William J. Romanishin
Associate Professor
B.S. 1974 Harvard
Ph.D. 1980 Arizona

My research involves the application of optical CCD imaging of astronomical objects using various large and small telescope, along with associated image processing techniques, to a variety of astronomical topics.

Currently, my main topics of interest are: studies of the colors and other photometric properties of minor bodies in the outer solar system, including Kuiper Belt Objects and irregular satellites of the Jovian planets; the accurate measurement of the brightness of active nuclei in active galaxies, particularly those with low luminosity nuclei, where it is difficult to disentangle the light of the nucleus from the light of the host galaxy; study of photometric and astrometric properties of bright asteroids (using the campus telescope); and ``target of opportunity" observations of supernovae, using telescope time scheduled for other projects, as well as the campus telescope. A common theme of these projects is to obtain accurate measurements of the observed brightnesses of various astronomical objects, frequently in the presence of contaminating background or foreground light sources.

S. C. Tegler and W. Romanishin, ``Red Snowballs on the Ragged Edge of the Solar System,'' NATURE , submitted July 2000.

W. Romanishin and S. C. Tegler ``Rotation Rates of Kuiper-belt Objects from Their Light Curves,'' NATURE 398, 129 (1999).

S. C. Tegler and W. Romanishin, ``Two Distinct Populations of Kuiper Belt Objects,'' NATURE 392, 49 (1998).

W. Romanishin, S.C. Tegler, J. Levine, and N. Butler, ``BVR Photometry of Centaur Objects 1995 GO and 1993 HA2", Astronomical Journal 113, 1893 (1997).

W. Romanishin, T. J. Balonek, R. Ciardullo, H. R. Miller, B. M. Peterson, ``The Galaxy Component and Nuclear Flux Measurements of NGC 5548 from Direct Imaging", Astrophysical Journal 455, 516 (1995).