Astronomy 305
Observational Astronomy
Text : Astronomical Photometry,
Arne A. Henden and Ronald H. Kaitchuck.
As you can tell from the title, this text covers only one aspect of the problem
of observational astronomy. Recommendations of additional resources will be
made in class. The list of topics below is annotated with the appropriate section
of the text.
Class Projects
Documentation
Topics
I. Light
- Wave view / particle view
- E&M Spectrum
- Atmospheric windows
- Blackbody radiation
- Stefan-Boltzmann's Law
- Wien's Displacement Law
- Radiation from stars
- Magnitude scale - [Chapter 1.7]
- Color Index
- Inverse Square Law
- Interstellar Dusk
- Absolute Magnitude
- Color Excess - [Chapter 2.4]
- Bolometric magnitude and correction
II. Observational Limits - Chapter 3
- Image Deterioration
- Diffraction Limit and Rayleigh's Criterion
- Photon Noise / Wave Noise
- Photon Detection
- Incoherent - [Chapters 7 & 8]
- Coherent
- Limits (Noise)
III. Corrections to star position
- Measurement of Time - [Chapter 5.3]
- Sidereal Time
- Julian Date
- Spherical Astronomy - [Chapter 5.5]
- Precession - [Chapter 5.4]
- Refraction - [Chapter 5.2]
IV. Corrections to the data
- Filters - [Chapter 6.3]
- The UBV System - [Chapter 6.3]
- Air Mass - [Chapter 4.4]
- Atmospheric Extinction - [Chapter 1.8]
- First and Second Order - [Chapter 2.2, 4.4]
- Zero Point Values - [Chapter 2.5, 4.5]
- Dead Time Correction - [Chapter 4.2]
- Transformation Equations - [Chapter1.9, 2.2, 2.6, 4.7]
- Interpolations - [Chapter 3.6]
V. Multichannel Detectors
- Photography
- Image Intensifiers
- Charge Coupled Devices
Exams:
Two exams will be given in addition to the final.
The exam schedule is below. Each exam will only
cover the material presented up to that point in the
course. The final exam is not comprehensive.
Exam I - February 19
Exam II - April 1
Final Exam - Monday, May 8 10:30 - 12:30
Observational Projects:
- Measuring angular field of view and visual astronomy
- Unguided Astrophotography
- Guided Astrophotography
- Photoelectric Photometry or CCD Photometry
Grading
| Tests |
12.5% each |
25% |
| Projects |
12.5% each |
50% |
| Final |
|
25% |
| A |
90 - 100
|
| B |
80 - 90
|
| C |
70 - 80
|
| D |
60 - 70
|
| F |
60
|