Roles of NARIT in Developing Galaxy Science/ Astronomy in Thailand and ASEAN

Boonrucksar SoonthornthumDirector, NARIT, Thailandwww.narit.or.th

9 March 2013Science Center Singapore

21st Century Education: Understanding Our

Place in the UniverseGalaxy Science Forum:

Advancing 21st Century Education worldwide to provide

greater global awareness, capabilities and action in Galaxy

science, exploration and enterprise.

Outline of this presentation:1.Astronomy Education in Thailand2.The Establishment of NARIT3.Network and Collaboration4.Roles of NARIT in Driving Astronomy Education for Thailand and ASEAN Community

Astronomy Education in ThailandSchool Level (approximately 10,000 high schools from 30,000 schools all over Thailand): “National Curriculum in Earth, Astronomy and Space Science” University Level (approximately 64 public universities): Undergraduate study under Physics Curriculum. About 8 universities offer graduate study in astronomy (Master and Ph.D.)

Mission of NARIT

1. Carry out research and development on astronomy and astrophysics

2 . Establish a network and co-operation with organizations and research institutes, both domestic and international3 . Support and co-ordinate

astronomical collaboration projects with other relevant institutes and organization, on both national and international scale 4 . Dissemination knowledge and

technology development in astronomy to public

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- Flagship Project of Thai Astronomy Under the Royal Comment of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn

- Located at Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand at 2457, -meter above the sea level, Latitude 18º 34 2’

1’’ N และ 98º 29 07’ ’’E - Officially Opening Ceremony and fully

operated on 22 January 2013

The New Infrastructure of the 21st Century in Southeast

Asia: The Thai National Observatory (TNO)

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Inauguration of the TNO on 22nd January

2013

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Specification - 2.4 m f/10 F=24000 mm - 2 Nasmyth Foci - Pointing Accuracy 3 arcsec - Tracking Accuracy 0.5 arcsec

The 2.4-meter Class Thai National

Telescope (TNT)

Information Service and Training Center

Inthanon Mountain in Chiang Mai, Thailand (1200 above the sea level)

Office and Accommodation for Astronomers

Format Brand Model Pixel RON FOV Filters Delivery Status

2k x 2k Apogee Alta U42 13.5 μm 7e- 3.6' x 3.6'Johnson + Stromgren

Installed Temporary

3k x 3k Apogee Alta U9000 12 μm 12e- 4.8' x 4.8' Red Oct-12 2ms TDI

4k x 4k ARC E2V232-84 15 μm 4e- 8' x 8'UBVRI,Hα, Red

C, ClearJan-13 Facility

1k x 1k 13 μm 0e- 7.7' x 7.7'Broad + Narrow

Jan-13 Visitor

Type Manuf. Long Slit R Spectral Range Delivery StatusFiber Meaburn Yes 3,000 390-800 nm Available ??Fiber Shelyak No 10,000 430-710 nm Nov-12 TemporaryFiber NIAOT No 18,000 380-900 nm Dec-13 Facility

QSI632, 2184x1472Andor 2048x512

CCD

ULTRASPEC EMCCD

Imag

ers

Spec

tro (Vmag ~ 12)

Thai 2.4m Instrumentation

Status: October 8, 2012

5 Key Sciences of NARIT

Optical Astronomy

Radio Astronomy

Solar Physics and Space Weather

High Energy Astrophysicsand Cosmology

AstronomicalInstrumentation

East Asian 2m optical-infrared telescope network

OAO(Japan)OAO(Japan)

BAO(Korea)BAO(Korea)

1.9m

1.8m

SubaruSubaru

8.2m

2.2 m Xinglong (China)Xinglong (China)

2.4m

GMG (China)GMG (China)

2.4m NARIT(Thailand)NARIT(Thailand)

2.0m

Lulin (Taiwan)Lulin (Taiwan)

CCD-Images from 2.4 m-TNT

Jupiter Image

CCD-Images from 2.4 m-TNT

Mars ImageSaturn Image

CCD-Images from 2.4 m-TNT

Dual Lobe Planetary Nebula in Gemini

NGC 2371

Ghost of Jupiter in HydraNGC 3242

CCD-Images from 2.4 m-TNT

Eskimo Nebula (NGC 2392) in Gemini

CCD-Images from 2.4 m-TNT

M 96 in LeoM 95 in Leo

CCD-Images from 2.4 m-TNT

M13 Globular Cluster

in Hercules

M1 Crab NebulaIn Taurus

CCD-Images from 2.4 m-TNT

Minor Planet 2012 DA14

Comet ISON

Comet ISON ->

Astro Park

Astro Park is located in down town Chiang Mai (20 acres area) and the whole project will be completed in 2016

Astro Park

Astro Park consists of Main Office, International Office, Auditorium, Laboratory, Mechanical Shop, Planetarium, Public Observatory

Public Provincial ObservatoriesProvincial observatory Projects

The project was approved in the cabinet meeting on March 2009. Six observatories will be established in 4 years time spreading over different regions of the country.

Main facilities for each public provincial observatory include: An up-

to-standard observatory equipped with a 0.6-metre reflecting telescope, a CCD

camera, a spectrometer, an office building and standard training

accessories.

Human Resource Development in

AstronomyMinistry of Science and Technology provides scholarships according to the human resource development plan of NARIT. The number of scholarships are as follows: - 2007 B.Sc-M.Sc-Ph.D 1

M.Sc-Ph.D or Ph.D 3 - 2008 B.Sc-M.Sc-Ph.D

2 M.Sc-Ph.D or Ph.D 2

- 2009 B.Sc-M.Sc-Ph.D 2

M.Sc-Ph.D or Ph.D 3 - 2010-2012 M.Sc-Ph.D or Ph.D5

Human Resource Development in

AstronomyFrom 2010, the Institute for Promotion

in Teaching Science and Technology , Ministry of Education also provides scholarships to high school students who are the national representatives on the “International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA)” competition as follows: - 2010-2012 B.Sc-M.Sc-Ph.D

8Some foreign astronomy

institutes eg: Korean Astronomy and Space Science Institute also offers scholarship to Thai students for graduate studies in Korea, GUCAS under collaboration between China-Thailand.

- 2008 M.Sc (Sejong University, Korea) 1

- 2009 M.Sc (Sejong University, Korea) 2

- 2010 M.Sc- Ph.D (KASI, Korea)1

- Becoming membership of the International Astronomical Union, IAU (August 2006)- Initiation of International Collaborations-Initiation of Thai National Astronomy Network (TNAM)- Initiation of South-East Asian Astronomical Network (SEAAN)

Network and Collaboration

Thailand became National Member of the IAU

during the 26th General Assembly of the IAU in Prague, August 2006

Official Speech delivered by Dr. Suchinda Chotipanich

the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Science and Technology Thailand

(left picture)

International Collaborations and Networks

Korea-Thai MOU Signing, February,2008

TNAM Meeting in 2012

Southeast Asia Astronomy Network, SEAAN, Meeting

The 1st Southeast Asia Young Astronomers Collaboration,

SEAYAC, Meeting 5-7 November 2012, Palawan,

Philippines

MOU Signing NARIT and UPLB

NARIT has signed an MOU with the University of Philippines, Los Banos (UPLB) on 20 September 2012. In 2013, UPLB will send 4 students for training in astronomical instrumentation at NARIT.

Visit Myanmar 16-20 December 2012

Visit Myanmar 16-20 December 2012

Visit Myanmar 16-20 December 2012

11-01-2010 37

Roles of NARIT in Supporting Astronomy

Education 1.Supporting Higher

Education2.Teacher Training in

Astronomy in 3 levels

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NARIT makes an MOU signing with 8 major universities in Thailand -Curriculum development -Supporting astronomical facilities, research funding-Co-supervision-Scholarships

MOU signing between NARIT and 8 Cooperative Universities

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Official MOU Signing between NARIT and

IPSTon 26 December 2012

Nation-wide Teacher Training Workshop

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Results from the MOU, NARIT and IPST agree to cooperate in organizing 3 levels of workshops for school teachers nation-wide:1.Basic Level2.Intermediate Level3.Advanced Level

Project on “Teacher Training Workshop in Astronomy”

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120 teachers/workshop + 5 workshops/year 600 teachers/year

Goals: To provide school teachers with

1 . sufficient knowledge in general astronomy for school teaching

2. experiences in astronomical observations

3. concept ideas on the development of astronomy curriculum in school

Teacher Training Workshop in Astronomy: Basic Level

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30 teachers/workshop, 1 workshop/year select teachers from BASIC level workshop or teachers who has experiences in teaching astronomy in school

Goals: To provide school teachers with

1 . More skill in astronomical observations, how to plan for observations and using telescopes and additional detectors for observations

2.Skill in internet searching for astronomical data and contents for teaching

3.Skill in basic astronomical data collections and analysis

Teacher Training Workshop in Astronomy: Intermediate Level

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15-20 teachers with students/workshop, 1 workshop/year by invitation only

Goals: 1.To organize “Project-based”

workshop in astronomy2. To provide observational, data

collections and reduction skills for teachers and students by using NARIT’s telescope including the “Remote Control Telescope” in Chile

3. To provide skill in writing up research paper presentation for teachers and students

4. To have “Research Teacher” who can conduct “Young School Researcher”

Teacher Training Workshop in Astronomy: Advance Level

11-01-2010 45

Deployment of Remote 0.6-meter telescope of NARIT (2012) at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), Chile to join University of North Carolina onPROMPT Project for GRB monitoring. This will also serve as a platform for research projects, undergraduate and high school education in Thailand.

Learning through remote observations

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A Teacher Training Project “A Study on Physical Parameters and Evolution a Close Binary System, AY Aquarius

Sample of a Research Project using the PROMPT telescope,

CTIO, Chile

Light curve of a binary system, AY Aqr in V-band by remote observation from Thailand

PROMPT Telescope

Public Outreach Activities

You are Galileo! In Thailand (NAOJ-NARIT)

in November and December 2012

Astrophotography Workshop

South-East Asia Regional Office of Astronomy for

Development (SEA ROAD) of the IAU

The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) has been selected to coordinate the International Astronomical Union (IAU) astronomy-for-development activities in the South East Asian region.

On 27 August 2012 the IAU signed an important agreement with NARIT who will host a Regional Node as part of the IAU’s decadal strategic plan which aims to realize the societal benefits of astronomy.

South-East Asia Regional Office of Astronomy for

Development (SEA ROAD) of the IAU

Signing Agreement on 27 August 2012

International Training Center in Astronomy Under Auspices

of UNESCO

The Thai Cabinet approved the proposal on “The International Training Center in Astronomy Under Auspices of the UNESCO. The proposal has been submitted to the UNESCO Headquarter in Paris, FRANCE. This center will be served as a training center in astronomy especially for ASEAN Community.