We propose to continue our extremely successful studies of objects in the outer solar system by their occultations of STARS, which we have so far used to study and monitor the atmosphere of pluto;…

We propose to continue our extremely successful studies of objects in the outer solar system by their occultations of STARS, which we have so far used to study and monitor the atmosphere of pluto; to find the unexpectedly small size and therefore the unexpectedly high albedo of KBO 55636; to rule out an atmosphere for charon and to determine its size, shape, density, and rock-ICE fraction; and to study triton's atmosphere. We use frame-transfer ccds constructed for our MIT-williams consortium with an equipment grant from NASA for the purpose. In the next three years, we intend to not only further observe occultations of distant STARS by pluto, charon, and pluto's smaller moons but also to observe occultations of additional kuiper-belt objects, especially (20000) varuna and (60000) quaoar. Our MIT collaborators are continuously obtaining and analyzing astrometric data toward that goal. As our predictions are refined based on new astrometry, we will seek to make arrangements to use our poets CCD systems, which include GPS event timing, with suitable fixed telescopes wherever appropriate (we have used telescopes as large as 8.4 m, often telescopes in the 2-m class, and smaller telescopes). Our observation teams from williams college include faculty, staff, and undergraduate students, and we work in collaboration with colleagues at MIT and elsewhere. Our proposal includes requests for travel funds, estimating a foreign expedition and a domestic expedition each year to match our experiences over the past few years. NASA goals: our results over the past few years indicated that pluto's atmosphere was warming and expanding post-perihelion and then leveled off. Our observations of pluto's atmosphere indicate that sufficient atmosphere will remain at the arrival in 2015 of NASA's new horizons mission and our future pluto occultation observations and KBO/dwarf planet observations have clear interest and relevance for new horizons' explorations and for fundamental exploration of the solar system beyond neptune, topics of great interest to NASA. Understanding pluto and similar objects being discovered and studied in the kuiper belt are playing an increasingly important role in understanding the structure and origin of our solar system. Indeed, new horizons will go on to a KBO after IT passes the pluto system, so our investigations' leading to increased understanding of kbos is doubly relevant to NASA's goals. Our new results will be quickly incorporated in articles and in nationally distributed books, as well as on our public website http://stellaroccultations.info and other e/PO outlets such as 365DAYSOFASTRONOMY.ORG. On campus, we will include them in courses and public planetarium shows. A supplemental e/PO grant to our predecessor occultation NASA research grant was used for a very successful series of teacher workshops at our planetarium, with special attention paid the outer solar system to reflect their link to this research grant, and we plan similarly to arrange e/PO workshops. We match NASA strategic goal 2.3 to "ascertain the content, origin, and evolution of the solar system...." we also match NASA e/PO goals 6.1 about improving retention of students in stem disciplines, 6.2 about strategic partnerships with formal and informal organizations, and 6.4 about informing, engaging, and inspiring the public by sharing NASA's missions, challenges, and results.