Physics 445: Observational Astronomy

If you come to my office to submit your poster, but I'm not in my office, give the poster to the Physics Department Office: it's four doors down the hallway from my office.

This material can be found online at URL

http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/phys445/phys445.html

Instructor

Michael Richmond
Building 76, Office 1274
Office phone: 475-2538
E-mail: mwrsps@rit.edu

Syllabus for the quarter

Class hours

   Tuesday    4:00 -  5:50 pm        76-1230 
   Thursday   4:00 -  5:50 pm        76-1230

Some of our classes will be held in the Gosnell Computer Lab, Mac section, room 08-1365. I'll announce in class when this will occur.

We will also meet several times at night at the RIT Observatory, which is located on John Street, near its intersection with Bailey Road. Look at maps to the Observatory.

This course provides students with the tools they need to plan an observing run for an astronomical target, operate a telescope, acquire digital images with a CCD camera, reduce the images, and analyze the results. At the end of the course, students will carry out a project and write up their results in poster form.

Observing runs

There will be periods during which students will be required to work at the Observatory at night.

April 17 - May 8: Each student will devise a scientific project and figure out what sort of images must be acquired to carry it out. Students will perform most of the work at the Observatory to take the data, for themselves and their colleagues.

Take a look at the RIT Observatory Schedule and pick out at least three nights on which you will be committed to observe -- if necessary. You will be expected to work at the Observatory from 8:00 PM to roughly midnight on each of these nights if the weather is good.

Other resources

The College of Science has a new Study Center, in 08-1174. All departments will send representatives to this room to help students at specified hours. You may also contact the Learning Development Center, in the Eastman Building, second floor. The Office of Special Services can arrange one-on-one tutorial sessions for qualified students.

For further information on CCDs, telescopes, and observing ...

Bill Romanishin's textbook for "Observatory Methods", a course he teaches at Oklahoma University.
Norman Walker's guide to CCD photometry
CCD Observing Manual from the American Association of Variable Star Observers.
Collection of references on photometry collected on the TASS web site.