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=Spitzer Teacher and Student Research Program =

The Spitzer Science Center (SSC) and NOAO (National Optical Astronomy Observatories) have provided an opportunity for teachers and students from across the nation to participate in astronomy research projects based on data that they request to be collected using the Spitzer Space Telescope. Telescope time is granted to the research teams based on the scientific merits of the proposals written by teachers and their students.

Students from Chippewa Hills High School are currently working with students from Manhasset High School, Manhasset, NY, the Breck School, Minneapolis, MN, Ingomar Middle School, Philadelphia, PA, Oil City Area Senior High School, Oil City, PA, and Sidney High School, Sidney, MT. Our project involves Lynds Dark Nebulae (LDNs). LDNs are small, usually isolated, nebulae. They are not generally associated with the larger molecular clouds like those in Taurus,Ophiuchus, Orion and Cygnus. It appears possible, however, that L981 may indeed be a part of a larger complex of molecular clouds found in Cygnus. A connection was found via an extensive search of existing literature on dark nebulae and molecular clouds.

We chose LDN 425 and LDN 981 as targets for imaging with the Spitzer Space Telescope. Data was taken on L425 in May of 2008. Data from L981 was taken in July.

We traveled to the Spitzer Science Center (Pasadena, CA) in early June to do the initial data reduction on L425. Photometry was done using APT. Spectra Energy Distributions were made for potential YSOs (Young Stellar Objects). Preliminary results indicate that this nebula does have an embedded young star. Data reduction is ongoing for L981.

Two students agreed to work through the data reduction on L981 as an independent study project over the 2nd trimester. They were part of the effort that led to abstracts being submitted for poster sessions at the American Astronomical Society's 2009 meeting in Long Beach, CA.

Our team attended this event and presented their initial results along with the students and teachers from the other schools involved in this project. They identified 7 IR sources in L981 and did the photometry needed to create SEDs (spectral energy distribution diagrams) for them. These were compared to SEDs for known objects in order to classify the IR sources as Class 0, Class I protostars, Class II, etc.

Currently (March 1, 2009), work is under way to complete both a paper on the students' findings as well as a poster display for our regional ISEF. The paper will also be submitted to NOAO's RBSE (Research Based Science Education) Journal, hopefully being published in the 2009 edition.

LDN 981 (Above) LDN 425 (Right, Above) 
 * Group Project - Spitzer LDN Team**