This course deals with the tools of
optical and infrared astronomy. These include the telescope, of course,
but also the expertise to plan your observations, and to evaluate the
data collected. You will learn about which observations are possible,
which detectors exist, and when and how to use filters. You will gain
affinity with different types of instrumentation. Part of the course
involves making competitive proposals for observing time to carry out
an astronomical project.
We have been assigned the nights of 8--11 May 2009 with the Wide-Field
Camera (WFC) on the 2.5--meter Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) at the
Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory on the island of La Palma, Spain.
This is not a requirement of the class but is highly recommended.
Useful
text: Astronomy
Methods, H. Bradt (Cambridge, 2004). ISBN 0-521-53551
Useful text: Astrophysical Techniques (Fourth Edition),
C.R. Kitchin (IOP Publishing, 2003). ISBN 0-7503-0946-6
Useful text: Galactic
Astronomy, J. Binney & M. Merrifield (Princeton,
1998). ISBN 0-691-02565-7
Useful text: Astronomical
Optics (Second Edition), D.J. Schroeder (Academic Press,
1999). ISBN 0-126-29810-6
Course Requirements: Three
problem sets (25%), project (25%), final exam (50%)
Course schedule (subject to change):
| Date |
Topic |
| Wednesday 22.04 |
Overview of course. Photons |
| Tuesday 28.04 |
Photons (cont.); Positional astronomy (I) |
| Friday 01.05 |
A typical night at the telescope (figures) |
| Thursday 14.05 |
Positional astronomy (II) |
Friday 15.05
|
Positional astronomy (III);
Werkcollege
|
Tuesday 19.05
|
Noise
|
Tuesday 26.05
|
Detectors (I) (figures)
|
Thursday 28.05
|
Detectors (II) (figures)
|
Friday 29.05
|
Werkcollege (in computer cluster)
|
Tuesday 02.06
|
Detectors (III) (figures)
|
Thursday 04.06
|
Detectors (IV); How to write an
observing proposal: Project definition; Telescopes (I)
|
Friday 05.06
|
Telescopes (II)
|
Tuesday 09.06
|
Telescopes (III)
|
Thursday 11.06
|
Telescopes (IV)
|
Friday 12.06
|
Werkcollege
|
Tuesday 16.06
|
Telescopes (V): some notes
about aberrations
(from S. Majewski, U. Virginia)
|
Thursday 18.06
|
Earth and atmosphere: figures
|
Friday 19.06
|
Data reduction. Photometry
(I): figures
|
Tuesday 23.06
|
Photometry (II)
|
Thursday 25.06
|
Spectroscopy; projects due
|
Friday 26.06
|
Time allocation committee
|