When:
10/08/2021 @ 19:30
2021-10-08T19:30:00-04:00
2021-10-08T19:45:00-04:00
Where:
Darling Hill Observatory
455-585 Strong Rd
Tully
NY 13159
455-585 Strong Rd
Tully
NY 13159
Keeva Dudgeon will be speaking to everyone who attends our October star party about her award-winning high school science project. She has created/designed a wearable device that enables easier satellite (e.g. ISS) monitoring via HAM radio. Her talk is about 20 minutes long, and is scheduled for 7:30 PM October 8 at DHO. Astronomical darkness is about 7:50 PM on that evening.
Please join me in welcoming Keeva to SAS as our guest speaker, next week. Let’s hope we have clear skies and lots of members attending.
Full disclosure: Keeva is Mike Brady’s granddaughter.
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Here’s more information about Keeva and her project…
Caoimhe (“Keeva”) Dudgeon is a 10th grade homeschooler from Homer. She is fascinated by space and space exploration. She has an extensive model rocket collection, regularly gets her telescopes out for astronomy, and follows rocket launches as intently as some teenagers follow pop stars. She learned that there was actually a fair amount of amateur radio equipment on satellites and ISS, active and available to anyone with a Ham license. She got her very first radio for Christmas 2020 and her license from the FCC in February of this year.
Caoimhe created a system to help her work OSCARs (orbital satellites containing amateur radio). Her problem was how many different devices she needed to manipulate at the same time during a pass. She has a sensor pack that attaches to her antenna, monitoring heading and elevation, working with software she wrote, it gives her a real time overlay to where the antenna should be positioned. The software’s display is routed to a wearable eye piece, so she doesn’t have to look at a phone or computer, and compass while also handling the large yagi antenna and multiple radios.
At the 2021 CNY Science and Engineering Fair, Caoimhe’s project received the IEEE Award, LeMoyne Excellence in Math or Computer Science, Lockheed Martin Award, Terra Science Award, Naval Research Award, and High Honors Medallion. She was invited to present her work at the New York Science Congress, where she received High Honors recognition.