This study employs a range of AI-based bibliometric methods to examine trends among astronomical research publications. Astronomy is a field with a long history of research and a wide variety of fields, so there are many areas in which quantitative bibliometric studies can be used to categorize topics, summarize research trends, and explore future research directions. For our first attempt we chose the oldest astronomical instrument, the sundial. We collected a total of 172 sundial and gnomon research papers from 1909 to 2024 from Web of Science and Scopus databases. A bibliometric analysis of the astronomical research papers was performed using the bibliometrix package in R. Topics were categorized and discussed using the Structural Topic Model (STM) method. Productivity, citation counts, and other metrics were compared across countries and journals and the global network of researchers engaged in the study of sundials was analyzed. Results emphasize the need for greater international collaboration and interdisciplinary integration. Current trends in sundial and gnomon research were reviewed, identifying eight research topics through the use of STM, demonstrating the evolution of this field into various applications. The article concludes by discussing future research directions for sundials and gnomons, demonstrating the applicability of AI-assisted bibliometric analysis in various fields of astronomy research.

In this study, quantitative analysis is attempted on data collected from Chilgapsan Observatory Star Park in Cheongyang-gun, Chungcheongnam-do. The aim of this experimental study in which quantitative analysis of the Astronomical Science Museum in Korea is conducted is to investigate its current situation and secure basic data. As of July 31, 2023, it has had 283,931 cumulative visitors in total. It had the largest number of visitors when it opened (2009 year), after which their number reduced steadily until the pandemic (COVID-19, 2020–2022). Recently, however, the number of visitors has increased. Generally, the number of visitors is highest in August (20.8$\%$) and least in April (4.1$\%$). The visit rate is higher on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) than on weekdays (Monday–Friday), and groups comprise only about 5.3$\%$ of the total number of visitors. Moreover, it can be confirmed that the number of visitors increases sharply during events. Finally, it was confirmed that the visit rate was unaffected by weather conditions. Considering these results, we propose the following strategies: 1) Establish a special program that reflects “the weekend effect.” 2) Prepare a plan to attract group visitors during the weekdays using “the event effect.” 3) Arrange alternative programs (e.g., experiential activities) that can be conducted indoors regardless of weather conditions. We think that our findings will help establish a roadmap for the direction the Astronomical Science Museum should take and aid in preparing a strategic foundation to preemptively respond to unexpected situations (e.g., pandemics).

This study presents the characteristics of publications in the Journal of Korean Astronomy Society (JKAS) from 1968 to 2021. JKAS has published 763 research articles over the past 54 years. In addition, 376 proceedings were also published with research articles. There were slight increases and decreases in the number of articles published in JKAS in the 1990s and 2000s, and in 2015 there was the highest recorded number of articles published for a given year. Since then, the number of articles has tended to decrease each year, up to and including the most recent period (2020–2021), which includes the Coronavirus pandemic. However, since theory centered research is primarily conducted without being swayed by society and policies, and that the proportion of authors belonging to educational institutions, such as universities, is high, the future direction of JKAS is encouraging. There are also positive developments including sustained researchers affiliated with international institutions at greater than approximately 23%, as well as improvements in the impact factor. Therefore, it is important to not be deterred by the decreasing trends of the quantitative aspect, but to respond positively by determining a future roadmap.

Even in an era where 8-meter class telescopes are common, small telescopes are considered very valuable research facilities since they are available for rapid follow-up or long term monitoring observations. To maximize the usefulness of small telescopes in Korea, we established the SomangNet, a network of 0.4{1.0 m class optical telescopes operated by Korean institutions, in 2020. Here, we give an overview of the project, describing the current participating telescopes, its scientic scope and operation mode, and the prospects for future activities. SomangNet currently includes 10 telescopes that are located in Australia, USA, and Chile as well as in Korea. The operation of many of these telescopes currently relies on operators, and we plan to upgrade them for remote or robotic operation. The latest SomangNet science projects include monitoring and follow-up observational studies of galaxies, supernovae, active galactic nuclei, symbiotic stars, solar system objects, neutrino/gravitational-wave sources, and exoplanets.

We report an analysis of two poorly studied eclipsing binary stars, GSC 04396-00605 and GSC 04395-00485 (recently named V455 Dra and V454 Dra, respectively). Photometric data of the two stars were obtained using the 1-m Korean telescope of the LOAO operated by KASI while monitoring the cataclysmic variable DO Dra in the frame of the Inter-Longitude Astronomy (ILA) project. We derived periods of 0.434914 and 0.376833 days as well as initial epochs JD 2456480.04281 and JD 2456479.0523, respectively, more accurate than previously published values by factors 9 and 6. The phenomenological characteristics of the mean light curves were determined using the New Algol Variable (NAV) algorithm. The individual times of maxima/minima (ToM) were determined using the newly developed software MAVKA, which outputs accurate parameters using "asymptotic parabola" approximations. The light curves were approximated using phenomenological and physical models. In the NAV algorithm, the phenomenological parameters are well determined. We derived physical parameters using the Wilson-Devinney model. In this model, the best-fit parameters are highly correlated, thus some of them were fixed to reasonable values. For both systems, we find evidence for the presence of a cool spot and estimate its parameters. Both systems can be classified as overcontact binaries of EW type.