University:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Course:
12.409 | Hands-On Astronomy: Observing Stars And Planets
Academic year:

2023
Views:

437

Pages:

1
Author:

Madalynn Gould

Course Information MASTER PLAN - to give you a sense of what this class entails. Final plans for a specific class are dependent upon weather conditions, so the “scheduling” of items from this list will be determined week-by-week. Sometimes we're extremely fortunate, with each section getting 5 to 7 clear nights during the term. Sometimes we're extremely UNfortunate, with only 2 or 1 (or less?) useful nights. o Organization. Observing Notebook. Finding North. We begin the term using the telescopes on-campus. o Setting up your LX200. If clear --- free night to observe from MIT. o List of suggested objects. Coordinates and time. Basic object-finding. o Observe ``easy'' objects. Selected exercises in class. o Finish ``easy'' objects. Do some ``intermediates''. o Possibly arrange daytime session to try solar observing. o Finding charts. Palomar Sky Survey. Coordinate precession. o CCD setup and use for imaging o Optics. The telescopes get moved out to Wallace later on in the term (conditions permitting), to give us darker sky conditions for harder, fainter objects. o More advanced CCD techniques including color imaging and image processing techniques o More rock, less talk. o Assorted videotapes for use on poor-weather nights, selected from: “The Mechanical Universe”: Kepler's 3 Laws, Navigating in Space, special relativity. “Ring of Truth” by Philip Morrison: Mapping, Doubt. “Spaceflight” (American space program). “The Astronomers”: Where is the Rest of the Universe?, Prospecting for Planets. NOVA: The Doomsday Asteroid.