Coordination of Ground Based Observations

(OEAW, VU)

Task 5 organized coordination meetings for ground-based observational campaigns with a strong focus on the inclusion of new communities and amateur astronomers. In particular the astronomical professionals of the new member-states was addressed and integrated in the observation network. IWF Graz provided a system through the database of ground-based observatories (http://europlanet-na1.oeaw.ac.at/matrix/) which allowed amateurs to setup their own database. The criteria for the observation topics was elaborated together with Tasks 2 and 3. Results of the campaigns were presented in separate scientific workshops in cooperation with Task 2. Their outcome is published on the NA website; summary reports and observation plans were prepared to inform the broad community.

Observational results is put into respective databases and access infrastructures available within the project after proper verification, as part of the activity in the VA6-VESPA work package. This was performed in collaboration with the respective VA and JRA activities, which provided the knowledge for suitable metadata standards and access protocols. Amateur education workshops were organized on a regular basis. Some preliminary themes for Workshops were identified as follows:

Ground-based observations plans

• Roughly three workshops/meetings per year, with its main focus on the organization and coordination of observation campaigns
• Ideally a workshop should culminate in an observation campaign and further in a follow-up workshopfor the scientific exploitation of the campaign.
• Extension of the "Matrix of ground-based facilities and space missions?.
• In the future amateurs should also be able to provide their observational data directly via this database, which will be linked to the Virtual Observatory VESPA (in cooperation with WP6 Vespa)

Ground-based observations workshops

• Europlanet 2020, Kick-Off meeting, Nantes, 27 Sep 2015, NA1 activity
• Rosetta ground-based observations (Seggau, Austria). Organizer: Colin Snodgrass (Lancaster University, UK); June 2016
• Amateur training workshop (Vilnius, Lithuania)
• Exoplanet observations
• Further workshop topics will be coordinated together with TASK 2 and TASK 3.
• See also NA1 Task 5 Workshop Guidelines and NA1 Task 5 Reimbursement Rules.
• Matrix of Ground-based Facilities and Space Missions