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We identify a sample of near-equal mass wide binary M dwarf systems from the SLoWPoKES catalog of common proper-motion binaries and obtain follow-up observations of their chromospheric activity as measured by the Hα emission line. We present optical spectra for both components of 48 candidate M dwarf binaries, confirming their mid-M spectral types. Of those 48 coeval pairs, we find eight with Hα emission from both components, three with weak emission in one component and no emission in the other, and 37 with two inactive components. We find that of the 11 pairs with at least one active component, only three follow the net trend of decreasing activity strength (L_Hα/L_bol) with later spectral type. The difference in quiescent activity strength between the A and B components is larger than what would be expected based on the small differences in color (mass). For five binaries with two active components, we present 47 hr of time-resolved spectroscopy, observed on the ARC 3.5-m over 12 different nights. For four of the five pairs, the slightly redder (B) component exhibits a higher level of Hα emission during the majority of the observations and the redder objects are the only components to flare. The full range of Hα emission observed on these variable mid-M dwarfs is comparable to the scatter in Hα emission found in single-epoch surveys of mid-M dwarfs, indicating that variability could be a major factor in the spread of observed activity strengths. We also find that variability is independent of both activity strength and spectral type.

The interpretation of astronomical photometry, astrometry, and orbit determination data depends on accurately and consistently identifying the center of the target object's photometric point spread function in the presence of noise. We introduce a new technique, called least asymmetry, which is designed to find the point about which the distribution is most symmetric. This technique, in addition to the commonly used techniques Gaussian fitting and center of light, was tested against synthetic datasets under realistic ranges of noise and photometric gain. With subpixel accuracy, we compare the determined centers to the known centers and evaluate each method against the simulated conditions. We find that in most cases center of light performs the worst, while Gaussian fitting and least asymmetry are alternately better under different circumstances. Using a real point response function with "reasonable signal-to-noise," we find that least asymmetry provides the most accurate center estimates, and Gaussian centering is the most precise. The least asymmetry routine implemented in the Python Programming Language can be found at https://github.com/natelust/least_asymmetry.

We consider the possibility that the Gaia mission can supply data which will improve the photometric calibration of LSST. After outlining the LSST calibration process and the information that will be available from Gaia, we explore two options for using Gaia data. The first is to use Gaia G-band photometry of selected stars, in conjunction with knowledge of the stellar parameters T_eff, log g, and A_V, and in some cases Z, to create photometric standards in the LSST u, g, r, i, z, and y bands. We consider both main sequence (MS) stars and DA white dwarfs (WD). The accuracies of the resulting standard magnitudes from MS stars are found to be insufficient to satisfy LSST requirements using Gaia data alone, but with the potential to do so when supplemented with ground-based spectroscopy. The accuracies of the WD derived standards are generally adequate, but also require ground-based spectroscopy. The second option is combine the LSST bandpasses into a synthetic Gaia G band, which is a close approximation to the real Gaia G band. This allows synthetic Gaia G photometry to be directly compared with actual Gaia G photometry at a level of accuracy which is useful for both verifying and improving LSST photometric calibration.

We describe the astrometric calibration of the Gemini NICI Planet-Finding Campaign. The Campaign requires a relative astrometric accuracy of ≈20 mas across multiyear timescales in order to distinguish true companions from background stars by verifying common proper motion and parallax with their parent stars. The calibration consists of a correction for instrumental optical image distortion, plus on-sky imaging of astrometric fields to determine the pixel scale and image orientation. We achieve an accuracy of ≲7 mas between the center and edge of the 18'' NICI field, meeting the 20 mas requirement. Most of the Campaign data in the Gemini Science Archive are accurate to this level but we identify a number of anomalies and present methods to correct the errors.

The area of Chajnantor, at more than 5000 m altitude in northern Chile, offers unique atmospheric and operational conditions which arguably make it the best site in the world for millimeter, submillimeter, and mid-infrared observatories. Long-term monitoring of the precipitable water vapor (PWV) column on the Chajnantor plateau has shown its extreme dryness with annual median values of 1.1 mm. Simultaneous measurements of PWV on the Chajnantor plateau (5050 m) and on Cerro Chajnantor (5612 m) show that the latter is around 36% lower under normal atmospheric conditions and up to 80% lower than the plateau in the presence of temperature inversion layers. Recently, the Government of Chile has consolidated the creation of the Parque Astronómico de Atacama (Atacama Astronomical Park), an initiative of the Chilean Commission for Science and Technology (CONICYT). This new park offers an opportunity for national and international projects to settle within its boundaries, gain access to an extremely dry site that is suitable for observations over a broad spectral range, especially in the millimeter to mid-infrared wavelengths, and benefit from operational and logistical support within a secure legal framework.

This article summarizes a workshop held on March, 2014, on the potential of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to revolutionize our knowledge of the physical properties of exoplanets through transit observations. JWST's unique combination of high sensitivity and broad wavelength coverage will enable the accurate measurement of transits with high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N). Most importantly, JWST spectroscopy will investigate planetary atmospheres to determine atomic and molecular compositions, to probe vertical and horizontal structure, and to follow dynamical evolution, i.e., exoplanet weather. JWST will sample a diverse population of planets of varying masses and densities in a wide variety of environments characterized by a range of host star masses and metallicities, orbital semi-major axes, and eccentricities. A broad program of exoplanet science could use a substantial fraction of the overall JWST mission.