Astronomy 480 Introduction to Data Analysis and Techniques

University of Washington
Astronomy Department

Astronomy 480 Introduction to Data Analysis and Techniques
SPRING 2009

Instructor: Dr. Ana M. Larson Office: C335, Physics Astronomy Building Office hours: Drop-In any time (except TTh 10:00 am - noon) Questions? E-Mail: larson -at- astro.washington -dot- edu	TA: Eric Hilton Office: B325 Physics Astronomy Building Office hours: Email: hilton -at- astro.washington -dot- edu
Required text: Howell, Steve B., Handbook of CCD Astronomy, 2nd ed (Cambridge University Press, 2006)

Class Meets on MWF; there will be 1 or 2 observing nights per "team"

This course will provide an introduction to the tools and techniques of observational astronomy. We will review the basics of using the concept of a celestial sphere to map the sky, and measuring the flux of an object to learn more about it. We will cover the basics of astronomical image analysis using IRAF, one of the standard packages used in the discipline. We will also learn how to characterize and use CCD detectors that form the foundation of modern optical wavelength astronomical observations. There will be a brief introduction to spectroscopy and how we reduce and analyze spectra. The part of the quarter will be spent with students working on a hands-on project, planning and making their own observations, reducing the data, and writing the report.

Discovery of the elusive donut-star cluster!

exoplanet data

Course Document Links

  Syllabus
  Course Calendar [Includes relevant links]
  Grade Book
  Choosing Your Observing Targets
button Observing Steps for the A-Wing Observatory
button Selections from CD of manuals

Exercises

IRAF Tutorial and Exercise V
Parameters Exercise V (for comparing)
Matching Stars, Graphing in Exercise V
IRAF Tutorial & Exercise VI
Parameter Values for Tasks within IRAF VI
IRAF Tutorial & Exercise VII
reduce15.cl file (right click and save)

Wikiastro480ia

PyRAF Tutorial

Data files for IRAF exercises


Quizzes Reading Quiz 1 Beginner's Guide to IRAF Reading Quiz 2 Howell Ch. 1 - 3 Reading Quiz 3 IRAF II Reading Quiz 4 Howell Ch. 4; IRAF III Reading Quiz 5 Howell (5.1 - 5.4) Reading Quiz 6 Howell (5.5 - 5.9) Reading Quiz 7 IRAF V Reading Quiz 8 (spectrographs)	Observing Preparation True horizon versus azimuthal angle for AWO Calculating S/N (prep points) Review of the Night Sky (prep points) JSkyCalc (prep points) JSkyCalc Webpage Details on AWO filters	Additional Reading Chromey & Hasselbacher, 1996, The Flat Sky: Calibration...., PASP, 108, 944 Stetson, P.B., DAOPhot: A Computer Program for Crowded-Field Stellar Photometry, 1987PASP...99..191S **Wagner, R.M., 1992, Point Source Spectroscopy, ASPConf Series, Vol. 23
Review for Data Reduction Guidelines for your Final Project DROP-BOX FOR FINAL PAPER Due 06/12/09, 5 pm

Important Links
I) Software Combining images using imalign and imcombine IRAF on-line help IRAF Documentation IRAF Beginner's Manual (PDF) Introduction to some SM plotting Poisson Distribution Calculator Match: Program for matching items in a list (such as stars with measured visual and red magnitudes)	III) Useful Databases ADS abstract service (literature searches) Simbad astronomical object database VizieR catalogue querier Database for Globular Clusters WEBDA database for Open Clusters AAVSO Variable Stars of Every Color and Stripes Imaginable
II) Observing Resources XEphem reference manual Generating Finding Charts Will we be observing tonight? ClearDarkSky.com Weather Info for Seattle region Satellite Imagery Extinction Law Calculator Signal-to-noise Calculator for CCD Photometry Astronomical Time Calculations [javascript program] CCD Information from SITe, INc.	IV) Other observatories Manashtash Ridge Observatory Apache Point Observatory Sloan Digital Sky Survey
V) Linux Review Linux Tutorial I (PDF format) Linux Tutorial II (PDF format) Linux Tutorial III (PDF format) Linux Exercise
A whole "ton" of important and relevant links!

Important Links

IV) Other observatories

V) Linux Review

Linux Tutorial I (PDF format)
Linux Tutorial II (PDF format)
Linux Tutorial III (PDF format)
Linux Exercise

A whole "ton" of important and relevant links!

References

Astronomical Photometry, Henden, A and Kaitchuck, R. Van nostrad Reinhold Compnay, 1982 (somewhat dated on detectors but good treatment of data analysis)
Astrophysical Techniques, 2nd Edition, Kitchen, C. IOP Publishing Ltd 1991 (Good general overview of the physical basis for astronomical observations)
Astronomical Observations, Walker, G., Cambridge 1987 (a solid book with lots of nitty gritty information)
Observational Astronomy, Birney, D., Cambridge 1991
Advanced Amateur Astronomy, North, G. , 2nd ed, Cambridge 1997
Observational Astrophysics, Lena et al, Springer 1996

Recommended for your astronomy library

Practical Statistics for Astronomers, Wall and Jenkins, Cambridge University Press, 2003
Data Reduction and Error Analysis for the Physical Sciences, Bevington and Robinson, McGraw Hill, 3rd ed., 2003

University of Washington Astronomy Department