Class introduction

• Class content
  • Goal: how to understand and optimally collect astronomical data and extract information, in principle and in practice

  • What do we mean by observational techniques?
    • Recover intrinsic information coming from sky via measurement as best as possible
    • Some information is lost, other information is degraded. Need to understand both.
    • from astronomical object to measurement: properties of light/photons, effect of earth's atmosphere, telescope, instruments, detectors, data reduction, data analysis
    • each stage in observational techniques could be a subject of its own

  • class content:
    • knowledge (apprenticeship of the head)
      • need to understand how instruments work to understand information, accuracy, and to get most from the data. Consequently, we will discuss telescopes, instruments, and detectors. Principally we will discuss imaging instruments and spectrographs. We may briefly discuss some other types of instruments (imaging spectroscopy, interferometry). We will cover instrumentation/methodology for UV/optical/IR observations; radio and high energy covered in a separate class, because many of the techniques are different.

      • need to understand errors and error analysis

    • practical tools (apprenticeship of the hand)
      • Not a class on how to use telescopes and data reduction packages, although these are necesssary skills. Introduction via weekly practicum sessions. Observing/data reduction may best be learned by taking on a research project, e.g. with your advisor, and being forced to learn by doing. Be aware that different people use different tools!

      • NOTE: to get most from data (and often, to stand apart from the ``crowd'', you need to develop refined or new techniques of data analysis. Beware of canned procedures, or at least, remember that you need to fully understand what they are doing. Also, ALL instruments generally present slightly new problems which demand different techniques.

      • NOTE: hardly anything (telescopes, instruments, software) ``just works'' despite what other people say. Understanding how things work is your responsibility, not someone elses, even if it's someone elses responsibility to make them work.

    • inquiry (apprenticeship of the heart)
      • it is not possible to teach you everything you need to know, or to know how to do.
      • you need to learn how to ask questions and answer them

  • Note changing face of astronomy, e.g. automated 1m, HST, SDSS. Traditional mode observing, remote observing, service observing/ queue scheduling, dedicated projects, virtual observatory. Big instruments with dedicated software.

• Logistics
  • Extended lab session?

  • Weekly lab exercises which should be finished outside of class if they can't be finished in class. Roughly biweekly problems. Note there will be different expectations for the graduate and undergraduates in the class. Some problems may have been given, along with answers, in previous years: you are implicitly expected NOT to query older graduate students about these.

  • Two quizes, one final.

  • Texts/references:
    • Schroeder, Astronomical Optics
    • Howell, Astronomical CCD Observing and Reduction Techniques
    • Kitchin, Astrophysical Techniques and Optical Astronomical Spectroscopy
    • Bevington, Data Reduction and Error Analysis for the Physical Sciences
    • Press et al., Numerical Recipes

  • Notes on Web: http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/holtz/a535

  • trip to APO - weekend of 2-4 October? Housing. Training.

• Introduction to NMSU telescopes(APO):
  • ARC 3.5m: consortium with U. Wash (25%), U. Chicago (17.5%), Princeton (15.625%), NMSU (15.625%), U. Colorado (12.5%), JHU (8.75), U. Virginia (6.25%).

  • SDSS

  • NMSU 1m

  • NMSU Tortugas mountain observatory : 24"

  • NMSU campus observatory

• Instruments:
  • 3.5m:
    • SPICAM - optical camera

    • AGILE - high speed imaging photometer

    • DIS - double imaging spectrograph

    • ARCES - echelle spectrograph

    • NICFPS: IR imager (+grism)

    • TRIPLESPEC: IR spectrograph

  • 1m:
    • 2048x2048 camera

    • in commisioning: high speed multichannel photometer

• Observing opportunities: APO, NOAO, HST. Existing data opportunities: SDSS,...

  Homework

  • Look at the APO web site (http://www.apo.nmsu.edu). Look at observing schedule and some observing logs. Check out the 10 micron all-sky camera images. Look through the Instruments pages, and at anything else which might interest you!
  • Look at the NOAO Web site (http://www.noao.edu). What telescopes are currently available? What instruments are available on each?
  • Look at the STScI Web site (http://www.stsci.edu). What instruments are currently available on the HST?
  • Look at the SDSS Web site (http://www.sdss.org). What projects are part of SDSS-III?
  • Assessment problems.