ZTF Faces: Summer students and their mentors
Tanvi Batra (University of California, Berkeley)
My name is Tanvi Batra, and I’m a junior at UC Berkeley, where I study Physics and
Astrophysics. Growing up in Southern California, I played many sports over the years,
particularly staying passionate about soccer. My interest in Physics and Astronomy sparked
after visiting Griffith Observatory several times and seeing my mom teach Physics to high
school students.
Thomas Prince (Caltech) & George Helou (IPAC)
Thomas Prince is the Ira S. Bowen Professor of Physics at the California Institute of Technology
holding also a joint appointment with Caltech’s NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) as a senior research scientist.
Prof Prince is currently the director and Allen V.C. Davis and Lenabelle Davis Leadership
Chair for the W. M. Keck Institute for Space Studies at Caltech.
George Helou is the executive director of IPAC and a research professor in physics at Caltech.
Analyzing Fast-Moving Objects with ZTF and SRO Observations for Precise Orbit Determination
Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) pose a significant threat to Earth, making precise orbit determination critical. This project aims to refine NEO orbit data using a collaborative approach that leverages the strengths of Caltech's Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) and JPL’s Sierra Remote Observatory (SRO). ZTF's extensive sky coverage and high-cadence streaks images, combined with SRO's robotically operated telescopes through optimal observing conditions, provide an integrated solution for enhancing our understanding of NEO orbits. The project employs several tools and techniques to streamline the detection, analysis, and reporting of NEO candidates to the Minor Planet Center (MPC). The ZStreak Web Interface aids in the initial identification of fast-moving objects (double or multiple streaks), while the Sat ID, Find Orb and IRSA Object Search verify and analyze detected objects. The FMO (Fast-moving object) helper program and JS9 computational tool are used for visual inspection and further analysis. The SRO pipeline involves identifying candidate single streaks with ZTF, confirming detections with SRO's synthetic tracking algorithm, and performing parallax calculations. Ultimately, this combined effort will focus on refining these methods and ensuring a robust connection between ZTF and SRO, advancing our knowledge of NEO trajectories and potential impact risks.
How do you pick a project to work on?
My summer after my freshman year, I gained experience working with Kumar Venkataramani,
a postdoc under Professor Tom Prince, and utilized the ZStreak Web Interface to identify
fast-moving near-Earth objects in Zwicky Transient Facility Data. I got to take the research to
the next level this past summer working with both Caltech’s ZTF and JPL’s SRO Robotic
Telescope to utilize both data approaches in gathering precise orbit calculations, and was
officially working in the SURF Program with Professor Tom Prince and Dr. George Helou.
What is the number one quality you look at when you select a mentor to work with?
From my first discussion with Professor Prince in his Caltech office, I found that our discussion
was really enriching and I was able to learn about many possibilities of projects. Because of
our collective openness in pursuing a project, it was exciting to realize I could help undergo a
project that helped further the execution of ZTF publications as well as hone in my knowledge
from my previous summer. It was the receptiveness and focus on building my knowledge, in
simply the first meeting with Professor Prince, that helped me recognize him as a quality
mentor.
Was there a specific moment during the summer research work that was particularly exciting?
How about challenging?
The night that was most substantial to my project was the same magical night that I was
working overnight at the Palomar Observatory inside the 200 inch telescope. Thanks to Dr.
Matthew Graham, I had the opportunity to observe a night’s worth of data live, but
simultaneously, I was conducting my own research with the data coming in from the 48 inch
telescope, which was right near us. This was the night that I found the 2024 OT1 comet and
was able to fully process data to JPL for the first time ever. It was two achievements on the
perfect night, and will forever be memorable. In terms of challenges, I truly learned the value
of the saying “research takes time.” It was a while before everything started running smoothly
and I could submit results consistently.
What do you think is the most valuable thing you learned this summer?
Learning various astronomical tools with Python taught me the range of astronomical analysis,
data collection, and most especially, modeling. It honestly was the turning point for me when
it came to wanting to continue research in Astro.
In science, answering one question also results in asking oneself a set of new ones. What are
these for you at the end of this project?
In my eyes, my research was truly about precision and combination, and I would love to
explore how these two techniques can be applied to spacecraft navigation, in terms of
trajectory control? How can we combine blueprints of different facilities to help further deep
space exploration?
The universe never fails to surprise us, but did you manage to surprise yourself this summer?
If yes, how?
At first, I didn’t have the strongest programming practice, but by the end of the summer I
found myself actively using a complete Python program seamlessly with no proper foundation
of Python. I got to prove to myself that I was indeed a quick learner and was inspired to craft
my own scripts.