"Science is more than a body of knowledge, it's a way of thinking."
- Carl Sagan
- Carl Sagan
It began with a Planetarium.
I began my career in astronomy not through the rigors of university, but rather as a young assistant to a planetarium lecturer. Giving back to the community is a part of who I am. Since 2007, I have volunteered 1000+ hours at observatories and planetariums, and contributed over two dozen articles on popular science. Currently, I am a rotation writer for Astrobites. As part of a citizen science initiative, I am the project director of the variable star spectral repository at the American Association of Variable Star Observers. |
Observatory Stewardship
Crisp evening air. Clear skies. Maybe a telescope. Nothing refreshes me more than a night under the stars. Since 2008, I have volunteered 1000+ hours at observatories (and one planetarium) in the UK and US. Roles have included program director, telescope operator, and constellation guide.
Frosty Drew Observatory
Ninigrit Park, US (2013-2018) |
University Observatory
St Andrews, UK (2013-2018) |
Maria Mitchell Observatory
Nantucket, US (Summer 2015) |
Olin Observatory
Connecticut College, US (2012-2013) |
Treworgy Planetarium
Mystic Seaport, US (2008, 2013) |
Citizen Science
AVSpec is the first spectral database of the American Association of Variable Star Observers. Accessible to any astronomer with the capability to perform spectroscopy, AVSpec is the world-leading database for amateur spectroscopy of variable stars and novae.
I was the Development Director of AVSpec from 2016 - 2018, developing the concept, backend, and frontend of the the database. I was supported in this role by the 2016 & 2017 Margaret Mayall Fellowships. The site is now live: www.aavso.org/apps/specdb |
Astrobites
Astrobites features daily summaries of academic papers submitted to the ArXiv in the field of astronomy. Most articles are written by graduate students with the aim of a brief but comprehensive coverage of the background, methods, and conclusions. On occasion, we highlight outstanding undergraduate research, and tips for graduate school.
I am a rotation writer for 2019 and 2020, contributing one article per month as well as serving as a peer editor. A listing of my articles can be found at https://astrobites.org/author/jweaver/. Here are some recent ones: |
MAY 2020
The Missing Link: New Insights from Post-starburst Outflows What can outflowing gas tell us about the connection between rapid galaxy growth and AGN activity? |
Popular Science Articles
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FROSTY DREW OBSERVATORY
What Are Black Holes? We've all heard about black holes. From science fiction to bizarre news stories and beyond, myths and misconceptions have circulated popular culture since their discovery. But what are they? Before we can answer that question, we need to understand a little about gravity. Now I don't mean the blockbuster featuring a lone Sandra Bullock facing the end result of the Kessler Syndrome, but rather the force that holds us all together. |
FROSTY DREW OBSERVATORY
Quasars: The Limits of the Universe Known now for only a little more than half a century, these mysterious objects have captivated and driven astronomers to explore further from Earth than ever before. Quasars are thought to be the violent centers of the earliest galaxies. Our own Milky Way Galaxy, to which we belong, probably began as one of these objects, swirling and twirling away billions of years ago. |
SCINOTE
Guided by the Sun: Celestial Navigation Imagine that you have travelled back to the year 1766. You find yourself aboard the ship of Captain James Cook, who has been asked by the Royal Society, the world’s leading scientific institution of the time, to voyage to the Pacific Ocean to observe one of the rarest of events, a transit of Venus. But you have only just left England and are now off the shore of Spain. You see a man standing near the railings, holding a strange instrument. He is the ships navigator, and he is engaged in a practice called celestial navigation. |
Talks & Presentations |