Jessie C. Runnoe
Vanderbilt University
| Date | Topic | Resources |
|---|---|---|
| August R 24 |
Introduction, celestial sphere, coordinates |
[notes][links] Chromey Ch. 3 |
| T 29 | Coordinates, Time | [notes][links] Chromey Ch. 3 |
| R 31 | Computing, Git | [notes][links] |
| September T 5 |
Telescopes, Plate Scale, Sampling |
[notes][links] Chromey Ch. 5-6 |
| R 7 | Resolution, Atmosphere | [notes][links] Chromey Ch. 5-6 |
| T 12 | Flux, Magnitudes | [notes][links] Chromey Ch. 1, 10, 10.8, 11.9 |
| R 14 | Detectors, Statistics | [notes][links] Chromey Ch. 2,7.3-7.8,8, Howell Ch. 1-2 |
| T 19 | Python, setup and flux conversions | [notes][links] [exercises] |
| R 21 | Signal to noise | [notes][links] Howell Ch. 4.4 |
| T 26 | Photometry: calibration types | [notes][links] Chromey Ch. 9, Howell Ch. 4 |
| R 28 | Computing: image combination | [notes][links] |
| October T 3 |
Image combination continued |
[notes][links] |
| R 5 | Introduction to final project | [notes][links] |
| T 10 | Computing: data management | [notes][links] |
| R 12 | Computing: overscan subtraction | [notes][links] |
| T 17 | Computing: combining flats | [notes][links] |
| R 19 | FALL BREAK | |
| T 24 | Computing: combining flats continued | [notes][links] |
| R 26 | Computing: combining flats continued | [notes][links] |
| T 31 | Computing: apertures | [notes][notebook][links] |
| November R 2 |
Computing: finding stars |
[notes][links] |
| T 7 | Photometric standards | [notes][links] Chromey Ch. 10 |
| R 9 | Observing proposal lab | [notes][links] |
| T 14 | Diffraction and interference | [notes][links] Chromey Ch. 11 |
| R 16 | The grating equation | [notes][links] Chromey Ch. 11 |
| T 21 | THANKSGIVING | |
| R 23 | THANKSGIVING | |
| T 28 | Spectrographs | [notes][links] Chromey Ch. 11 |
| R 30 | Spectrograph example | [notes][links] |
| December T 5 |
Spectroscopic data reduction |
[notes][links] |
| R 7 | Time Allocation Committees | [notes][links] |
| W 13 | Final Exam: Panel Review |
- Homework 1 (due 09/07/2023 @ 09:30am CST; Solution)
- Homework 2 (due 09/21/2023 @ 09:30am CST; Solution)
- Homework 3 (due 10/05/2023 @ 09:30am CST; Solution)
- Homework 4 (due 10/19/2023 @ 09:30am CST; Solution)
- Homework 4R (due 11/14/2023 @ 09:30am CDT)
- Homework 5 (due 11/14/2023 @ 09:30am CDT; Solution)
- Homework 6 (due 12/05/2023 @ 09:30pm CDT)
- final project telescope/instrument choice due 10/24/2023 @ 09:30am CST
- final project draft is due 11/16/2023 @ 09:30am CST
- final project final proposal is due 12/7/2023 @ 09:30am CST
- Preliminary grades are due 12/12/2023 @ 3:00pm CST
- Final exam is 12/13/2023 @ 09:00-11:00am CST
- panel package is available.
Your final project assignment will be to write a NOIRLab observing proposal and conduct a Time Allocation Committee panel. Your proposal and panel participation will be graded according to this rubric.
I have collected a number of example observing proposals (kindly shared by other astronomers). However, since some of these are still active research programs I ask that you do not share them outside of this class. In this spirit, they are available from our class Brightspace page for you to download privately.
You can find useful links for preparing your proposal, as well as some handy documents including definitions.