Currently, I am doing research and support for the PDS, and teaching Astronomy 110. If you're looking for the class info, click here.

My interests are reflection nebulae, pulsating variables, planetary nebulae, and cataclysmic variables, particularly polarimetry of these.

Besides polarimetry, I am also interested in infrared and optical observations of post-asymptotic giant branch (PAGB) stars and planetary nebulae. The image at the head of my page is an R band image of Hb 5, one of my favorite bipolar planetary nebulae. I have other images here. Of course, they're nothing like HST images or Bruce Balick's images, but they're mine

My favorite object is Nova Cas 1995. We obtained 19 observations of it at Pine Bluff Observatory and WIYN, using HPOL. We obtained spectropolarimetry of this very odd slow nova. Click here to see a modified version of the poster I presented at the recent AAS meeting in San Antonio, TX.

And this is my final poster on the subject!

This is an early night-averaged light curve from Stig Linander and Bjorn Granslo of the Variable Star Network. A lightcurve is the variation of the nova's brightness (measured in magnitudes) with time.
Here is a poster I presented on Nova Cen 1991, a nova with a leaky dust shell. It's also an odd one. Do you get the hint that *all* novae are odd when you look hard enough at them?
Nova Sco 1992 is also peculiar, with reverse P Cygni profiles and a very bizarre light curve. I presented this poster at the 200th meeting of the AAS, held just up the road in Albuquerque.

Assorted things

This is a poor artist's conception (mine!) of a nova explosion. This is based on our WUPPE observation of Nova Circini 1995, which has 2 if not 3 components.

This image of GK Per=Nova Per 1901 is a rather flocculent example of an old nova shell. The image was obtained with the WIYN telescope.

Obligatory collection of astronomy links

These are links I've found useful and/or interesting. I include them to show a little how my mind works and maybe show viewers something they haven't come across before. Enjoy!

Linux links for astronomers: Lots of useful information. Various software packages you can get, plus general info on how to get things to work better for you.
Starstuff: This is a site for non-astronomers and astronomers to meet and talk, and for press releases from many sites to get propagated. Highly recommended for all people interested in astronomy.
Planetary nebulae. Nice images!
SEDS page. Lots of links and images.
The Milky Way at many wavelengths.
NCSA site. Useful library of images, and you can both download and deposit images.
Digital Sky Survey.
Latest HST Releases
Photometry collection Searchable by coordinate and name.
ADS Astronomy and Astr ophysics Abstract Service
Index of /~jpietz/pix One of the VSNET observers. Has charts and photometry of various objects.
Nova Cas 1995
Java sky chart
IAU homepage
Sky and Telescope on-line
IRAS images
Cepheid homepage

Here's a photo of me on one of the times when I've had bangs. Can you figure out what day of the year this was taken on?

Further contact information