Dating Active Young Stars

Presenter(s): Donna Burton

Session details: Sunday, 2016-03-27 04:30:00, LT104

Abstract

Of all the parameters relating to stars, age is one of the most important but also one of the most difficult to get right. This presentation provides a review of current methods of determining age, tells why it matters and asks how can we do it better.

Biography

Donna has always been in love with the sky and has been a passionate amateur astronomer for many years. Currently a post-graduate student at the University of Southern Queensland, Donna is also a flying instructor and the Australian National Coordinator for the international group “Astronomers Without Borders”. She has worked at the UK Schmidt Telescope as an observer and on the “Siding Spring Near Earth Object Survey”. Donna became the first Australian woman to discover a comet in 2006 and she found another in 2007.

Her primary astronomical interests are Comet Hunting, Variable Stars, Sidewalk Astronomy, Extra-Solar Planets and “Spotty Stars”. Donna now works in astronomy outreach with USQ and her own astro outreach business.