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[79.01] Undergraduate Participation in the Blazar Monitoring Program at the WKU Bell Observatory

M.T. Carini, D. Barnaby, A. Atkerson, D. A. Glass (Western Kentucky University), T. R. Monroe (Western Kentucky University*), C. Poteet (Western Kentucky University), W.T. Ryle (Western Kentucky University**), R. Walters, W. L. Wills (Western Kentucky University)

Blazars are the most extreme example of the AGN phenomena. They have as one of thier defining characteristics large amplitude variability at all wavelengths and on multiple timescales. We have established a Blazar monitoring program using the 0.6m telescope of the Bell Observatory at Western Kentucky University. Undergraduate students play a primary role in this program. They observe with the telescope, reduce and analyze the resulting data and present their results at local, state, and national conferences. We discuss the monitoring program, the results from its first 3 years, and student participation.

This program has been funded by the Kentucky Space Grant Consortium, The Kentucky NSF EPSCoR Program, The NASA/Kentucky EPSCoR Program, The Applied Research and Technology Program at Western Kentucky University and the Western Kentucky University Faculty Summer Fellowship program

* Now at Indiana University ** Now at Georgia State University

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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35#5
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.