Observational Astronomy for Undergraduates
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2023
Pages: 185
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Astronomy is one of mankind’s oldest and most fascinating fields. For centuries, humans looked to the night sky and wondered what they saw – but astronomers today can provide answers based on their observations. But how does that happen?
Observations of planets, stars, galaxies and the universe are just the first step in understanding them Astronomers must (1) gather data from observations, (2) analyze it objectively, (3) draw sound conclusions from the data, and (4) communicate the findings in a clear, understandable way.
While it is interesting to learn information others have discovered, greater satisfaction comes from discovering for oneself. This textbook on Observational Astronomy is designed to enable you to experience this process. It has been carefully developed to enable you to see how amateur and professional astronomers observe the sky. While many concepts discussed have been greatly simplified, they are good examples of how observational astronomy is actually done.
As you carefully read the text, pause to consider what you are learning. Ask questions to ensure you really understand the concepts. Learn by doing. If you invest the required time and energy, you will acquire a considerable understanding of and appreciation for modern observational astronomy.
INTRODUCTION
SECTION 1
1.0 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SKY
1.1 BASIC SKY CONCEPTS
1.2 THE REASON FOR SEASONS
1.3 MOTIONS OF THE STARS AND SUN
SUMMARY, REVIEW QUESTIONS, OBSERVATIONAL HOMEWORK
2.0 MOTIONS OF THE MOON, PLANETS, AND TIME
2.1 PHASES OF THE MOON
2.2 LUNAR AND SOLAR ECLIPSES
2.3 MOTIONS OF THE PLANETS
2.4 TIME: DAYS, MONTHS, YEARS
SUMMARY, REVIEW QUESTIONS, OBSERVATIONAL HOMEWORK
3.0 AN INTRODUCTION TO OBSERVING
3.1 OBSERVING CONDITIONS
3.2 FINDING OBJECTS IN THE SKY
3.3 BINOCULARS FOR OBSERVING
3.4 OBSERVING WITH BINOCULARS
3.5 USING RIGHT ASCENSION AND DECLINATION
SUMMARY, REVIEW QUESTIONS, OBSERVATIONAL HOMEWORK
4.0 LIGHT AND ITS PROPERTIES
4.1 PROPERTIES OF LIGHT
4.2 MEASURING DISTANCES WITH LIGHT
4.3 APPARENT VS. ABSOLUTE MAGNITUDE
4.4 SPECTRA
4.5 COMPOSITION, TEMPERATURE, VELOCITY
SUMMARY, REVIEW QUESTIONS, OBSERVATIONAL HOMEWORK
5.0 TELESCOPES
5.1 PROPERTIES OF TELESCOPES
5.2 TYPES OF TELESCOPES
5.3 USING TELESCOPES: IMAGING, SPECTROSCOPY AND PHOTOMETRY
5.4 THE EFFECT OF EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE
SUMMARY, REVIEW QUESTIONS, OBSERVATIONAL HOMEWORK
6.0 VISUAL OBSERVING WITH TELESCOPES
6.1 FINDING YOUR TARGET
6.2 HOW TO OBSERVE
6.3 OBSERVING PLANETS, STARS, DEEP SKY OBJECTS
SUMMARY, REVIEW QUESTIONS, OBSERVATIONAL HOMEWORK
7.0 VISUAL OBSERVING PROJECT
7.1 PROJECT OBJECTIVE
7.2 OBSERVING PROJECT TOPIC
7.3 PROJECT METHODOLOGY
7.4 DOCUMENTING YOUR PROJECT
SUMMARY, REVIEW QUESTIONS
SECTION 2
8.0 COMPUTERIZED TELESCOPES
8.1 PUSH-TO TELESCOPES
8.2 HOW THEY WORK
8.3 GO-TO TELESCOPES
8.4 HOW THEY WORK
SUMMARY, REVIEW QUESTIONS, OBSERVATIONAL HOMEWORK
9.0 IMAGING AND IMAGE PROCESSING
9.1 CELLPHONE IMAGING
9.2 DSLR IMAGING
9.3 CCD IMAGING
9.4 IMAGE PROCESSING
SUMMARY, REVIEW QUESTIONS, OBSERVATIONAL HOMEWORK
10.0 PHOTOMETRY
10.1 INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOMETRY
10.2 WHAT WE LEARN FROM PHOTOMETRY
10.3 HOW TO DO VISUAL PHOTOMETRY
10.4 CCD PHOTOMETRY
SUMMARY, REVIEW QUESTIONS, OBSERVATIONAL HOMEWORK
11.0 SPECTROSCOPY
11.1 OVERVIEW OF SPECTROSCOPY
11.2 HOW WE LEARN FROM SPECTROSCOPY
11.3 HOW TO DO SPECTROSCOPY
SUMMARY, REVIEW QUESTIONS, OBSERVATIONAL HOMEWORK
12.0 VIRTUAL OBSERVING
12.1 VIRTUAL OBSERVATORIES
12.2 ASTRONOMICAL DATABASES
12.3 LIBRARY DATABASES
SUMMARY, REVIEW QUESTIONS, OBSERVATIONAL HOMEWORK
13.0 VIRTUAL OBSERVING PROJECT
13.1 PROJECT OBJECTIVE
13.2 PROJECT TOPIC
13.3 PROJECT PLAN AND PROCEDURE
13.4 PROJECT REPORT FORMAT
SUMMARY, REVIEW QUESTIONS
APPENDIX 1 A CATALOG OF DOUBLE STARS
APPENDIX 2 A CATALOG OF DEEP-SKY OBJECTS