ASTR-110 Astronomy Laboratory

Credit: 1 credit hour
4 Jun - 25 Jul 2007, Sun (Sa), 09:00 - 17:30h 10+17 JUN + 8+15 JUL
Updated 09-Apr-07 23:43h

LECTURER: Dr. Jiri Brezina
phone/-fax (civilian): 06223-7014/-3421
e-mail: jb@grano.de
Heidelberger Str. 68, Waldhilsbach
69151 Neckargemünd
business homepage: http://www.grano.de
GPS: N 49° 22’ 40.3687” = 49.377880205°; E 8° 46’ 08.5719” = 8.769047770°

GENERAL INFORMATION

The purpose of the lab is to complement the material presented in the lecture part of the class, ASTR-100, and the lecture is a pre-requisite or co-requisite for the lab. The lab provides the student with an opportunity to apply the principles discussed in the lecture part of the class.

The nature of the lab is such that students are encouraged to work in pairs or in groups if they choose, except for tests. Tests are strictly individual projects. Academic dishonesty on any quiz will earn a grade of F(a) for the lab.

Grading

Letter grades	% of total possible points
A	90-100 %
B	80-89 %
C	70-79 %
D	60-69 %
F(a)	59% or fewer
F(n)	failure for non-attendance
W	withdrawal
I	incomplete*

Quizzes are essentially open book tests where a student may use any resources except fellow students.

READING ASSIGNMENT

Date	Ch.	In/Out	page	Topics
5 Jun	1 I II III IV	In	1 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5	Introduction to Astronomical Telescopes Types (lenses & mirrors: see chapter 9, p. 55 - 60): Refracting Reflecting Combinations Mountings Altazimuth mtg (no polar axis available) Equatorial (German) mtg Fork mtg Equatorial (English) mtg Yoke mtg Accessories Eyepieces, Camera, Finder telescope, Clock drive, Slow motion controls, Setting circles, Solar observing screen, Filters, Photometers, Spectroscopes, Polarimeters, Filar Micrometers, Image Tubes. Telescope Performance Terms: Light gathering power, Resolving power, Magnification, Scale, Focal length, Focal (F) ratio (image brightness) Homework 1: compare two types of telescopes (advantages/disadvantages); explain the advantage of mountings with available polar axis.
6 Jun	2 I II III IV V	Out	7 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 10 10 11	Constellations & the Celestial Sphere Definitions: Celestial sphere Zenith, Horizon Altitude, Azimuth Latitude, Longitude Celestial poles, Celestial equator Magnitude vs. brightness Motion of the Stars On the sky, all stars move due to the Earth’s rotation, on the northern hemisphere except Polaris Polaris & the Observer’s Latitude Find Polaris by Big Dipper’s pointers, Cassiopeia & Little Dipper’s handle Limiting Magnitude Estimate the magnitude by comparing with those of known values in distinct constellations (use map) Constellation Study Browse through the sky Quiz 1
11 Jun	3 I II III IV	In	13 13 14 14 14 15 15 16	Experimental Measurements Significant Figures Significant figures are important for reasonable rounding of numbers (different in addition/subtraction vs. multiplication/division). Scientific Notation Scientific notation is the standard in expressing numerical data. It takes the form of a decimal number from 1 to 10 that is multiplied by a factor consisting of the number ten raised to an integer power. The Calculator Exercise various operations with your calculator. The Normal Curve of Errors Repeating a measurement can decrease the errors and thus increase the data accuracy when all slightly changing results are properly processed: they show a Gaussian (normal) distribution around the average. Standard deviation (sigma) describes the spread of the variations. It is the square root of the average squared differences between the experimental values and their mean. Numerically, standard deviation is the variable’s value difference (interval), which limits 68% data around the mean; graphically, it is the half difference between the inflection points of the bell shaped curve.
13 Jun	5 I II III IV V	In	19 19 19 20 22 23 23	Interplanetary Travel Planetary Orbits & Periods Use Kepler’s third law to relate orbital period to the average distance of a planet from the Sun. (Hohmann) Transfer Orbits (of a spacecraft). See: http://www.nasa.gov/basics/bsf4-1.html. The spacecraft’s orbit is an ellipse with the Sun in one focus, the Earth’s orbit as perihelion, and the planet’s orbit as aphelion. The opportunity to launch a spacecraft on a transfer orbit to Mars occurs about every 25 months. Velocities Communicating with Earth Return Quiz 2
18 Jun	6 I II	In	25 25 25 28	The Seasons Sunshine at Summer & Winter Solstices Sun’s altitude depends on your latitude, the date, and daytime Questions You Can Answer with the Help of the Celestial Globe
20 Jun	6 I II III IV V VI	In	31 31 31 32 33 34 36	The Temperature of the Earth Introduction Solar Luminosity The Solar Energy Absorbed by the Earth The Earth as a Black Body The Atmosphere’s Influence: The Greenhouse Effect Venus & Mars: Contrasting Extremes of the Greenhouse Effect Quiz 3
23 Jun	7			FIELD TRIP 1: Earth around Pirmasens (compared with Mars)
25 Jun	8 I II III IV	Out	39 40 41 41 42	Astronomical Systems of Time Sidereal Time (ST) Local Solar Time Standard or Zone Time Discussion
27 Jun	8 I II III IV V	Out	45 45 46 46 47 47	Observing with the Telescope, Part I: Locating Celestial Objects Star Charts & Setting Circles Star Names & Designations Sky Coordinates Sidereal Time Locating a Celestial Object
9 Jul	9 I II 10	In Out	55 55 59 61 61 62 63 64	Optics in Astronomy Lenses Mirrors Observing with the Telescope, Part II: The Limitations of the Telescope I Light-Gathering Power II Resolving Power III Focal Length & Magnification IV Atmospheric Seeing.
11 Jul	11 I II III IV V VI VII VIII	In	67 68 68 70 71 72 74 74 75	The Moon Gross Lunar Features Types of Lunar Features Properties of Maria Relative Ages of Overlying Lunar Features Heights of Lunar Features Rilles Relative Crater Ages Crater Counting & the Highlands
14 Jul				FIELD TRIP 2 (the date and sites are tentative): we'll meet at McDonald's, Heidelberg, Hebel Str. 4 klick on http://mail.map24.com/field_trip_hd. From there, we'll drive to (klick): Heidelberg: Max-Planck-Institute for Planetology and to Heidelberg Astronomical Observatory.
16 Jul	12 I II III	Out	97 97 98 98	Observing with the Telescope, Part III: Visual Observations of the Moon Introduction Full Moon Partial Phases
18 Jul	13 I II III 14 I II III	In Out	101 101 103 104 125 126 126 127	The Planets, Part I: Analysis of Observations The Terrestrial Planets The Jovian Planets The General Properties of the Solar System The Planets, Part II: Observations with the Telescope Locating the Planets Angular Sizes of the Planets Visual Observations
23 Jul	15 I II III 16 I II III IV V VI	Out Out	129 129 130 132 137 137 137 138 139 141 141	Observing with the Telescope, Part IV: Visual Observations of the Sun Solar Features Solar Rotation The Solar Spectrum Measurement of Astronomical Distances Introduction Parallax Survey Techniques Triangulation in Astronomy Measurements of Heliocentric Parallax Laboratory Procedure
25 Jul				FIELD TRIP 2

In the case of cloudy sky, and, depending on available equipment, we'll have to substitute the Out-of the class meetings by In-class exercises, and to choose from the following subjects:

Date	Ch.	In/Out	Page	Topics
	17	In	153	Kepler’s Third Law & Masses in Astronomy
			153 154 156 157 159	I Kepler’s Third Law II The Mass of Jupiter III Masses of Binary Stars IV The Mass of the Milky Way Galaxy V The Dark Matter Problem
	18.	Out	163	Photoelectric Photometry
			163 165 166 166	I Introduction II Multicolor Photometry III Instrumental Magnitudes IV Observations
	19.	In/Out	175	Spectroscopy in Astronomy
			175 176 176 180	I The Spectroscope II Kinds of Spectra III Physical Observations IV Astronomical Observations
	20.	In	181	Spectral Classification
			181 182 184 187	I Astronomical Use II Visual Classification III Classification of Spectrograms IV Examination of Other Spectra
	21.	In	205	The Hertzsprung – Russell Diagram
			205 205 207 208 209 210	I Introduction II The Nearest Stars III Stars in Orion IV Nearest versus Brightest Stars V The Pleiades VI Optional
	22.	Out	229	Telescopic Observing with Equatorial Mounting, Clock Drive, Setting Circles, and Slow Motion Controls
			229 229 230 231	I Introduction II Using the Telescope III Finding a Celestial Object with an Equatorial Telescope IV Star Hopping
	23.	In	233	Pulsars
			233 233 235	I Introduction II Characteristics of Pulsation III Positions & Brightnesses of Pulsars IV Pulsar Puzzlers (Optional)
	24.	In	245	Galactic Spiral Structure
			245 246 250	I Introduction II Optical Spiral Structure III Optical – Radio Comparison
	25.	In	255	Astronomical Image Processing
			255 256	I Introduction to Astronomical Images II Computer Software Techniques
	26.	Out	263	CCD Photography at the Telescope
			263 263 265 266 267	I Astronomical CCD Photography II First Principles: Pixel Size & Resolution III Setting Up Your CCD Equipment IV Making the Exposure V Image Processing
	27.	In	269	Classification of Galaxies
			269 270 271	I Introduction II Classifying from Photographs III The Large Magellanic Cloud
	28.	In	295	Radial Velocity & the Hubble Law
			295 297 298	I Radial Velocities from Spectral Line Measurements II Distances of Galaxies III The Hubble Law
				FINAL EXAM
			305	Appendix A: Fall Observing List
		OUT	309	Appendix B: Finding List for October Celestial Objects
			311	Appendix C: Spring Observing List
		Out	315	Appendix D: Field Observing in March
			325 – 326	Appendix E: Aligning a Telescope Axis