[vsnet-outburst 7402] AAVSO Purchases Former Headquarters of Sky Publishing

[LARRY KLAES]

THE FOLLOWING RELEASE WAS RECEIVED FROM THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF
VARIABLE STAR OBSERVERS, IN CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, AND IS FORWARDED
FOR YOUR INFORMAITON.  (FORWARDING DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT BY THE
AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.)  Steve Maran, American Astronomical
Society  maran at aas.org  1-202-328-2010 x116


AAVSO Purchases Former Headquarters of Sky Publishing

For immediate release

Media Contact:
Travis Searle
1-617-354-0484
travis at aavso.org

The American Association of Variable Star Observers has purchased the
former headquarters of Sky & Telescope and Night Sky magazines. This
property, at 49 Bay State Road in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is about one
hundred feet from the current AAVSO headquarters. The move triples the
AAVSO’s available square footage, providing space for the association to
grow. The AAVSO turns 100 years old in 2011, and this new building forms
the foundation of AAVSO’s growth plans for its second century of
operation.

The new facility will be named the Clinton B. Ford Astronomical Data and
Research Center after the AAVSO’s former association secretary and
long-time benefactor. Building dedication will take place on April 1,
2007. This over 9000 square foot building will house a research library,
including the Charles Y. McAteer Collection, as well as dedicated
workspace for visiting students, researchers, and members. Most
importantly, the new facility will provide above-ground storage for the
AAVSO’s extensive archive and the International Database of variable star
observations.

“Our archive and the International Database are our greatest resources,”
says AAVSO Director Dr. Arne Henden. “They trace more than one hundred
years of our achievements in science and the new facilities will make them
safe and accessible for generations to come.”

The AAVSO’s archive includes tens of thousands of historical observing
logs, association papers, and correspondence between AAVSO staff members
and members of the astronomical community. The International Database
contains over 13.7 million variable star observations spanning more than
100 years. Together, these two libraries of information form the
cornerstone of the AAVSO’s science and history. Currently, the archive is
in a basement storage facility and the database servers are in the corner
of a staff office. The new facilities will allow both these resources to
reside in dedicated, above ground, environmentally controlled areas.

In addition to providing expanded facilities for the AAVSO’s collections,
the new facility also provides more office space for staff and visiting
professional and amateur researchers.  The AAVSO sponsors two programs for
individuals to do research at their headquarters. The Janet A. Mattei
Research Fellowship provides a visiting scientist, postdoctoral
researcher, or advanced student funding to visit and perform research at
AAVSO Headquarters. The Margaret W. Mayall Assistantship provides summer
assistantships to high school and college students interested in learning
about astronomy and data processing (1). In the new facility, both these
positions will have permanent, dedicated office space. Additional space
will be set-aside for short-term visiting researchers to collaborate with
staff on individual projects.

“The AAVSO seeks to become the world recognized leader in information and
data on variable stars,” says Henden. “This building is part of making
that vision a reality. It will provide a dynamic and spacious environment
for research. Staff and visiting collaborators will benefit from all the
technological advantages of a modern facility.”

Information on applying for Mattei and Mayall visiting positions is
available on the AAVSO website, http://www.aavso.org. Individuals wishing
to utilize materials in the AAVSO library, archive, or International
Database in person can do so by appointment.

The 49 Bay State Road facility has a long history of serving the
astronomical community. Purchased in 1955 by then Sky and Telescope editor
Charles A. Federer, the original house was converted to offices for both
Federer and his magazine. By 1958, Sky and Telescope had migrated its
entire staff from its original headquarters at Harvard College Observatory
to its Bay State Road location. In addition to the original building, they
also purchased two buildings across the street, creating a three building
complex. For the past 48 years, Sky and Telescope and its associated
publications, including Night Sky magazine, have been produced at that
location under the corporate umbrella of Sky Publishing. In February 2006,
Sky Publishing was purchased by New Track Media, LLC, and in October, the
publications’ staff moved to new facilities about a mile away.

“It is good to see this building staying in the astronomical community,”
says AAVSO council member Dr. Pamela L. Gay. “Sky and Telescope has been a
cornerstone publication of the astronomical community and moving into
their building feels like moving into the old family homestead of the
amateur astronomy family.”  AAVSO 2nd Vice President, Dr. Jaime García of
Argentina, stated today that “our Centenary is approaching and we have the
challenge of growing and improving our leadership in amateur-professional
collaborations.  Therefore, it is wisest to have a new and large place
with plenty of history, for facing that challenge.”

This is not the first time the AAVSO and Sky and Telescope have played
follow-the-leader with their organizational headquarters. Both
organizations were initially housed at Harvard College Observatory, with
the AAVSO residing at HCO from 1918 until 1953, and Sky and Telescope
having staff housed at HCO from 1941 until 1958. The two organizations
also both housed staff in adjoining offices at non-adjoining times on
Concord Ave, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sky and Telescope had offices at
186 Concord Ave from the winter of 1952-53 until 1958, and AAVSO was
headquartered at 187 Concord Ave from 1965 until 1985.

The AAVSO turns 100 years old in 2011. This building purchase is an early
birthday present from the AAVSO to itself. Individuals and corporations
wishing to give the AAVSO a birthday gift or housewarming gift of their
own should visit the AAVSO’s homepage at www.aavso.org and click on
Donate.

Founded in 1911, the American Association of Variable Star Observers is a
501(c)3 organization dedicated to the study of variable stars. The AAVSO
focuses their efforts in three directions: the observation and analysis of
variable stars, motivating and mediating professional-amateur astronomy
collaborations, and data archiving. Each year, AAVSO members on five
continents acquire over one million data points on variable stars that are
used in hundreds of scientific publications around the world.

(1)	M.W. Mayall directed the AAVSO from 1949 to 1973 and J.A. Mattei was
AAVSO director from 1974 to 2004.

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referrals to experts on astronomy and space exploration should be sent to
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Telephone  1-202-328-2010 X116




>From: tkato at kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp (Taichi Kato)
>To: 
>variable_star_forum at yahoogroups.com,vsnet-alert at ooruri.kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp,vsnet-alert at yahoogroups.com,vsnet-cxampaign-blazar at kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp,vsnet-outburst at ooruri.kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp,vsnet-outburst at yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [vsnet-alert 9187] 3C279 outburst
>Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2006 13:26:33 +0900 (JST)
>
>   3C279 is reported to be in outburst.
>
>   The object is normally at V=14.8-15.9 (early 2006, Kiyota)
>
>   YYYYMMDD(UT) mag observer
>   20061215.163 141 (Stefan Karge)
>   20061227.201 140 (Stefan Karge)