{"686067":{"#nid":"686067","#data":{"type":"news","title":"New Leadership at the Georgia Tech Observatory","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe College of Sciences has named\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/paul-sell\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPaul Sell\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003Eas the new director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astronomy.gatech.edu\/Observatory.php\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Observatory\u003C\/a\u003E. Sell joined the Institute in Fall 2025 as a senior academic professional in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics\u003C\/a\u003E. He also serves as advisor of the new\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/astrophysics-major-and-minor-launched-georgia-tech\u0022\u003EB.S. in Astrophysics degree program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cPaul Sell is a wonderful addition to our College of Sciences community,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/lozier.eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESusan Lozier\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, dean of the College of Sciences, Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair, and professor in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eas.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cHis leadership brings renewed energy to the Georgia Tech Observatory, and I look forward to seeing how he expands its impact across campus and in the broader community.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EObserving the cosmos from campus\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Georgia Tech Observatory was established nearly two decades ago at a time when the Institute\u2019s astronomy and astrophysics research and teaching ecosystem was in its infancy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESchool of Physics Principal Academic Professional Emeritus\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/physics.gatech.edu\/user\/james-sowell\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJim Sowell\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;created the facility on the roof of the Howey Physics Building in 2007 and served as its director until his retirement in 2024.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe Observatory \u2014 and its numerous variety of telescopes \u2014 makes it possible for Georgia Tech students and Atlanta-area visitors to see with their own eyes some of the best, awe-inspiring celestial delights, including craters on the Moon, Jupiter\u2019s Red Spot, Saturn\u2019s rings, and many other objects,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;Sowell.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EThe Observatory\u2019s primary instrument is a 20-inch diameter telescope by Officina Stellare.\u0026nbsp;Known as the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/holzinger.gatech.edu\/?q=GT-SORT\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s Space Object Research Telescope\u003C\/a\u003E (GT-SORT), this Raven-class space surveillance telescope is used by researchers in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EDaniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E to monitor man-made spacecraft.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cWhat\u2019s unique about the Georgia Tech Observatory is that it\u2019s right on campus, offering a meaningful, hands-on experience to everyone,\u201d explains Sell. \u201cIt can be readily integrated into experiential learning projects on campus all year round.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESell\u2019s upper-level astronomy lab, which combines lectures with experiences at the Observatory, highlights the facility\u2019s academic importance.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EYet, the Observatory\u2019s impact extends beyond the classroom, thanks to free community events like \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astronomy.gatech.edu\/Observatory\/Public_Night_Poster_2025.pdf\u0022\u003EPublic Nights at the Observatory\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d which offer attendees the opportunity to explore the night sky.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHeld most months, weather permitting, this event features telescopes stationed outside the Howey Physics Building, allowing astronomy enthusiasts from Georgia Tech and beyond to view the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and other cosmic wonders. These gatherings typically draw more than 100 stargazers.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003ESpecialized groups are also hosted at the Observatory. For example, the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astronomyclub.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Astronomy Club\u003C\/a\u003E uses the facility during its weekly meetings.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cThe Observatory is a haven where students can step outside for a moment and get lost in the stars,\u201d says\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003EAJ Chadha\u003C\/strong\u003E, club president and fourth-year computer science major. \u201cWith one of the largest telescopes in Georgia, the on-campus 20-inch GT-SORT, we weave astronomy directly into student life.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EUnder Sell\u2019s leadership, the Observatory will continue to strengthen partnerships with student organizations, campus units, and community groups.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI\u0027m excited to explore additional ways we can use this resource for outreach and academic purposes that benefit both Georgia Tech and the Atlanta community,\u201d Sell adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA passion for astronomy\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EBefore joining Georgia Tech, Sell served as senior lecturer, astronomy undergraduate coordinator, and interim director of the teaching observatory at the University of Florida.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003EHis passion for astronomy began at an early age, sparked by a gift from his parents: an Orion refracting lens telescope.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI remember taking out that telescope, even in freezing cold Ohio winters, simply because the observing conditions were better,\u201d he recalls.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ESell nurtured his interest in astronomy through his university studies and extracurricular activities, which included working in planetaria as an undergraduate at the\u0026nbsp;University of Toledo. He later obtained a Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp dir=\u0022ltr\u0022\u003E\u201cI am grateful for the opportunity to share my passion for astronomy, not only with our physics students but with the larger Georgia Tech community \u2014 through classroom lectures, student advising, and Observatory outreach,\u201d Sell says.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe College of Sciences has named\u0026nbsp;Paul Sell\u0026nbsp;as the new director of the\u0026nbsp;Georgia Tech Observatory. Sell joined the Institute in Fall 2025 as a senior academic professional in the\u0026nbsp;School of Physics.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The College of Sciences has named\u00a0Paul Sell\u00a0as the new director of the\u00a0Georgia Tech Observatory. Sell joined the Institute in Fall 2025 as a senior academic professional in the\u00a0School of Physics."}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-10-29 14:17:38","changed_gmt":"2025-10-29 19:27:39","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678491":{"id":"678491","type":"image","title":"Paul Sell of the School of Physics (Photo: Benjamin Zhao\/Georgia Tech)","body":null,"created":"1761747540","gmt_created":"2025-10-29 14:19:00","changed":"1761747540","gmt_changed":"2025-10-29 14:19:00","alt":"Paul Sell of the School of Physics (Photo: Benjamin Zhao\/Georgia Tech)","file":{"fid":"262533","name":"54841894541_ca6b975048_o.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/29\/54841894541_ca6b975048_o.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/29\/54841894541_ca6b975048_o.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7863443,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/29\/54841894541_ca6b975048_o.jpg?itok=g4X_lyil"}},"678492":{"id":"678492","type":"image","title":"Public Nights at the Georgia Tech Observatory are held most months, weather permitting. (Photo: Rob Felt\/Georgia Tech)","body":null,"created":"1761747604","gmt_created":"2025-10-29 14:20:04","changed":"1761747604","gmt_changed":"2025-10-29 14:20:04","alt":"Public Nights at the Georgia Tech Observatory are held most months, weather permitting. (Photo: Rob Felt\/Georgia Tech)","file":{"fid":"262534","name":"24-R10400-P39-003.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/29\/24-R10400-P39-003.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/29\/24-R10400-P39-003.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":8467335,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/29\/24-R10400-P39-003.jpg?itok=IFfVvscs"}}},"media_ids":["678491","678492"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/astronomy.gatech.edu\/Observatory.php","title":"Georgia Tech Observatory"},{"url":"https:\/\/astronomyclub.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech Astronomy Club"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"660370","name":"Space"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"192252","name":"cos-planetary"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"9154","name":"Georgia Tech Observatory"},{"id":"166937","name":"School of Physics"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWriter: Lindsay C. Vidal\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["lvidal7@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}