Astronomical Observing Techniques: Description
Location: usually lecture room ZG16, or Virgo cluster (ZG291) or
Practicum room (on the first floor).
Status: starting Sep 2006 this is a 5 E.C. course which
can be taken by 3rd jear students of physics and which
is compulsory for 3rd jear students of astronomy.
Exercises: written exercises count towards your assessment
and must be handed in one week after being distributed. They must be
typed or very clearly readable.
Assignments: larger projects, which also count towards your assessment,
will have specific deadlines. You may collaborate on the assignments
but only once with any individual, unless agreed with me.
Weather permitting, we will carry out some elementary observing and
learn how to use standard astronomical software to analyse the data.
There is a more difficult, laboratory-based exercise (the solar
observing project) which provides hands-on experience with a
spectrograph.
The required textbook is Kitchin Astrophysical Techniques
which can be purchased at Scholtens-Wristers both in town and at Zernike.
Another copy has been ordered
for reference use in the library. Other sources are
Bradt: Astronomy Methods
and the less technical
Telescopes and Techniques (also by Kitchin).
5 e.c. corresponds to about 130h work.
Of these, 30h will be interactive (ie in the lecture room
or in the computer cluster),
about 30h will be spent on the solar observing project (lab work),
and 70h is for homework, preparation of presentations,
other practical work, etc. Depending on circumstances we
may include a field trip to the Observatory on La Palma.
Prior Knowledge
- elementary UNIX: if necessary follow a tutorial
- working knowledge of the date reduction program IRAF:
if necessary follow a tutorial
- gaussian and poissonian statistics
- geometric optics
- measurement errors, noise
Motivation for the course
- all students of astronomy, even in daily life,
should be familar with the "tools of the trade".
- obtaining observing time is competitive
and needs skills to win such time
- one needs further skills in order to optimally use observing time,
which is an expensive commodity.
- the emphasis on presentations is partly motivated by the fact that
presenting results in public is an important aspect of the
astronomer's profession, and partly by the fact that active learning
is better than just listening.
Goals
- acquire affinity for the typical quantities in
optical observing, for the limits of what can be done
and for the viability of various observations.
-
become familiar with the types of instrumentation available,
and learn how to choose between them.
-
quantify signal and noise.
-
learn of the different coordinate and velocity systems.
- find out how to locate information and existing data.
-
become familiar with basic data reduction.
Evaluation
There will be no formal examination - "geen tentamen". You will be assessed
on the successful completion of various projects, most of which include
handing in reports or other assignments. Assignments will not be
accepted after the respective deadline.
Evaluation is approximately as follows: