This is the home page for the IAU Division B Working Group on Time Domain Astronomy. The TDA WG promotes the study of variability - transient, periodic, secular, or aperiodic - across all disciplines of astronomy from the solar system to cosmological distances. In keeping with the broad scope of activities, WG members represent a diversity of topics including synoptic surveys in all bandpasses, multi-messenger follow-up, stellar variability, moving objects, heritage data, instrumentation, robotic telescopes, communication, analysis, and education. Thus we provide a forum to bring together specialists who may not interact very frequently, if at all, providing a basis for exploring commonality in data analysis tools, simulations, standards, observing strategies, transient alert infrastructure, telescope scheduling, etc. We support meetings such as the ongoing workshop series, Hot-wiring the Transient Universe, and are proposing a time domain symposium for 2017, Southern Horizons in Time Domain Astronomy. As a Working Group reporting to IAU Division B, our explicit scope is "Facilities, Technologies and Data Science, but we are eager to work with other divisions and commissions of the Union on diverse issues of time domain science of all kinds.
We welcome suggestions for the future evolution of this WG, both under the umbrella of the IAU and as a forum for the astronomical time domain community.
Hosted by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, The Science of Time (Time in Astronomy & Society - Past, Present and Future) will explore the rich science and history of time from Harrison's chronometer to today's atomic clocks and pulsar observations. At the same time the program will set the stage for future timekeeping standards, infrastructure, and engineering best practices for astronomers and the broader society. Time Domain Astronomy covers a great diversity of scientific research and methods, yet all TDA communities share a critical dependency on precise timescales and timekeeping. The Science of Time will provide a rare opportunity for researchers who depend on time to interact directly with those responsible for managing it.
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WG membership is limited to IAU members or associate members. Let us know if you need help becoming one or another. It may take a few days for new members to appear here, but access to the mailing list(s) should be immediate.
Contact info@timedomainastronomy.net