ASTR 306/406 - Astronomical Techniques

M/W 3:20-4:35, Sears 552

This course will focus on research techniques used by astronomers, including observational studies using ground- and space-based telescopes, and data mining of large on-line astronomical datasets. We will also emphasize the variety of technical writing that astronomers do, including observing/funding proposals, journal articles, and technical reviews. This course is an approved SAGES departmental seminar.

Instructor:
Chris Mihos
Sears 557
mihos@case.edu

Office Hours:
drop-in, except not M/W afternoons
Attendance Policy

Astronomical Techniques will involve a variety of activities, including traditional lectures, in-class discussions, group data analysis projects, and interactive coding exercises.

Because of the interactive nature of the course, on-time attendance is required.

Any absence must be pre-arranged and excused, or else overall grade penalties will be applied.


Computational Requirements

Python programming and data analysis will be required, including the use of the astropy package. I strongly encourage you to install the Anaconda python distribution on your computer, which also installs astropy by default.

Computer Support:
Bill Janesh
bill.janesh@case.edu
Sears 571		     
Charley Knox
charles.knox@case.edu
Sears 568


Assignments

There will be a variety of homework sets geared towards the development of technical skills. These assignments will often be coordinated with in-class activities. Typical assignments could include conducting a simple photometric analysis of astronomical image data,  or downloading and analyzing appropriate astronomical datasets off of the web.

In addition, there will be several writing assignments during the semester:
  • a project writeup in journal style
  • an observing proposal
  • TAC-style proposal reviews
  • a project writeup in proposal style


Late Homework Policy: You get one "free" late assignment, which must be turned in by the "Free Late Date" (usually one week later, but some exceptions; see Assignment Table).  After that, there will be a penalty of 20% for every day late, unless you have a prearranged, excused reason.

Note that you cannot use your free late assignment on the Cluster AGN Writeup

Submitting Assignments: Homework is always due at 5pm on the date listed. Assignments should be submitted through the Canvas course website, as pdf documents and (if requested) python code / jupyter notebooks.

Homework/Assignment Help
Assignment Schedule
(due dates subject to change)
Assignment
 Due Date
(Free Late Date)
 Assignment Group
HW #1 Wed Jan 31
(Wed Feb 7)
 HW/TAC
HW #2 Mon Feb 19
(Mon Feb 26)
 HW/TAC
Observing Proposal Mon Mar 4
(Mon Mar 11)
 Writing
M101 Writeup
(Analysis Notes)
 Mon Mar 25
(Mon Apr 1)
 Writing
HW #3
 Wed Apr 10
(Wed Apr 17)
 HW/TAC
TAC Reports
 Fri Apr 19
(Tue Apr 23)
 HW/TAC
Cluster AGN Writeup Mon May 6
(no late submissions)
 Writing

ASTR 306 Grading Scheme
40% of your final grade will be based on the HW/TAC assignments, and 60% will be based on the writing assignments. In other words, grades will be calculated as:
Final Grade = 0.4 * [HW/TAC average] + 0.6 * [Writing average]
Letter grades will be assigned as follows:
A
 90-100
B
 80-89
C
 70-79
D
 50-69
F
 < 50

Data/Literature Links


Software Links

ASTR 406 Information
Graduate students enrolled in ASTR 406 will have additional problems on the HW assignments as well as a class presentation on a new/upcoming astronomy research facility.

35% of your final grade will be based on the HW/TAC assignments, 55% will be based on the writing assignments, and 10% will be based on your final presentation. In other words, grades will be calculated as:

Final Grade = 0.35 * [HW/TAC average] + 0.55 * [Writing average] + 0.1 * Presentation score
The ASTR 406 grading scheme is the same as for ASTR 306, but with finer-grained resolution to allow for plus/minus graded.



Course Schedule / Topic List
Class
 Date
(Notes)

 Topics
 Links/etc
1
 Jan 17
 Course Intro
Coordinate Systems
 Astronomer's Toolbox
2
 Jan 22
 Coordinate Systems (cont)
The Atmosphere
Telescopes
 skycalc website
skycalc guide
3
 Jan 24
 Telescopes (cont)
Filters and Magnitudes
4
  Jan 29
 Filters and Magnitudes (cont)
Detectors
5
 Jan 31
 Detectors (cont)
ds9 DataLab
 DataLab worksheet
Image files for DataLab
6
 Feb 5
 Aperture Photometry
Observing Proposal Intro
HW #2 Discussion
 Intracluster Light Proposal
Virgo Luminosity Function Proposal
7
 Feb 7
 Surface Photometry
HW #2 Discussion
Observing Proposal Discussion
8
 Feb 12
 Exposure Time Calculators
Literature Searches
Statistics and Models
Gemini Exposure Time Calculators:
GMOS, NIRI
Astrophysics Data Service
9
 Feb 14
 Statistics and Models (continued)
Astronomical Citations
10
 Feb 19
 M101 Data Lab:
Image Reduction
11
 Feb 21
 M101 Data Lab:
Sky Subtraction / Photometric Calibration
12
 Feb 26
 M101 Data Lab:
Image Stacking and Analysis
13
 Feb 28
 M101 Data Lab:
Analysis
Writing Discussion
 Writing Notes
14
 Mar 4
 Homework #2 Discussion
M101 Analysis Discussion
15
 Mar 6
 Spectroscopy

Mar 11
 No class (spring break)

Mar 13
 No class (spring break)
16
 Mar 18
 Spectroscopy (continued)
17
 Mar 20
 Intro to Cluster AGN Project
18
 Mar 25
   X-ray and Optical Datasets for Cluster AGN Project
Selection of Clusters for Analysis
19
 Mar 27
 Exploring SDSS Navigate
SDSS Data analysis
 Using SDSS Navigate
Downloading SDSS data
SDSS analysis tasks
SDSS_analysis.ipynb
Python Tips
20
 Apr 1
 SDSS Data analysis(continued)
21
 Apr 3
 Chandra Crossmatching
Discussion of TAC Assignment
 Chandra_crossmatch.ipynb
22
 Apr 8
 ECLIPSE DAY!!!
(No class....)
23
 Apr 10
 Cluster AGN Project
Video Lecture
 Chandra Crossmatch tasks
Object Followup tasks
24
 Apr 15
 Peer Review in Astronomy
 Prof McGaugh
25
 Apr 17
 Radio Astronomy
Spectroscopic Analysis
 Tiffany Visgaitis
26
 Apr 22
 Cluster AGN Project Object Followup tasks
27
 Apr 24
 Time Allocation Committee
28
 Apr 29
 TAC Discussion and ASTR 409 Presentation

Topical Slide Decks


Learning Outcomes


 After taking this course, students should be able to: