AST 3722: Techniques of observational astronomy I
Observing forecast
Monday,
March 30: AST 1022 NIGHT LAB TONIGHT...I've been told by
Francisco that the CTO will be in use between 830-1030.
Unless you want to come after 1030, we will have to do it
some other time. Email me if you have any questions -Mike
Course Overview
AST 3722 focuses on the fundamental principles and techniques used in planning, making, reducing, and analyzing modern astronomical observations. The course includes classroom lectures and discussion, indoor laboratory work, data analysis, and outdoor night observations. The material covered provides an introduction to numerical treatment of observations, CCD imaging, digital image processing, and astronomical spectroscopy.
Syllabus
Class Room: BRT 03
Class Periods and Times: Tuesday, Thursday Period 5 (11:45-12:35 pm)
Lab Locations: BRT 07, Campus Teaching Observatory, and Rosemary Hill Observatory
Lab Periods and Times: W 11-E3 (6:15-10:10 pm)
Office Hours for Anthony Gonzalez: Thursday, 12:45-2:00pm
Office Hours for Michael Butler: Wednesday 1-2:30pm
Required materials: A bound lab notebook (not 3-ring binder) and scientific calculator are
required for the labs.
Recommended textbooks:
Observer's Handbook 2009, Edited by Rajiv Gupta
Observing the Universe, Andrew J. Norton
Observational Astronomy, D. Scott Birney, Guillermo Gonzalez, & David Oesper
Fundamentals of Astronomy, Cesare Barbieri
Grading Policy:
50% Lab Reports
20% Observing Project
15% Final Presentation
15% Classwork and Participation
**For additional details please look at the hardcopy of the syllabus distributed in class.
Key dates during semester
Feb 24: Presentation Topic Selected
April 7-21: Final Presentations
April 24: Observing Projects Due
Preliminary schedule for lectures and labs (subject to changE)
Week Lecture Topics Labs
1/06 Introduction, History, Coordinates and Time Intro to CTO (CTO)
1/13 Coordinates and Time No Lab
1/20 Planning Observations, Atmospheric Effects Lab 1 (BRT7)
1/27 Statistics, Optics Lab 2 (BRT7)
2/03 Optics and Telescopes Groups 1,2 (CTO); Groups 3,4 (BRT7)
2/10 Detectors and CCDs Groups 3,4 (CTO); Groups 1,2 (BRT7)
2/17 CCDs, Exposure Times, Filters Groups 2,3 (CTO); Groups 1,4 (BRT7)
2/24 Spectroscopy, Data Reduction and Analysis Groups 4,1 (CTO); Groups 2,3 (BRT7; Labs 3,4)
3/03 Data Reduction and Analysis, HST SM4 Groups 1,4 (CTO); Groups 3,2 (BRT7; Lab 5)
3/17 Literature Searches, How to Give a Talk, Color Images Groups 3,2 (CTO); Groups 4,1 (BRT7; Lab 5)
3/24 Infrared Astronomy, UV Astronomy CTO
3/31 Lab Tours, Adaptive Optics Reduction and Photometry (BRT7)
4/07 Presentations Reduction and Photometry (BRT7)
4/14 Presentations Lab 6 (BRT7)
4/21 Presentations
**Note that the CTO labs are dependent upon weather, and will be switched with the indoor labs when necessary.
Course Handouts
1/06 Syllabus
1/06 Map to CTO
1/07 Homework #1
1/14 Introduction to CTO
1/21 Lab #1
1/22 Homework #2
1/28 Lab #2
2/03 Observing Project Guidelines
3/19 Homework #3
Presentation Schedule
4/07 GAIA and SIM - Ley
4/07 Gamma Ray Telescopes - Caplan
4/09 X-ray Telescopes - Almeyda
4/09 Cosmic Microwave Background Satellights - O'Dougherty
4/09 The Atacama Large Millimeter Array - Miranda
4/14 Solar Observatories - Garner
4/14 The South Pole Telescope - McIntyre
4/16 Gravitational Wave Telescopes - Disantham
4/16 Neutrino Detectors - Nguyen
4/16 Dark Matter Detection - Sardane
4/21 The James Webb Space Telescope - Seguin
4/21 Cherenkov Telescopes - Weiss
4/21 Fabry-Perot Tunable Filters - Lewkowitz
4/23 Detecting Extrasolar Planets - Ruth
4/23 Detection of Earth-Crossing Asteroids - Jakeman
