Rachael L. Beaton, Graduate Student

Rachael Lynn Beaton

First Year Graduate Student
Jefferson Foundation Graduate Fellow
  • Email: rlb9n (at) virginia (dot) edu
  • Phone: (434) 924 - 4904
  • Office: Room 106
Photos (Flickr)
Mt. Stromlo Photos (July 07)
Clock Lab Photo Journal
Dewar Games Photo Journal


I am a first year graduate student at the University of Virginia. I graduated in May 2007 from UVA with a B.A. Astronomy-Physics and Mathematics (graduate prep program) as an Echols and College Science Scholar. For the past four years I have worked with Steven R. Majewski on a number of imaging projects related to picking apart the structure of our own and nearby galaxies. The bulk of my work has centered on the Andromeda Spiral Galaxy (M31), including the discovery and modelling of an inner bar in the disk of M31 using the 6x 2MASS extension survey as well as the discovery of a new dwarf Spheroidal galaxy in the outer most regions of M31's halo (AndXIV).

Currently I am working in the SPLASH collaboration applying the Washington + DD051 photometric giant selection method to the outer regions of M31's stellar halo as well as working with the first UVA imaging data to come from the LBT. In the rare moments when I am not working on Astronomy, I enjoy experimenting with my DSLR and also playing a variety of musical instruments in the Cavalier Bands.

I also (clearly) like bare bones html ;).

Education Background:
  • Summer 2007 - Present: Jefferson Foundation Fellow in Astronomyl, UVa
  • May 2007: B.A. with High Distinction; Astronomy-Physics, Mathematics, UVa
  • May 2003: Valedictorian, Altavista High School; Central Virginia Governor's School for Science & Technology
Research Experience:
  • June 2007 - Present: Spectroscopic and Photometric Landscape of Andromeda's Stellar Halo (SPLASH); Advisor: Steven R. Majewski, UVa
  • June 2006 - March 2007: Virginia Space Grant Consortium Undergraduate Scholar - The Gravitational Harrassment of our Dwarf Galactic Neighbors; with Steven R. Majewski, UVa
  • March 2006: Visitor, University of Marseille with E. Athanassoula; Unravelling the Bar in M31
  • June 2005 - June 2006: Harrison Undergraduate Research Scholar - The Gravitational Harrassment of our Dwarf Galactic Neighbors; with Steven R. Majewski, UVa
  • December 2003 - Present: Halo SubStructure Research Group (Various Projects); Advisor - Steven R. Majewski
Recent Publications:
  • Discovery of Andromeda XIV: A Dwarf Spheroidal Dynamical Rogue in the Local Group?
    Majewski, S. R., Beaton, R. L., Patterson, R. J., Kalirai, J. S., Geha, M. C., Munoz, R. R., Sigar, M. A., Guhathakurta, P., Bullock, J., Rich, R. M., Gilbert, K. M. and Reitzel, D. B.
    Astro-ph/0702635v2
  • Unveiling the Boxy Bulge and Bar of the Andromdea Spiral Galaxy
    Beaton, R. L., Majewski, S. R., Guhathakurta, P., Skrutskie, M. F., Cutri, R. M., Good, J., Patterson, R. J., Athanassoula, E., Bureau, M. 2007
    NASA ADS
  • Unravelling the mystery of the M31 bar
    Athanassoula, E., Beaton, R. L. 2006, MNRAS, 370, 1499
    NASA ADS
  • Unveiling the Boxy Bulge and Bar of the Andromeda Spiral Galaxy
    Beaton, R. L., Athanassoula, E., Majewski, S. R., Guhathakurta, P., Skrutskie, M. F., Patterson, R. J., Bureau, M. 2005, Ame rican Astronomical Society Abstracts, 207
    NASA ADS
Observing Experience:
  • KPNO 4-meter with Mosaic: 6 nights Fall 2005, 6 night Fall 2006, 8 nights Fall 2007
  • CTIO 4-meter with Mosaic II: 3 nights Summer 2007 (with David Nidever)
  • SAO MMT with Hectospec: 3 nights Fall 2005, 3 nights Fall 2006, 3 nights Fall 2007
  • ARC 3.5-meter with SPICAM: 1 night Fall 2007
In the UVa News: