Objectives. Responsibility

Transcription

1 Eastern University Physical Science 111 The Solar System Laboratory Syllabus Fall Semester 2004 McInnis 322 M 3:30-5:30 PM Dr. David H. Bradstreet, Steven Sanders Objectives There is no teacher like experience, and my main goal in designing this lab has been to give the student a first hand, close-up contact with the universe they are studying. As a result of serious effort in this lab, the student will gain a good working knowledge of telescopes, observing techniques, location of major constellations throughout the sky, CCD astrophotography, computerized image enhancement, and other related astronomical subjects. Responsibility This lab is unique in many ways and leads the student into many different avenues of discovery and exploration. However with privileges come some very serious responsibilities that cannot be overemphasized. 1. The major portion of your observing will be done on the McInnis rooftop Observatory. This professional facility contains state of the art telescopes and auxiliary equipment and is the miraculous realization of a 20-year dream. Any student found willfully abusing any equipment will be expelled from the Lab and receive an F for the Lab grade. Any students mishandling equipment irresponsibly will be liable for its replacement. 2. No visitors are allowed with the group unless previously authorized by the professor. 3. The group using the equipment is responsible for its safety. Make sure everything is there before and after you observe. 4. There is to be a maximum of three students per telescope, not including the Lab Assistant. Schedule of Labs and Assignments Because we have only two telescopes, students are asked to work in groups of two or three. These groups may be "permanent" (i.e., you always work together) or you may sign up individually on the network Observing Calendar and other class members may also sign up for the same time and you will work together on your projects. The first person to sign up for a night has priority in deciding what is to be done by the group on that night. The major goal(s) of that person should be written on the Observing Calendar so that other students needing to perform that project will know what is being planned (i.e., general visual observing, CCD photography, solar observing, moon shots, planet shots, extra credit work, etc.). Because we have two telescopes with which to work, when you sign up on the Observing Calendar specify which telescope (North or South) you want to use. Two groups may work in the Observatory simultaneously. You should also put your phone number next to your name so that you can be reached if there is a problem. 1

2 The telescopes are identical Meade LX inch diameter Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, with fully computerized functions that allow the user to automatically locate celestial objects easily. They also possess clock drives that automatically move the telescopes to counter the Earth's rotation, and thus objects stay in view as long as they are above the horizon. The telescopes can be controlled manually from within the Observatory domes as well as by powerful computers, housed in the adjacent climate-controlled Russell Control Room, which allow sophisticated software to control all functions of the telescopes. For example, students can completely control the telescopes by sitting at a desk and clicking on a computerized star map, which in turn directs the telescope automatically to that position. Photography of the object can then be initiated with the results appearing on the computer screen minutes later, ready for storage and later image enhancement. Due to the nature of this lab, we will not meet every scheduled lab period because you will be observing on your own five or more times during the semester. The "TBA" (To Be Announced) labs will either be special presentations, special projects (like a lecture on special research projects), or "rest" periods. These "rest" periods are in recognition of the time you will be spending on your own in the Observatory. You are guaranteed at least four "rest" periods. Individuals or groups are responsible for signing up on the Observing Calendar, located on the College Computer Network, for the particular night(s) they desire to observe. You should only sign up for at most one night a week, and please don't sign up for every Tuesday night for the next three months as that shuts out others for whom Tuesday nights may be the only night they can work. You should only sign up for about one month in advance. The phase of the moon will also be indicated on the calendar. The best time to visually observe is 1 week before and after new moon, and moon photos are best 4 days before and after 1st quarter. We'll discuss this more in lab. To prevent last minute procrastination, which causes significant problems at the end of the semester, students may not sign up for any nights during the last two weeks of classes unless they have been rained out at least three previously attempted nights during the semester. Thus, the last two weeks of the semester are reserved for those people who have legitimately been trying to complete their observing tasks before the end of the semester. If you sign up for a night and it is mostly cloudless that night, you must take advantage of it and observe. Clear nights are far too infrequent to waste. If the night you signed up for is mostly cloudy, then you do not have to show up in the Observatory that night. The Lab Assistants (LA s) will also be signing up for particular nights to be "on duty." In this way you will know which Lab Assistant will be working with you that night in case you need to contact them about meeting times, etc. Lab Schedule Aug Intro to lab; constellation materials; elementary observing principles and introduction to the Observatory; Observing Calendar 2

3 Sep Constellations; you should be learning the assigned constellations; Meet in McI 322 and we will then proceed to the Planetarium Sep Intro to the telescope and observing techniques; Using TheSky program; review right ascension and declination in the text, p. 10 Sep Constellation test (30% of lab grade); drawing and identifying constellations and prominent stars Oct 4... Astrophotography - CCD and Video Oct TBA Oct Image Analysis and Enhancement Oct TBA Nov 1... TBA Nov 8... TBA Nov Telescope test (20% of lab grade); know everything concerning our telescopes, set-up and observing procedures, astrophotography, image analysis and enhancement, etc. Nov TBA Nov TBA Percentage Breakdown of Lab Grades All observing reports must be handed in by the last day of classes, Friday, December 3 rd, by 5 PM. These must be bound into some type of notebook or photograph album. Significant effort should go into the observing notebook as it is worth 50% of the lab grade. If I receive nearly identical notebooks (too much collaboration), the grade will be equally split between the two people. The lab has three major grades, broken down as follows: constellation test - 30% telescope test - 20% observing notebook - 50% 3

4 The total lab grade (all three major grades listed above) contributes 30% to your final letter grade for the course. Attendance There are no unexcused absences permitted from labs when we meet as a class. Also, if your group observes and you are not there, then you may not use any of their materials from that night and you must observe that material with some other group on another night. You will not receive credit for someone else's work. Conferences and Aid If your group is having difficulties of any kind, please feel free to come and talk to me. My office is in McInnis 321, and my office phone number is You may also call me at home before 10 PM, Graded Work You must keep a working log of all of your observing endeavors, including attempts, i.e., even if you only signed up for a night and it was cloudy. This working log will help you organize your final Observing Notebook. This journal should include a careful record of all nights signed-up for, a brief synopsis of each night s work, lab partners, Lab Assistant, etc. This diary of your observing must be included in the final Observing Notebook. Observing sessions are to be written up in the following format: Date Time Observers Weather conditions Lab Assistant I. List the goals for that particular night. II. Observations Include comments on what you observed, a sketch of the object(s) on the official observing sketch sheet (available in the Observatory), how the object appeared at different magnifications, were there any prominent features visible, etc. You should research the objects before you observe them in the many references available in the Observatory, Library, and the Internet. Do NOT wait until the end of the semester to research your objects! In your observing report, along with the sketch sheet(s), give a brief description (a paragraph or two) of the object from the reference(s) - approximate size, distance from earth, magnitude (apparent brightness), 4

5 RA and Dec, and any other information that you deem pertinent. (You do not have sketch the Moon.) Some people cut out each of the four rectangles on the Observing Sheet and paste them individually, along with its description, one object per page. Or, you could scan the sketch directly into a Word document! Be sure to include a Bibliography in your final Observing Notebook. Be certain that your Bibliography includes more references than just websites! I am not impressed with information that is merely printed out directly from Web pages. This is tantamount to Xeroxing pages from a book and handing them in. There are many excellent book resources in the Russell Control Room; however, these cannot be taken from the Observatory. III. Photographic data List the objects that you attempted to photograph. Describe the particular method(s) used in taking the photo(s), the exposure time that resulted in the best shot, etc. You should include all of the information given in the File Info Menu choice under View in CCDSoft. Comment on your photos - do you consider them of good quality, what went wrong, how could they be improved, etc. You must also comment on the content of your photos - the prominent maria, craters, mountains on the Moon, surface features of planets, prominent stars in constellation shots, etc. You should print out a sky chart from The Sky program that has approximately the same scale as your photo and that shows the rectangular frame of our CCD camera to scale. You should also include a larger scale sky chart that clearly shows in which constellation your photographed object resides. Note if there are any recognizable star clusters, Messier objects, or whatever in the photos in addition to indicating the names (usually Arabic or Greek letters) of the prominent constellation stars. We will be discussing in lab exactly how to identify objects in your photos by Image Linking them in TheSky program. Pictures of individual stars (like the stars we synchronize to) may be included in the notebook, but they are not counted in the grading of your work towards the required number of photographs. Any falsifying of pictures (i.e., using pictures from previous years or other students not in your group) will result in a zero for the lab notebook grade and disciplinary action via the Dean of Students office, as this is a serious form of plagiarism. IV. Concluding remarks Did you reach your goals? If not, why not? Were you satisfied with the observing session as a whole? Was your preparation adequate? Did your group work efficiently together, or would you like to wring certain necks? Comment on any difficulties encountered, including those brought about by the Lab Assistant or equipment failure. I also want a final concluding paragraph (or two) at the very end of the notebook where you reflect upon the semester s lab work as a whole. Are there things you would have done differently? What could have improved your experience? Did your view of God change at all? Was it worth it? I read these paragraphs especially carefully 5

6 Observing Log In the Observatory there is a notebook where the group must sign in and the Lab Assistant will also sign when you have completed your observing session. Also you must fill in the appropriate blanks before and after observing. All members must sign in for themselves. If the log is not properly filled out and signed, you will not receive credit for your observing session. Summary of Procedure for Observing Make sure you have planned exactly what you want to accomplish that night, and be certain to dress appropriately! 1. Sign up for a particular night on the Observing Calendar on the University Computer Network. Write your name at the appropriate time at which you plan to start, your phone number, which telescope (North or South), and what you plan to do that night on the Calendar. 2. When that night arrives, determine whether or not it will be mostly clear. Note that 4 days on either side of full Moon are not the best for visual observations. The US Weather Bureau phone number is 610-WE You can also check local weather and weather satellite information on the Web from the Observatory Weather Station and/or weather forecasts at 3. If it looks like it will be mostly clear, the Lab Assistant will meet you in the Observatory at the time you have specified on the Observing Calendar. If the Lab Assistant does not show up, call Steve Sanders ( ) or Dr. Bradstreet ( ) or in an emergency ( (cell)). 4. Sign in the Observing Log. If you arrive unprepared, the Lab Assistant has the authority to cancel the observing session. 5. The Lab Assistant will help you set up the equipment and assist in whatever ways are necessary. Carefully go through the Set-Up Checklist on the reverse side of the Observing Log sheet. Note that the Lab Assistant assists and should not be doing all of the work! 6. When you are finished, carefully store all equipment in its proper place. Complete the Shut- Down Checklist, especially making sure that the Dome Shutter is completely closed and the telescope power is off! 7. Remind the Lab Assistant to turn on the blower fans in the penthouse if they were turned off. 6

7 8. Finish filling out the Observing Log, making careful notes as to what you accomplished, and especially if anything went wrong or broke or was missing! Have the Lab Assistant sign it, and go home! Make sure that no female members of the group walk back to the dorms alone (if at all possible). 7