Mike Williams) and at least two comets were discovered (by observer Rob Cardinal) with the instrument.  Finally, a provincial award was provided for a proposal led by Milone to upgrade the Open House program venue at the RAO, which had been in place since 1995, but held in the original structure acquired for the observatory in 1971.  The architect for this project was John Brown of the Environmental Design faculty, who led a team of students to construct the facility. The Vistors’ Centre completed the original development plan envisaged by Clark and Milone for the RAO.

In 2004, Milone stepped down as director of the RAO and in 2005 became a Faculty Professor, Emeritus Professor and RAO Director emeritus.  Rene Plume, who had been the Associate Director, became interim Director of the RAO.

5. Current Operations and activities, provided by present RAO Director, Philip Langill

Current astronomical research has two components.  It is the endeavour to make new discoveries and it is a check-and-balance process.  The former is very challenging for any University funded observatory as it requires exquisitely dark skies, top-notch equipment, and a group of people committed to the exploration.  The latter is a follow-up partnership whereby reportedly new discoveries are reobserved to verify claims.  Although the RAO strives to discover new things with its fabulous array of telescopes and detectors, its biggest contribution is partnering with other research groups to check and confirm.

The Baker-Nunn Telescope’s unique features are a very large field of view and fast optics.  It is ideal for looking for tiny flashes of light, and tiny variations in brightness over time, and tiny dots of light that are moving.  After being equipped with the original digital camera, the first decade of the 2000’s was spent searching for variable stars (cf. Williams & Milone 2013), and for solar system asteroids and comets, a task it is perfectly suited for.  At that time all the other research groups in the world also doing this work pointed their telescopes toward the well-known asteroid belt.  The BNT was intentionally pointed away from this established population in the hope of finding evidence for a new population of asteroids and comets.  The team was extremely dedicated to collecting data at every opportunity and writing new search codes on the fastest computers available to comb through the 100’s of Mb of data per night looking for the tiniest of moving dots of light to find objects orbiting around the Sun.  They discovered two new comets and one new asteroid!  Today, with its new camera, the BNT collects twenty times as much data per night, to look not just for moving specs of light but also transient flashes and tiny variations.  The computers used to analyze the huge data set are number crunching monsters.  The RAO shares BNT data with researchers at the DAO in Victoria, the Transient Name Server of the International Astronomical Union, the International Comet Quarterly information website of Harvard University, the University of Barcelona, and the Czech Republic’s Astronomical Society.  With BNT data DAO researchers almost discovered a new comet (it had been discovered just a few months earlier) and almost discovered an exploding star in a nearby galaxy (it was reported to the TNS 20 minutes earlier by researchers in Japan).  The RAO also provides data to Masaryk University, l’Observatorie de Paris, and the Global Meteor Network, primarily with the CMT.

Very recently, major upgrades to the ARCT have been made.  Where there was a Windows XP computer, ribbon cable connections, and an antiquated control program, there is now a modern powerful computer, high speed USB connections, and a java powered multi-layered gui.  Where there was 220 Volt extension cords and Frankenstein looking switches to manually open the big dome shutters, there is now clickable buttons in the gui.  Where there was a complex optical design involving multiple mirrors providing a small field of view, there is now just the primary mirror providing faster optics and wider field of view.  Everything, including a CCD camera for scientific work and digital video camera for guiding, can finally be operated over the internet.

The revised ARCT is so new it is just now being given its initial ‘test-drives’.  Once all the bugs are found and fixed this big 1.83-meter telescope will be mated with the RAO’s most valuable science instrument.  Currently the very high-resolution echelle spectrograph is mated to a small 0.20-meter telescope (mounted piggy-back to the CMT).  This echelle, being fed light from such a small telescope, is doing amazing work.  When it gets light nearly 100 times faster from the ARCT’s primary mirror real science will be done, and possibly, new discoveries will be made.

6. Other Activity at the RAO

For years, the Geoscience department of the University of Calgary has made use of the RAO grounds for seismic array studies.  The Space Physics group of the Physics & Astronomy Department has operated their CASSIOPE/e-POP (Yau & James 2015) space mission project there.  Andrew Howarth (howarth [at] phys [dot] ucalgary [dot] ca) wrote (in April, 2023): “Our group ran full operations of the CASSIOPE satellite from the RAO from 2013-2017, including operation of a Ka-band high-speed data downlink system. After that we moved our main operations to campus but kept a presence at RAO for backup operations and offsite backup of the satellite data. Attached is a picture of the Ka-band ground station shed and radome, as well as a picture of the team at CASSIOPE launch. We’ve just last week completed our time out at RAO and have handed over the operations room and ground station shed to Daniel Oblak’s (doblak [at] ucalgary [dot] ca) Quantum Information Science group” who plan to use it for an optical link to a satellite to do quantum communication.

Beyond all of this is the RAO’s very extensive outreach program.  Begun in 1995 as a formal program, separate from the university’s annual open house, RAO open house events were held once a month during late spring and summer only.  The program has always involved tours of the facilities and instruments, a terrace of telescopes operated by students and staff as well as volunteers from the Calgary Centre of the RASC to permit public viewing of objects in the night sky, and illustrated talks by guest speakers on a variety of astronomical and geophysical topics.  Over the past two decades this program has been greatly expanded and the new Visitors’ Centre accommodates many more visitors than the previous facility could.  Outreach is currently directed by Jennifer Howse.  She additionally provides individual tours to many groups throughout the year and has established links to nearby conservation facilities to protect the night sky, and to indigenous communities.  For more detail, visit https://science.ucalgary.ca/rothney-observatory

7. Selected RAO-related references (in approximate chronological order)

Clark, T. A., Milone, E. F., Sreenivasan, S. R., and Venkatesan, D. (1972). “A New Observatory for Western Canada,” Publications of the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory (PRAO), No. 1. [monograph; excerpted in Sky and Telescope, 44, 150]

Clark, T. A. and Irwin, G. (1972). “Atmospheric Water Vapour at Mt. Kobau and Calgary and its Relevance to Infrared Astronomical Measurements,” Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 67, 142-147 [PRAO No. 3]

Milone, E. F. (1974). A Laboratory Manual for Astronomy. (Calgary: Physics Dept., Univ. Of Calgary). [monograph, 90pp.]

Milone, E. F. (1976). “Infrared Photometry of Eclipsing Binaries with Asymmetric Light Curves,” in Multiple Periodic Phenomena in Variable Stars, ed. B. Szeidl, W. S. Fitch (Budapest: Akademica Kiado), pp. 321-329

Droppo, J. L., and Milone, E. F. (1976). “Ca II H and K Emission of RT Lac,” Information Bulletin on Variable Stars of IAU Comm. No. 27, No. 1130

Chia, T. T., Milone, E. F., and Robb, R. M. (1977). “Some Observations of and Remarks on V1500 Cygni,” Astrophysics and Space Science, 48, 3-19

Clark, T. A., and Burrell, D. A. (1977). “Near IR Observations of ‘five-minute’ Oscillations in the Quiet Solar Atmosphere,” Bulletin, American Astronomical Society, 8, 525

Milone, E. F., Castle, K. G., Robb, R. M., Burke, E. W., Hall, D. S., Michlovic, J. C., and Zissell, R. G. (1979). “The Changing Light Curves of CG Cygni,” Astronomical Journal, 84, 417-428

Clark, T. A., and Milone, E. F. (1979). “Rothney Astrophysical Observatory Annual Report, 1978,” Bulletin, American Astronomical Society, 11, 32-34.

Kendall, D. J. W., and Clark, T. A. (1979). “Balloon-borne far-infrared Michelson interferometer for atmospheric emission studies,” Applied Optics, 18, 346-353

Clark, T.A. and Clay, R.W. (1981).  “Observation of the extreme solar limb at 3.9 μm during the partial solar eclipse of 10 July, 1972,” Astronomy & Astrophysics, 100, 254 257

Davidge, T. J., Himer, J. D., and Milone, E. F. (1981). “R Observations of RW Comae Berenices,” Information Bulletin on Variable Stars of IAU Comm. No. 27, No. 2037

Naylor, D.A., Clark, T.A. and Boreiko, R.T. (1981).  “Balloon borne stratospheric far ir spectral absorption measurements:  the design of a solar telescope and high resolution Michelson interferometer combination,”  Applied Optics, 20, 1132-1144

Robb, R. M., Milone, E. F., Babott, F. M., and Hansen, C. H. (1982). “The Rapid Alternate Detection System of the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory,” Applied Optics, 21, 2992-2995

Milone, E. F., and Clark, T. A. (1982). “Rothney Astrophysical Observatory Annual Report, 1981,” Bulletin, American Astronomical Society, 14, 467-472

Robb, R. M., and Milone, E. F. (1983). “A Single Night Light Curve of 44i Bootis,” Information Bulletin on Variable Stars of IAU Comm. No. 27, No. 2187

Milone, E. F., and Wesselink, A. J. (1983). “The O’Connell Effect,” Sky and Telescope, 66, No. 5 (November, 1983), 380

Milone, E. F., and Robb, R. M. (1983). “Photometry with the Rapid Alternate Detection System,” Publs., Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 95,, 666-673

Milone, E. F., and Clark, T. A. (1984). “Report of the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory of the University of Calgary,” Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 78, 36-39.

Hrivnak, B. J., Milone, E. F., Hill, G., and Fisher, W. A. (1984). “A Radial Velocity Study of XY Leonis,” Astrophysical Journal, 285, 683-687

Davidge, T. J., and Milone, E. F. (1984). “A Study of the O’Connell Effect in the Light Curves of Eclipsing Binaries,” Astrophysical Journal Suppl., 55, 571-584

Davidge, T. J., and Milone, E. F. (1984). “B and V Photometry of VZ Psc,” Information Bulletin on Variable Stars of IAU Comm. No. 27, No. 2639

Clark, T. A., and Milone, E. F. (1984). “Rothney Astrophysical Observatory,” Bulletin, American Astronomical Society, 16, 598-602 [first external RAO report]

Milone, E. F., Leahy, D. A., and Fry, D. J. I. (1986). “Multicolour Photometry of CH Cygni,” in Workshop on Late Stages of Stellar Evolution, ed. S. Kwok) Dordrecht: Reidel), p. 283

Milone, E. F., Wilson, R. E., and Hrivnak, B. J. (1987). “RW Comae Berenices III. Light Curve Solution and Absolute Parameters,” Astrophysical Journal, 318, 325-338

Schiller, S. J. and Milone, E. F. (1987). “Photometric Analysis of the Hyades Eclipsing Binary HD 27130,” Astronomical Journal, 93, 1471-1483

Milone, E. F., and Clark, T. A. (1987). What’s New at the RAO (Calgary: Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary). [monograph, 13pp.]

Milone, E. F., and Clark, T. A. (1987). “Report of the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory,” Bulletin, American Astronomical Society, 19, 502-508

Schiller, S. J., and Milone, E. F. (1988). “Observations and Analysis of the Eclipsing Binary DS Andromedae — a Member of NGC 752,” Astronomical Journal, 95, 1466-1477

Nelson, R., Milone, E. F., and Penfold, J. E. (1988). “The Short-Period Eclipsing Binary V728 Herculis,” Information Bulletin on Variable Stars of IAU Comm. No. 27, No. 3201, 1-2

Milone, E. F., and Schiller, S. J. (1988). “A Progress Report on the RAO Binaries-in-Clusters Program and its Relevance for Distance Scales,” in The Extragalactic Distance Scale, ed. S. Van den Bergh and C. J. Pritchett, ASP Conf. Series, Vol. 4, pp. 182-183

Milone, E. F. (1988). “First Infrared Light at RAO,” Cassiopeiae, 48, 35.

Milone, E. F. (1988). “News from the RAO,” Cassiopeiae, 59, 35.

Hrivnak, B. J., and Milone, E. F. (1989). “The Unusual, High-Mass Contact Binary VZ Piscium,” Astronomical Journal, 97, 532-539

Clark, T. A., and Milone, E. F. (1989). “The University of Calgary Rothney Astrophysical Observatory,” in Remote Access Automatic Telescopes, Hayes, D.S, and Genet, R.M., eds. (Phoenix: Fairborn Press), pp. 125-134

Milone, E. F. (1989). “Implications of the O’Connell Effect for Close Binary System Modeling,” in Critical Observations vs Physical Models for Close Binary Systems, ed. Leung, K.-C. (New York: Gordon & Breach), 139 -149. {PRAO No. 37}

Milone, E. F. (1989). “Problems of Infrared Extinction and Standardization: An Introduction,” in Problems of Infrared Extinction and Standardization, ed. E. F. Milone (Berlin: Springer-Verlag), pp. 1- 5

Milone, E. F. (1989). “Problems of Infrared Extinction and Standardization: Concluding Postscript,” in Problems of Infrared Extinction and Standardization, ed. E. F. Milone (Berlin: Springer-Verlag), pp. 77 – 79

Volk, K., Clark, T. A., and Milone, E. F. (1989). “Models of Infrared Atmospheric Extinction,” in Problems of Infrared Extinction and Standardization, ed. E. F. Milone (Berlin: Springer-Verlag), pp. 15-24

Milone, E. F., and Schiller, S. J. (1990). “A Royal Road to Clusters and Stellar Evolution: Binaries-in-Clusters Applications to Cluster Studies,” in The Formation and Evolution of Star Clusters, Janes, K., ed. (Provo: B.Y.U. Press), pp. 427-432

Milone, E. F., and Clark, T. A. (1990). “Fifth Report of the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory,” Bulletin, American Astronomical Society, 22, No. 2, 974-983

Milone, E. F. (1990). “Opportunities for Binary Star Research in Canada,” in Pacific Rim Colloquium on New Frontiers in Binary Star Research, eds., K. C. Leung and I.-S. Nha. ASP Conference Series, Vol. 38, 443-450

Dougherty, S.M., Taylor, A.R. and Clark, T.A. (1991). “Near IR Observations of 101 Be Stars,” Astronomical Journal, 102, 1753.

Milone, E. F., Clark, T. A., Babott, F. M., Fry, D. J. I., Taylor, A. R., and Nelson, R. H (1991). “Improvements to the Infrared Telescope of the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory,” in Robotic Observatories: Present and Future, eds. S. Baliunas, and J. L. Richard, (Mesa: Fairborn Press), pp. 147-155

Milone, E. F., Groisman, G., Fry, D. J. I., and Bradstreet, D. H. (1991). “Analysis and Solution of the Light and Radial Velocity Curves of the Contact Binary TY Bootis,” Astrophysical Journal, 370, 677-692

Milone, E. F., Babott, F. M., Clark, T. A., Dougherty, S., Fry, D. J. I., Himer, J. T., Leahy, D. A., Taylor, A. R., and Ananth, A. G. (1992). “Infrared Variable Star Observing from the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory,” in Automated Telescopes for Photometry and Imaging, eds., Adelman, S. J., Dukes, R. J., and Adelman, C. J., ASP Conference Series, Vol. 28, pp. 49-55

Milone, E. F., Stagg, C. R., and Schiller, S. J. (1992). “Constraints on the Cessation of Eclipses in SS Lacertae and their Implications for System Evolution,” in Evolutionary Processes in Interacting Binary Stars, ed. Y. Kondo, pp. 479-482

Milone, E. F., Stagg, C. R., Kallrath, McVean, J. R., Sugars, B. J. A., and Schiller, S. J. (1992). “The Contact System H235 in NGC 752,” in Evolutionary Processes in Interacting Binary Stars, ed. Y. Kondo, pp. 475-478

Young, A. T., Milone, E. F., and Stagg, C. R. (1993). “Improved Infrared Passbands,” in Stellar Photometry – Current Techniques and Future Developments, eds., C.J. Butler and I. Elliott. (Cambridge: Univ. Press), pp. 235-241

Wilson, W. J. F., Milone, E. F., and Fry, D. J. I. (1993). “Studies of Large Amplitude Delta Scuti Variables: I. A Case Study of EH Librae,” Publs., Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 105, 809-820

Milone, E. F., Stagg, C. R., and Young, A. T. (1993). “Improved IR Passbands for Ground-Based Photometry: An Aid to Calibration,” in Astronomical Infrared Spectrocopy, ed, S. Kwok, pp. 395-396

Milone, E. F. (1993), “Towards the Realization of Modelling Improvement Suggestions made at the Beijing Colloquium on Close Binary Stars,” in Pacific Rim Colloquium on New Frontiers in Binary Star Research, eds. K. C. Leung and I.-S. Nha, ASP Conf. Series, Vol. 38, pp. 172-180

Milone, E. F., McVean, J. R., Lu, W., Schiller, S.J., and Miller, G. (1994). “The Binaries-in-Clusters Program in the Age of Imaging,” in Astronomy from Wide-Field Imaging, eds., H.T. MacGillivray, E.B. Thomson, B.M. Lasker, I.N. Read, D.F. Malin, R.M. West, and H. Lorenz, pp. 478-480

Milone, E. F., Wilson, W. J. F., Fry, D. J. I., and Schiller, S. J. (1994). “Studies of Large Amplitude delta Scuti Variables II: DY Herculis,” Publs., Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 106, 1120-1133

Young, A. T., Milone, E. F., and Stagg, C. R. (1994). “On Improving IR Photometric Passbands,” Astronomy & Astrophysics Suppl., 105, 259-279

Milone, E. F. (1994), “Report of the Working Group on Infrared Astronomy,” in the Commission 25 report, Reports on Astronomy, XXIIA, pp. 236-237

Milone, E. F., Stagg, C. R., Young, A. T. (1995). “Towards Robotic IR Observatories: improved IR passbands,” in Robotic Observatories, ed., Michael F. Bode (Chichester: John Wiley & Sons), pp. 117-124

Milone, E. F., Stagg, C. R., Sugars, B. J. A., McVean, J. R., Schiller, S. J., Kallrath, J., and Bradstreet, D. H. (1995). “Observations and Analysis of the Contact Binary H235 in the Open Cluster NGC 752,” Astronomical Journal, 109, 359-377

Nelson, R. H., Milone, E. F., Van Leeuwen, J., Terrell, Dirk, Penfold, J.E., and Kallrath, J. (1995). “Observations and Analysis of the Field Contact Binary V728 Herculis,” Astronomical Journal, 110, 2400-2407

Milone. E. F., McVean, J. R., Wilson, W. J. F., Kallrath, J., Schiller, S. J., Stagg, C.R., Mateo, M., and Yan, L. (1996). “Towards the Calibration of Cluster Colour-Magnitude Diagrams,” C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 322, Ser. II b, 177-184

Schiller, S. J. and Milone, E. F. (1996). “Binaries in Clusters: Exploring Binary and Cluster Evolution,” in The Origins, Evolution, and Destinies of Binary Stars in Clusters, eds. E.F. Milone & J.-C. Mermilliod, ASP Conference Series, Vol. 90, pp. 120-130

Milone, E. F., and Terrell, D. (1996). “Analysis of the Contact System H235 in the Open Cluster NGC 752,” in The Origins, Evolution, and Destinies of Binary Stars in Clusters, eds. E.F. Milone & J.-C. Mermilliod, ASP Conference Series, Vol. 90, pp. 283-285

McVean, J.R. and Milone, E.F. (1996). “Light Curve Analyses of Eclipsing Binaries in M71,” in The Origins, Evolution, and Destinies of Binary Stars in Clusters, eds. E.F. Milone & J.-C. Mermilliod, ASP Conference Series, Vol. 90, pp. 220-221

Milone, E. F. (1997). “Rothney Astrophysical Observatory,” Cassiopeia, No. 94, Autumnal Equinox issue, p. 8 [Summary Report of 25th year celebration at the University of Calgary]

Wilson, W.J.F., Milone, E.F., Fry, D.J.I., and Van Leeuwen, J. (1998). “Studies of Large-Amplitude delta Scuti Variables. III. DY Pegasi,” Publs., Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 110, 433-450

Milone, E. F., Wilson, W. J. F., and Volk, K. (1999). “Analyses of the Short-Period Cepheid SU Cassiopeiae,” Astronomical Journal, 118, 3016-3031

Milone, E. F., and Langill, P. (1999). “CCD Photometry with the A. R. Cross Telescope of the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory,” in CCD Precision Photometry Workshop, eds. Eric R. Craine, Toy A. Tucker, & Jeannette Barnes, ASP Conf. Series, Vol. 189, pp. 103-110

Milone, E. F. (1999). “The Rothney Astrophysical Observatory, The University of Calgary,” in the Bulletin, American Astronomical Society, 31, No. 4, 508-513 (6th Observatory Report)

Milone, E. F. (1999). “Working Group on Infrared Astronomy,” in J. Andersen, ed., IAU Reports on Astronomy, Vol. XXIVA, pp. 1-20

Milone, E. F., Schiller, S. J., Munari, U., Kallrath, J., (2000). “Analyses of the Currently Non-Eclipsing Binary SS Lacertae or SS Lac’s Eclipses,” Astronomical Journal, 119, 1405-1423

Milone, E. F., and Young, A. T. (2000). “Toward a New Precision Infrared Photometry System,” in The Standard Star Newsletter: an electronic publication of the Working Group on Standard Stars (IAU Commissions 25, 29, 30, 45), No. 28, pp. 9-10

Milone, E. F. (2002). “Developments at the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory,” in Cassiopeia, March Equinox issue, No. 112

Milone, E. F. (2002). “Rothney Astrophysical Observatory News,” in Cassiopeia, September Equinox issue, No. 114.

Milone, E. F. (2002). “Working Group on Infrared Astronomy (Groupe de Travail pour Astronomie Infrarouge),” in IAU Reports on Astronomy, XXVA, ed. H. Rickman, pp. 340-342

Milone, E. F. (2002). “A Reprise of the Properties of the Exotic Eclipsing Binary RT Lacertae,” in Exotic Stars as Challenges to Evolution, eds. C. A. Tout, & W. Van Hamme, ASP Conf. Series, Vol. 279, pp. 65-72

Milone, E.F., Young, A.T. (2005). “An Improved IR Passband System for Ground-Based Photometry: Realization,” Publs., Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 117, 485-502

Milone, E. F. (2006). “Infrared Working Group,” report in “Commission 25: Stellar Photometry and Polarimetry,” A. U. Landolt et al., in IAU Proceedings, Vol. 1. Transactions of the IAU XXVIIA (Cambridge University Press), p. 312

Milone, E. F., Young, A. T. (2007). “Standardization and the Enhancement of Infrared Precision,” in The Future of Photometric, Spectrophotometric and Polarimetric Standardization, ed. C. Sterken. ASP Conference Series, Vol. 364, pp. 387-407

Milone, E. F., Young, Andrew T. (2008). “Infrared Passbands for Precise Photometry of Variable Stars by Amateur and Professional Astronomers,” Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers, 36, 110-126

Kallrath, J., and Milone, E. F. (2009). Eclipsing Binary Stars: Modeling and Analysis. (New York, Dordrecht, Heidelberg, London: Springer)

Milone, E. F. (2009). “Division IX / Commission 25 / Working Group Infrared Astronomy,” Transactions of the IAU XXVIIB, ed. I. F. Corbett, pp. 119-122

Milone, E. F., and Young, A. T. (2011). “The Rise and Improvement of Infrared Photometry,” in Astronomical Photometry: Past, Present, and Future, eds. E.F. Milone & C. Sterken (New York: Springer Science and Business Media), pp. 125-142

Milone, E. F., and Pel, J. W. (2011). “The High Road to Astronomical Photometric Precision,” in Astronomical Photometry: Past, Present, and Future, eds. E.F. Milone & C. Sterken (New York: Springer Science and Business Media), pp. 33-68

Sterken, C., Milone, E. F., and Young, A. T. (2011). “Photometric Precision and Accuracy,” in Astronomical Photometry: Past, Present, and Future, eds. E.F. Milone & C. Sterken (New York: Springer Science and Business Media), pp. 1-32

Milone, E. F., and Young, Andrew T. (2011). “Infrared Photometry for Automated Telescopes: Passband Selection,” in Telescopes from AFAR conference, Waikaloa, HI, Feb. 28 – Mar 03, 2011, available at (http://tfa.cfht.hawaii.edu/program.php).

Milone, E. F., and Schiller, S. J. (2012). “Application of the Direct Distance Estimation procedure to eclipsing binaries in star clusters,” in Advancing the Physics of Cosmic Distances, Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, Vol. 8, Symposium No. 289, eds. R. de Grijs & G. Bono, pp 227-230

Williams, M. D., and Milone, E. F. (2013). “Results from the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory Variable Star Search Program: Background, Procedure, and Results from RAO Field 1,” The Journal of Astronomical Data, 19 (2), 1-86. (arxiv.org/abs/1101.5650)

Nelson, R. H., Terrell, D., Milone, E. F. (2014). “A Critical Review of Period Analyses and Implications for Mass Exchange in W UMa Eclipsing Binaries: Paper 1,” New Astronomy Reviews, 59, 1-13.

Nelson, R. H., Terrell, D., Milone, E. F. (2015). “A Critical Review of Period Analyses and Implications for Mass Exchange in W UMa Eclipsing Binaries: Paper 2,” New Astronomy Reviews, 69, 1-15.

Mamajek, E. E.; Torres, G.; Prsa, A.; Harmanec, P.; Asplund, M.; Bennett, P. D.; Capitaine, N.; Christensen-Dalsgaard, J.;   Depagne, E.; Folkner, W. M.; Haberreiter, M.; Hekker, S.; Hilton, J. L.; Kostov, V.; Kurtz, D. W.; Laskar, J.; Mason, B. D.; Milone, E. F.; Montgomery, M. M.; Richards, M. T.; Schou, J.; Stewart, S. G. (2015). “IAU 2015 Resolution B2 on Recommended Zero Points for the Absolute and Apparent Bolometric Magnitude Scales,” 2015arXiv151006262M

Yau, A. W. and James, H. G. (2015). “CASSIOPE Enhanced Polar Outflow Probe (e-POP) Mission Overview,” Space Science Reviews, 189, 3–14

Prza, Andrej; Harmanec, Petr; Torres, Guillermo; Mamajek, Eric; Asplund, Martin; Capitaine, Nicole; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Joergen; Depagne, Eric; Haberreiter, Margit; Hekker, Saskia; Hilton, James; Kopp, Greg; Kostov, Veselin; Kurtz, Donald W.; Laskar, Jacques; Mason, Brian D.; Milone, Eugene F.; Montgomery, Michele; Richards, Mercedes; Schmutz, Werner (2016). “Nominal Values for Selected Solar and Planetary Quantities: IAU 2015 Resolution B3,” Astronomical Journal, 152, 41

Nelson, R. H., Terrell, D., Milone, E. F. (2016). “A Critical Review of Period Analyses and Implications for Mass Exchange in W UMa Eclipsing Binaries: Paper 3,” New Astronomy Reviews, 70, 1-27.

Milone, E. F., Schiller, S. J., Mellergaard Amby, Th., Frandsen, S. (2019). “DS Andromedae: A Detached Eclipsing Double-Lined Spectroscopic Binary in the Galactic Cluster NGC 752,” Astronomical Journal, 158, 82 (26pp). [PRAO No. 77]

Images

RAO opening attendees (see below for identifications)

Attendees of the 50th anniverary celebration on 20 Sept 2022

Space Physics Site

Space Physics Group

 

Attendee Identifications

Guest List – numbered on the photograph

  1. Dr Arthur Murray. Post-doctoral fellow, Physics Department.
  2. Mr Joe Fisher, Land Agent.
  3. Tim Kirkham, RAO Engineer.
  4. Mr John Howell, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.
  5. ?
  6. Dr Michael Smith, Post-doctoral fellow, Physics Department.
  7. Rick Choquette. Graduate Student, Physics Department.
  8. Dr Eugene Milone. Co-director of RAO.
  9. ?
  10. Dr Derek Swinson. Visiting professor, University of New Mexico.
  11. Dr Alan Clark, Associate professor and Co-director, RAO.
  12. ?
  13. George Simpson, graduate student, Physics Department.
  14. Dr Cyril Challice, past Department Head and professor, Physics Department.
  15. Dr William Friley, Chancellor, University of Calgary.
  16. Mr Donald Will, Electronic Technician, Physics Department.
  17. Dr D Venkatesan, Professor, Physics Department.
  18. Dr Ranga Sreeenivasan, Associate Professor, Physics Department.
  19. Dr Roy Krouse, Department Head and Professor, Physics Department.
  20. Dr Margaret Burbidge, Professor, University of California, San Diego, Director-designate, Royal Greenwich Observatory and Distinguished Guest.
  21. ?
  22. Dr Kenneth O. Wright, Director of Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, Victoria, BC.
  23. Dr Donald Wallace, Visiting scientist.
  24. Reeve Poffenroth, Foothills County of Alberta.
  25. Mr Alexander Rothney Cross, donor of Observatory land and Distinguished guest.
  26. Dr Douglas Hube, Associate Professor, University of Alberta.
  27. Dr Bart Hicks, Post-doctoral Fellow Physics Department.
  28. Dr Bob Neville, Sessional Lecturer, Physics Dept.
  29. Mr Pat Judge, Development Office.
  30. Dr Brian Wilson, Professor, Physics Department, Head of Space Group.
  31. Dr Robert Wright, Dean of Arts and Science, University of Calgary.
  32. Dr Arthur Knudsen, Senior Instructor, Physics Department.
  33. Dr S K Wong. Assistant Professor, Physics Dept.
  34. Dr Brian Mercer, Research Associate, Physics Department.
  35. Dr John Bland, Associate professor, Physics Department.
  36. Dr Leroy Cogger, Assistant professor, Physics Department.
  37. Dr Titus Mathews, Associate professor, Physics Department.
  38. Dr Kenneth Ziebarth. Post-doctoral Fellow.
  39. Dr David Fry, Assistant professor, Physics Department.

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