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Podcaster: Rob Sparks

Title: The NEWFIRM Imager

Links: www.noao.edu ; http://www.ctio.noao.edu/; @NOAONorth

Description:  Infrared astronomy has made great leaps due to improvements in detector technology. The National Optical Astronomy Observatory recognized the need for a new wide field infrared imager that would be accessible to the astronomical community. The result of this effort is the National Optical Astronomy Observatory Extremely Wide Field Infrared Imagers (NEWFIRIM). In this podcast, NEWFIRM instrument scientist Dr. Ron Probst discusses the history of the NEWFIRM imager, its construction, recent science findings and its future.

Bio: Rob Sparks is a science education specialist in the Education and Public Outreach (EPO) group at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) and works on the Galileoscope project (www.galileoscope.org), providing design, dissemination and professional development. He blogs at halfastro.wordpress.com.

Dr. Rob Probst is the Project Scientist for the NEWFIRM imager at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory in Tucso, Arizona.

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365 Days of Astronomy
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The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the New Media Working Group of the International Year of Astronomy 2009. Audio post-production by Preston Gibson. Bandwidth donated by libsyn.com and wizzard media. Web design by Clockwork Active Media Systems. You may reproduce and distribute this audio for non-commercial purposes. Please consider supporting the podcast and Astrosphere New Media Association with a contribution. Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at info@365DaysOfAstronomy.org. Until tomorrow…