Looking up- Love for Stars | Teja Begari | TEDxYouth@SuchitraAcademy
Tja Bagari details his personal journey into astronomy, starting with basic curiosity in grade school and advancing through self-study, citizen science, and formal research. He establishes that persistent curiosity is the key driver for pursuing difficult scientific endeavors, culminating in publications on complex stellar systems like AM Canum Venaticorum (AMCVn) and X-ray binaries. He concludes by urging the audience to maintain curiosity and believe in themselves, asserting that *the sky is not the limit*. ## Speakers & Context - **Tja Bagari:** Amateur astronomer and researcher whose focus areas include eclipsing binaries, pulsars, and the cosmic web. - The talk shares his personal story of how he pursued astronomy, framing it as the beginning of a greater narrative. - Context involves bridging the gap between ancient astronomical curiosity (Babylonians, Egyptians, Indians, etc.) and modern high-tech scientific inquiry. ## Theses & Positions - Humanity has always been fascinated by the heavens, regardless of available technology. - *Curiosity* is the essential catalyst for scientific pursuit, allowing one to work on projects that feel impossibly complex for a high school student. - The universe is filled with infinite possibilities, and science is a process of contributing to finding answers, even if concrete answers are not reached in a lifetime. - The ultimate message is an inspiration: *“keep looking up the sky is not the limit.”* ## Concepts & Definitions - **Eclipsing binaries:** Stars that orbit each other, resulting in a measurable dip in light curve magnitude over time when one star passes in front of the other. - **Pulsars:** Stars that eject magnetic jets from their poles. - **Cosmic web:** A structure used to understand the larger-scale structure of the universe. - **Citizen science:** Projects where nonprofessionals contribute to scientific research in fields like astronomy. - **AMCVn systems (AM Canum Venaticorum systems):** Binary star systems where the denser star is actively pulling material from its companion star. - **Black Widow systems:** Binary systems where one star is a pulsar, and the other is its companion star, which loses matter due to the pulsar's magnetic jets. - **Spider Black systems:** Another term for Black Widow systems, referencing how the star "kills its partner after meeting" like a spider. ## Mechanisms & Processes - **Early learning:** Initial understanding of planets came from recognizing illustrations in a grade three science textbook. - **Self-education:** Utilized Wikipedia and specialized encyclopedias when interest deepened. - **Citizen Science contributions:** Involved activities such as searching for asteroids, looking for supernovae, and classifying galaxies. - **Research cycles:** The process of proposing research, gathering data (e.g., from telescopes in Mexico and Spain), analyzing complex data (e.g., plotting luminosity vs. orbital period), and submitting results for peer review. - **Data Collection Limitation:** Research for variable stars was hampered by significant city light pollution, limiting visibility. ## Timeline & Sequence - **Grade 3 (Age 8):** First formal introduction to the concept of planets from a science textbook. - **Around Grade 3:** Father introduces the concept of the internet via Wikipedia, showing the solar system article. - **Age 10:** Receives an encyclopedia with a dedicated "Space" chapter. - **Lockdown Period:** Initiates more serious self-study, leading to participation in quiz competitions. - **Post-Study:** Secures Silver Honor in the International Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition. - **ASBO Application:** Initially rejected for not being 18 years old; maintained contact with Dr. Stella Kafka. - **ASBO Speaker Invitation:** Invited to speak at the 110th annual conference in Boston, MA, when the organization celebrated its 110th anniversary. - **Research Start (Age 17):** With Dr. Macron's mentorship, conducts research on AMCVn systems, leading to a first published paper. - **Second Research Phase:** Collaborates with Dr. AA Kenko on Black Widow/Spider Black systems. - **Current Status:** Writing the research paper on Black Widow systems; conducting research on the Cosmic Web and eclipsing binaries. ## Named Entities - **Tja Bagari:** The speaker and researcher. - **Dr. Bimr Ramji Ambedkar:** Indian social reformer and humanist admired by the speaker's father. - **Dr. Stella Kafka:** The former AA director who encouraged the speaker's continued interest in ASBO despite his age. - **Professor Thomas J. Macron:** President's Excellence and Research Professor at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Texas Tech University; the speaker's first research supervisor. - **Dr. AA Kenko:** Observational astronomer and the speaker's current research supervisor. - **Texas Tech University:** Institution where Professor Macron teaches. - **JSO / JBS:** Journal of the A.A.S.O. (Research Journal). ## Numbers & Data - Age of first planet inquiry: **8 years old** (Grade 3). - Age when receiving the encyclopedia: **10 years old**. - Age of the first major competition: Unknown, but preceded the ASBO attempt. - Age when first research paper was published: **17**. - Age when attempting to join ASBO: Under **18**. - ASBO anniversary celebrated: **110 years**. - Stellar system data points used: Comparisons of **extreme Luminosity** against **orbital period**. - Published in international journals/magazines in: **Global SkyUp Astronomy Magazine**, **China** (twice), and **Serbia** (once). ## Examples & Cases - **Initial Textbook Example:** A diagram of the solar system showing Earth alongside other planets of different sizes and colors. - **Wikipedia Example:** Viewing the Wikipedia article for the solar system after his father's guidance. - **Variable Star Visualization:** Showing a star image that changes from noticeably brighter to fainter over time. - **AMCVn Analysis:** Plotting extreme Luminosity against orbital period for AMCVn systems for comparison to theoretical models. - **Black Widow System Analogy:** Comparing the mechanism of the pulsar stripping matter from its companion star to how a black widow spider kills its mate. ## Tools, Tech & Products - **Web browser/Wikipedia:** Used to research the solar system. - **Encyclopedia:** Contains illustrated chapters on "Space." - **Telescope data:** Data was received from huge telescopes located in **Mexico** and **Spain**. ## References Cited - **American Association of Variable Star Observers (ASBO):** An 111-year-old organization coordinating, analyzing, and publishing variable star observations, largely by amateur astronomers. - **NASA's Chandra X-ray Telescope:** Mentioned in relation to AMCVn systems. - **Journal of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (JASO/JBS):** The journal where the speaker's initial research paper was published. ## Trade-offs & Alternatives - **Initial vs. Advanced Research:** Moving from observational science (calculating magnitudes for ASBO) to theoretical/advanced research (AMCVn systems). - **Local Observation vs. Space Telescope Data:** Recognizing the limitations of visible star observation due to light pollution, requiring data from distant/professional telescopes. - **Scientific Focus:** The vast breadth of astronomy (from planets to the cosmic web) necessitates focusing on specific, tractable systems for research. ## Counterarguments & Caveats - **Light Pollution:** City light pollution severely limited visible observation of variable stars. - **Research Difficulty:** Science is *super complicated*; solving problems can take weeks. - **Publishing Standard:** Research must be highly precise because published results are used by other scientists. ## Methodology - **Observational Astronomy:** Directly observing variable stars. - **Data Acquisition:** Collecting data from major telescopes in Mexico and Spain. - **Comparative Astrophysics:** Plotting empirical data (Luminosity vs. Period) and comparing these results against existing theoretical models (e.g., for AMCVn systems). - **Literature Review:** Reading and interpreting scientific papers for the purpose of guiding research. ## Conclusions & Recommendations - The speaker is continuing to work on understanding the Cosmic Web and eclipsing binaries. - The central recommendation is to remain curious and to view the universe as having *infinite possibilities*, urging the audience to keep exploring. ## Implications & Consequences - The passion for science can lead to publishing in international journals and contributes to humanity's overall knowledge base regarding cosmic structures. - The successful progression from amateur hobbyist to publishing research illustrates the transformative power of sustained intellectual curiosity. ## Verbatim Moments - *"what lies Beyond"* - *"the humanity has always wondered about the universe"* - *"I asked my science teacher what are these things beside Earth that look like Earth but in different sizes and colors"* - *"I barely could understand anything but that was it for me"* - *"I'm really interested in these Stars so why not do something and try to learn more about these stars"* - *"Citizen science are projects where nonprofessionals can contribute to science or any field for that matter and especially in science and astronomy"* - *"variable stars are stars that change the magnitude over a period of time"* - *"she told me after all astronomy is not just for now is it"* - *"a proceedings paper is basically a paper in which have the summary of your talk"* - *"My research journey has been going so great so far but the thing is research isn't very easy it's super complicated"* - *"always about the Curiosity"* - *"the sky is not the limit"*