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Department of Astronomy

Anthony H. Gonzalez
Assistant Professor
318 Bryant SSC
(352) 392-2052 x233
anthony@astro.ufl.edu

Office hours
Thursdays: 2:45-4:00

Techniques of Observational Astronomy I (AST 3722)

Observing Forecast

April 8 (updated 10:20pm): Observing for tonight is cancelled.

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 7 (1:55-2:45 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, 2:45-4:00pm
Office Hours for Ana Matkovic: 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 2008, 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.

Preliminary Schedule for Lectures and Labs (subject to change)

**Note that the CTO labs are dependent upon weather, and will be switched with the indoor labs when necessary.

Presentation Schedule