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Thomas Balonek

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Thomas Balonek

Professor of Physics and Astronomy

Department/Office Information

Physics and Astronomy
407 Ho Science Center
  • M 3:00pm - 4:00pm (407 Ho Science Center)
  • TR 1:30pm - 2:30pm (407 Ho Science Center)
  • TR 4:00pm - 5:00pm (407 Ho Science Center)

B.A. (Physics), Cornell University 1974; M.S. Ph.D. (Astronomy), University of Massachusetts, 1977, 1982.

  • Life in the Universe: A Cosmic Perspective (CORE/SP 122)
  • Solar System Astronomy (ASTR 101)
  • Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe (ASTR 102)
  • How Old is the Universe? (ASTR 165)
  • Intermediate Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASTR 210)
  • Deciphering the Universe: Practical and Historic Astronomy (ASTR 220)
  • Astronomical Techniques (ASTR 312)
  • Planetary Science (ASTR 313)
  • Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy (ASTR 416)
  • Visiting Assistant Professor, Williams College (1983-1985)
  • Lecturer, University of New Mexico (1982-1983)
  • Graduate Lecturer in Astronomy, University of Massachusetts 鈥 Amherst (1978-1981)

Astronomy, observational extragalactic astronomy, radio and optical astronomy, astronomical image processing, extraterrestrial life

Extragalactic astronomy:

  • compact extragalactic sources (variable quasars, blazars, and active galactic nuclei)
  • optical and radio photometry, polarization and broadband spectra
  • radio galaxies
  • HI gas in galaxies in the local Universe

Optical photometry:

  • eclipsing binary stars
  • extragalactic supernovae
  • exoplanet transits
  • active galactic nuclei 鈥 quasars

Asteroid astrometry

Undergraduate authors marked with an *

Instructor's Manual for 鈥淚ntroductory Astronomy and Astrophysics,鈥 fourth edition, Paul A. Heckert and Thomas J. Balonek, Saunders College Publishing, 312 pp (1998).

Dissertation: 鈥淢ulti-frequency radio observations of compact extragalactic sources: time variability and correlation with optical variations,鈥 University of Massachusetts, 384 pp (1982).

鈥淭he June 2016 Optical and Gamma-Ray Outburst and Optical Micro-Variability of the Blazar 3C454.3,鈥 Zachary R. Weaver [冈本视频 2017]*, Thomas J. Balonek, Svetlana G. Jorstad, Alan P. Marscher, Valeri M. Larionov, Paul S. Smith, Samantha J. Boni [Bridgewater State Univ 2018]*,George A. Borman,K. J. Chapman [冈本视频 2019]*, Leah G. Jenks [冈本视频 2017]*, Evgenia N. Kopatskaya, Daria A. Morozova, Anna A. Nikiforova, Alina Sabyr [冈本视频 2019]*, Sergey S. Savchenko, Ryan W. Stahlin [冈本视频 2018]*, Yulia V. Troitskaya, Ivan S. Troitsky, Saiyang Zhang [冈本视频 2019]*, The Astrophysical Journal, 875, Issue 1, Article id. 15, 15 pp (2019).

鈥淭he Arecibo Pisces-Perseus Supercluster Survey. I. Harvesting ALFALFA,鈥 Aileen O鈥橠onoghue, Martha P. Haynes, Rebecca A. Koopmann, Michael G. Jones, Riccardo Giovanelli, Thomas J. Balonek, David W. Craig, Gregory L. Hallenbeck, G. Lyle Hoffman, David A. Kornreich, Lukas Leisman, Jeffrey R. Miller, The Astronomical Journal, 157, Issue 2, article id. 81, 11 pp (2019).

鈥淭he Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA Survey: The ALFALFA Extragalactic HI Source Catalog,鈥 Martha P. Haynes, Riccardo Giovanelli , Brian R. Kent, Elizabeth A. K. Adams, Thomas J. Balonek, David W. Craig, Derek Fertig, Rose Finn, Carlo Giovanardi, Gregory Hallenbeck, Kelley M. Hess, G. Lyle Hoffman, Shan Huang, Michael G. Jones, Rebecca A. Koopmann, David A. Kornreich, Lukas Leisman, Jeffrey Miller, Crystal Moorman, Jessica O鈥機onnor, Aileen O鈥橠onoghue, Emmanouil Papastergis, Parker Troischt, David Stark, Li Xiao, The Astrophysical Journal, 861, Issue 1, Article id. 49, 19 pp (2018).

鈥淩adio and optical intra-day variability observations of five blazars,鈥 X. Liu, P.P. Yang, J. Liu, B.R. Liu, S.M. Hu, O.M. Kurtanidze, S. Zola, A. Kraus, T.P. Krichbaum, R.Z. Su, K. Gazeas, K. Sadakane, K. Nilson, D.E. Reichart, M. Kidger, K. Matsumoto, S. Okano, M. Siwak, J.R. Webb, T. Pursimo, F.Garcia, R. Naves Nogues, A. Erdem, F. Alicavus, T. Balonek, S.G. Jorstad, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 469, 2457L (2017).

鈥淵et Another Extraordinary Optical Flare in the Blazar CTA 102 (Today's Brightest Quasar?),鈥 Thomas J. Balonek, Ryan W. Stahlin [冈本视频 2018]*, Alina Sabyr [冈本视频 2019]*, Katie J. Chapman [冈本视频 2019]*, Saiyang Zhang [冈本视频 2019]*, The Astronomer's Telegram, #9808 (2016).

鈥淭he Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA Survey: The 伪.40 H I Source Catalog, Its characteristics and their impact on the derivation of the H I Mass Function,鈥 Martha P. Haynes, Riccardo Giovanelli, Ann M. Martin, Kelley M. Hess, Am茅lie Saintonge, Elizabeth A. K. Adams, Gregory Hallenbeck, G. Lyle Hoffman, Shan Huang, Brian R. Kent, Rebecca A. Koopmann, Emmanouil Papastergis, Sabrina Stierwalt, Thomas J. Balonek, David W. Craig, Sarah J. U. Higdon, David A. Kornreich, Jeffrey R. Miller, Aileen A. O'Donoghue, Ronald P. Olowin, Jessica L. Rosenberg, Kristine Spekkens, Parker Troischt, Eric M. Wilcots, The Astronomical Journal, 142, Issue 5, article id. 170, 28 pp (2011).

鈥淏lazar 3C 454.3 in outburst and quiescence during 2005-2007: Two Variable Synchrotron Emission Peaks,鈥 Patrick M. Ogle, Ann E. Wehrle, Thomas Balonek, Mark A. Gurwell, The Astrophysical Journal Supplement, 195, Issue 2, article id. 19, 20 pp (2011).

鈥淪imultaneous multiwavelength and optical microvariability observations of CTA 102 (PKS J2232+1143),鈥 Angela Osterman Meyer, H. Richard Miller, Kevin Marshall, Wesley T. Ryle, Hugh Aller, Margo Aller, Tom Balonek, The Astronomical Journal, 138, 1902-1910 (2009).

鈥淐orrelated multi-wave band variability in the Blazar 3C 279 from 1996 to 2007,鈥 Ritaban Chatterjee, Svetlana G. Jorstad, Alan P. Marscher, Haruki Oh, Ian M. McHardy, Margo F. Aller, Hugh D. Aller, Thomas J. Balonek, H. Richard Miller, Wesley T. Ryle, Gino Tosti, Omar Kurtanidze, Maria Nikolashvili, Valeri M. Larionov, Vladimir A. Hagen-Thorn, The Astrophysical Journal, 689, 79-94 (2008).

鈥淎 500 kpc H I extension of the Virgo pair NGC 4532/DDO 137 detected by the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA (ALFALFA) Survey,鈥 Rebecca A. Koopmann, Riccardo Giovanelli, Martha P. Haynes, Brian R. Kent, Thomas J. Balonek, Noah Brosch, James L. Higdon, John J. Salzer, Oded Spector, The Astrophysical Journal, 682, L85-L88 (2008).

鈥淭he multiple timescales of optical variability of the Blazar 3C 279 during the 2001-2002 outburst,鈥 Jeyhan S. Kartaltepe [冈本视频 2003]*, Thomas J. Balonek, The Astronomical Journal, 133, 2866-2882 (2007).

鈥淭he Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA Survey. III. H I Source Catalog of the Northern Virgo Cluster Region,鈥 Riccardo Giovanelli, Martha P. Haynes, Brian R. Kent, Am茅lie Saintonge, Sabrina Stierwalt, Adeel Altaf, Thomas Balonek, Noah Brosch, Shea Brown, Barbara Catinella, Amy Furniss, Josh Goldstein, G. Lyle Hoffman, Rebecca A. Koopmann, David A. Kornreich, Bilal Mahmood, Ann M. Martin, Karen L. Masters, Arik Mitschang, Emmanuel Momjian, Prasanth H. Nair, Jessica L. Rosenberg, Brian Walsh [冈本视频 2006]*, The Astronomical Journal, 133, 2569-2583 (2007). 

鈥淭he unprecedented optical outburst of the quasar 3C 454.3. The WEBT campaign of 2004-2005,鈥 M. Villata, C.M. Raiteri, T. J. Balonek, M.F. Aller, S.G. Jorstad, O.M. Kurtanidze, F. Nicastro, K. Nilsson, H.D. Aller, A. Arai, A. Arkharov, U. Bach, E. Benitez, A. Berdyugin, C.S. Buemi, M. Bottcher, D. Carosati, R. Casas, A. Caulet, W.P. Chen, P.-S. Chiang,Y. Chou, S. Ciprini, J.M. Coloma, G. di Rico, C. Diaz, N. V. Efimova, C. Forsyth [Bryn Mawr 2007]*, A. Frasca, L. Fuhrmann, B. Gadway [冈本视频 2007]*, S. Gupta, V.A. Hagen-Thorn, J. Harvey, J. Heidt, H. Hernandez-Toledo, F. Hroch, C.-P. Hu, R. Hudec, M.A. Ibrahimov, A. Imada, M. Kamata, T. Kato, M. Katsuura, T. Konstantinova, E. Kopatskaya, D.Kotaka, Y.Y. Kovalev, Yu. A. Kovalev, T.P. Krichbaum, K. Kubota, M. Kurosaki, L. Lanteri, V. M. Larionov, L. Larionova, E. Laurikainen, C.-U. Lee, P. Leto,A. Lanteenmaki, O. Lopez-Cruz, E. Marilli, A.P. Marscher, I.M. McHardy, S. Mondal, B. Mullan [冈本视频 Univ. 2007]*, N. Napoleone, M.G. Nikolashvili, J.M. Ohlert, S. Postnikov, T. Pursimo, M. Ragni, J.A. Ros, K. Sadakane, K.; A.C. Sadun, T. Savolainen, E.A. Sergeeva, L. A. Sigua, A. Sillanpaa, L. Sixtova, N. Sumitomo, L.O. Takalo, H. Terasranta, M. Tornikoski, C. Trigilio, G. Umana, A. Volvach, B. Voss, S. Wortell [冈本视频 2006]*, Astronomy and Astrophysics, 453, 817-822 (2006). 

鈥淒ay-scale variability of 3C 279 and possible correlations in gamma-ray, x-ray, and optical bands,鈥 R.C. Hartman, M. Villata, T.J. Balonek, D.L. Bertsch, H. Bock, M. Bottcher, M.T. Carini, W. Collmar, G. DeFrancesco, E.C. Ferrara, J. Heidt, G. Kanbach, S. Katajainen, M. Koskimies, O.M. Kurtanidze, L. Lanteri, A. Lawson, Y.C. Lin, A.P. Marscher, J.P. McFarland, I. McHardy, H.R. Miller, M. Nikolashvili, K. Nilsson, J.C. Noble, G. Nucciarelli, L. Ostorero, T. Pursimo, C.M. Raiteri, R. Rekola, T. Savalainen, A. Sillanpaa, A. Smale, G. Sobrito, L.O. Takalo, D.J. Thompson, G. Tosti, S.J. Wagner, J.W. Wilson, Astrophysical Journal, 558, 583-589, (2001).

鈥淒euterium in the Galactic Centre as a result of recent infall of low-metallicity gas,鈥 D.A. Lubowich, J.M. Pasachoff, T.J. Balonek, T.J. Millar, C. Tremonti [冈本视频 1994]*, H. Roberts, R.P. Galloway, Nature, 405, Issue 6790, 1025-1027 (2000).

鈥淎 Giant Herbig-Haro Flow from Haro 6-10,鈥 D. Devine, B. Reipurth, J. Bally, T.J. Balonek, Astronomical Journal, 117, 2931-2940 (1999).

鈥淧hotometric calibration of stars in the fields of selected BL Lacertae objects and quasars,鈥 P.S. Smith, T.J. Balonek, The Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 110, 1164-1171 (1998).

鈥淥bservations of a correlated gamma-ray and optical flare for BL Lacertae,鈥 S.D. Bloom, D.L. Bertsch, R.C. Hartman, P. Sreekumar, D.J. Thompson, T.J. Balonek, E. Beckerman [Wesleyan 1999]*, S.M. Davis [冈本视频 1997]*, K. Whitman [Cornell 2000]*, H.R. Miller, D. Nair, L.C. Roberts Jr., G. Tosti, E. Massaro, R. Nesci, M. Maesano, F. Montagni, M. Jang, H.A. Bock, M. Dietrich, M. Herter, K. Otterbein, M. Pfeiffer, T. Seitz, S. Wagner, Astrophysical Journal (Letters), 490, 145-148 (1997).

鈥淟ight curves of SN 1993J from the Keck Northeast Astronomy Consortium,鈥 P.J. Benson, W. Herbst, J.J. Salzer, G. Vinton, G.J. Hanson, S.J. Ratcliff, P.F. Winkler, D.M. Elmegreen, F. Chromey, C. Strom [冈本视频 1994]*, T.J. Balonek, B.G. Elmegreen, Astronomical Journal, 107, 1453-1460 (1994).

鈥淥ptical and ultraviolet observations of 3C 279 during outburst,鈥 C.R. Shrader, J.R. Webb, T.J. Balonek, M.S. Brotherton, B.J. Wills, D. Wills, S.D. Godlin [Vassar 1994]*, A.G. Smith, B. McCollum, Astronomical Journal, 107, 904-909 (1994).

鈥淭he measurement of astronomical parallaxes with CCD imaging cameras on small telescopes,鈥 S.J. Ratcliff, T.J. Balonek, L.A. Marschall, D.L. DuPuy, C.R. Pennypacker, R. Verma [Middlebury '92]*, A. Alexov, V. Bonney, American Journal of Physics, 61, 208-216 (1993).

鈥淐CDs at small institution,鈥 T. Balonek and F.R. Chromey, Proceedings of Astronomical Society of New York April 23-25, 1992 meeting (ed. A.G. Davis Philip), IV, No 2, 85-92 (1992).

鈥淪teps toward the determination of the size and structure of the broad-line region in active galactic nuclei. II - An intensive study of NGC 5548 at optical wavelengths,鈥 B.M. Peterson, T.J. Balonek, E.S. Barker, J. Bechtold, R. Bertram, N.G. Bochkarev, M.J. Bolte, D. Bond, T.A. Boroson, M.T. Carini, T.E. Carone, J.A. Christensen [冈本视频 1990]*, S.D. Clements, A.L. Cochran, R.D. Cohen, D. Crampton, M. Dietrich, M. Elvis, A. Ferguson, A.V. Filippenko, K.J. Fricke, C.M. Gaskell, J.P. Halpern, J.P. Huchra, J.B. Hutchings, W. Kollatschny, A.P. Koratkar, K.T. Koritsa, J.H. Krolik, N.J. Lame, A. Laor, R.J. Leacock, G.M. MacAlpine, M.A. Malkan, D. Maoz, H.R. Miller, S.L. Morris, H. Netzer, C. Oliveira, J. Penfold, M.V. Penston, E. Perez, R.W. Pogge, M.W. Richmond, W. Romanishin, E.I. Rosenblatt, L. Saddlemyer, A. Sadun, S.R. Sawyer, J.C. Shields, A.I. Shapovalova, A.G. Smith, H.A. Smith, P.S. Smith, W.-H. Sun, U. Thiele, T.J. Turner, S. Veilleux, R.M. Wagner, R.J. Weymann, B.J. Wilkes, B.J. Wills, D. Wills, P.F. Younger, Astrophysical Journal, 368, 119-137 (1991).

鈥淥ptical and near-infrared observations of BL Lacertae objects and active quasars,鈥 P.S. Smith, T.J. Balonek, R. Elston, P.A. Heckert, Astrophysical Journal Supplement, 64, 459-485 (1987).

鈥淥bservational constraints on bending the wide-angle tailed radio galaxy 1919+479,鈥 J.O. Burns, C.P. O'Dea, S.A. Gregory, and T.J. Balonek, Astrophysical Journal, 307, 73-90 [+4 plates] (1986).

鈥淩adio-optical broadband spectra and variability of quasars,鈥 T.J. Balonek, Continuum Emission in Active Galactic Nuclei - Workshop Proceedings (ed. M.L. Sitko), 161-170 (1986).

鈥淎 rapid millimeter wave outburst in the nucleus of NGC 1275,鈥 W.A. Dent, C.P. O'Dea, T.J. Balonek, R.W. Hobbs, R.J. Howard, Nature, 306, 41-42 (1983).

鈥淐arbon monoxide observations of IRC 10442,鈥 J. Bally, T.J. Balonek, N.L. Cohen, M. Zeilik, III, Astronomical Journal, 85, 1242-1246 (1980).

鈥淎 second correlated radio-optical outburst in the BL Lacertae-type quasi-stellar object 0235+164,鈥 T.J. Balonek, W.A. Dent, Astrophysical Journal (Letters), 240, L3-L5 (1980).

鈥淎 dramatic radio outburst in the quasar 1921-29,鈥 W.A. Dent, T.J. Balonek, Nature, 283, 747-748 (1980).

鈥淭he observation of a correlated time delayed radio-optical outburst in the quasar 0420-01,鈥 W.A. Dent, T.J. Balonek, A.G. Smith, R.J. Leacock, Astrophysical Journal (Letters), 227, L9-L10 (1979).

鈥淒iscovery of a strong radio flaring in HR1099,鈥 P.A. Feldman, A.R. Taylor, P.C. Gregory, E.R. Seaquist, T.J. Balonek, N.L. Cohen, Astronomical Journal, 83, 1471-1484 (1978).

鈥淥ptical identifications of sources in the Parkes 2.7-GHz selected-area surveys,鈥 J.J. Condon, T.J. Balonek, D.L. Jauncey, Astronomical Journal, 81, 913-918 [+2 plates] (1976).

鈥淪pectral intensity dependence and isotropy of sources stronger than 0.1 Jy at 2700 MHz,鈥 T.J. Balonek, J.J. Broderick, J.J. Condon, D.F. Crawford, D.L. Jauncey, Astrophysical Journal, 201, 20-25 (1975).

鈥淥bservations of M31 and M33 at 1.4 and 2.7 GHz,鈥 B. Dennison, T.J. Balonek, Y. Terzian, B. Balick, Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 87, 83-86 (1975).

鈥淭he Undergraduate ALFALFA Team,鈥 National Science Foundation, 2007 - present

冈本视频鈥檚 institutional representative on: 鈥淜eck Northeast Astronomy Consortium,鈥 3 grants from National Science Foundation 鈥 Research Experiences for Undergraduates, primary institution: Wesleyan University, 2004 - present

冈本视频鈥檚 institutional affiliate representative on: 鈥淣ASA / New York Space Grant,鈥 primary institution: Cornell University, 1997 鈥 present

"Optical UBVRI Light Curves of Extragalactic Supernovae," American Astronomical Society - Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, 1994

Co-PI on: "Undergraduate Research in Observational Cosmology," New York State Pew Cluster, 1993

冈本视频鈥檚 institutional representative on: "CCDs and Spectroscopy for Introductory and Intermediate Students," National Science Foundation - Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement (NSF-ILI), primary institution: Wellesley College, 1992

冈本视频鈥檚 institutional representative on: 鈥淜eck Northeast Astronomy Consortium - A Consortium of Astronomers at Eight Liberal Arts Colleges,鈥 5 grants from W.M. Keck Foundation, primary institution: Wellesley College, 1990 - 2002

"CCD Photometry of Quasars and Variable Stars," American Astronomical Society Small Research Grant Program, 1989

鈥淗igh Sensitivity Charged Coupled Device (CCD) Imaging in Astronomy," National Science Foundation - College Science Instrumentation Program (NSF-CSIP), 1987

"Observations of the Broadband Optical-Radio Variability in Quasars and Active Galaxies," Research Corporation - William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, 1987

Professor of Physics and Astronomy, 冈本视频 (2002-present)

Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy, 冈本视频 (1991-2002)

Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, 冈本视频 (1985-91)

Chair, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 冈本视频 (2008-11, 1995-1998)

Visiting Research Scientist, National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (2006-07)

Visiting Research Scientist, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, AZ (1992-93)

Visiting Assistant Professor of Astronomy, Williams College, Williamstown, MA (1983-85)

NASA-ASEE (National Aeronautics and Space Administration and American Society for Engineering Education) Summer Faculty Fellow, NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (1983, 1984)

Post-Doctoral Research Associate and Lecturer I, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (1982-83)