ASTR 377: Experimental Astronomy
Section 1, Fall 2016
Lecture: Tuesday
and Thursday
Location:
School of Science and Mathematics Building (SSMB) room 253
Time: TR 7:00
pm-10:00 pm
Instructor: Dr.
George Chartas
Office: 206 J.
C. Long
Office
hours: TR 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Phone: (843)
953-3609
Email: chartasg@cofc.edu
Pre-requisite: ASTR 231 or permission of instructor. It
is the student-s responsibility to satisfy pre-requisites.
_____________________________________________________________
Syllabus
Required materials:
There is no textbook for this course. I will be distributing reading material
from different sources throughout the semester. You should also take it upon yourself to
acquire a broader background in basic astronomy and observational
techniques.
Schedule:
Regular class period will
be a mixture of lecture, discussion, group activities, and in-class computer
work. There is no strict schedule
for when different topics will be covered.
To some extent, we will be developing as we go, depending on student
experience levels, progress, and interests. Below though is an approximate
chronology of topics covered. Many
of these topics/programs will be overlapping.
--General Introduction to
Observational Methods
--Statistical Techniques
--IDL Programming
--Photometry and
Astrometry
--Telescope Proposal
Writing
--On-Telescope Observing
--Spectroscopy
--Final Project
Grading
There will be various,
perhaps weekly assignments to teach the experimental techniques. These may consist of worksheets or
programming exercises and some will require a written report.
Each
person will present one mini-lecture on their final project.
Throughout the course, I ask that you maintain a science notebook that
documents all your project activities, at a level sufficient enough that
someone else could reproduce your work.
Each student will prepare
a proposal for an independent project involving new data or use of archival
data. All observations and analysis
must be completed in time to prepare a final paper before the end of the
semester. The final paper will be
modeled on a journal paper. There
is no final exam.
The following weights
apply in determining your final grade:
Group-Work
and Class Participation |
10% |
Worksheets/Programming
Assignments |
25% |
Lab
Reports |
25% |
Presentation |
10% |
Final
Project Report |
30%
|
Your
number grade will be converted into a letter grade as follows.
>85% |
A |
80-84% |
A- |
76-80% |
B+ |
72-76% |
B |
68-72% |
B- |
64-68% |
C+ |
60-64% |
C |
56-60% |
C- |
52-56% |
D+ |
48-52% |
D |
44-48% |
D- |
<44% |
F |
Attendance
Requirement:
You are expected to attend all classes. There are no make-up labs. Worksheets, reports and programming
assignments are turned in on an assigned date.
Missing 4 or more labs will result in a letter grade
of F. Your attendance level will also be included as part of the group-work and
class participation portion of your grade.
Please turn cell phones to off or to silent-mode during class.
Learning Outcomes:
In
this course you will review concepts and experimental techniques in astronomy including
imaging, astrometry, multi-wavelength instrumentation, and data analysis techniques.
In doing so, the following will be achieved:
-- You
investigate and explore topics in observational astronomy in a manner akin to working
in a professional research group.
-- You
develop skills in writing professional-quality science proposals and publications.
-- You
establish expertise in carrying out scientific computing and programming.
-- You
develop your skills in statistical analysis in experimental science.
-- You
learn how to propose, design, implement, and report.
Special
Needs
If you have any special needs or disabilities that
might require special arrangements to be made for any aspect of this course,
please let me know at the beginning of the semester or as soon as you become
aware of them.
1.
Any student eligible for and needing accommodations because
of a disability is requested to speak with the professor during the first two
weeks of class or as soon as the student has been approved for services so that
reasonable accommodations can be arranged.
2.
The College will make reasonable accommodations for persons
with documented disabilities. Students should apply for services at the
Center for Disability Services/SNAP located on the first floor of the Lightsey Center, Suite 104. Students approved for
accommodations are responsible for notifying me as soon as possible and for
contacting me one week before accommodation is needed.
3.
This College abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you have a documented
disability that may have some impact on your work in this class and for which
you may require accommodations, please see an administrator at the Center of
Disability Services/SNAP, (843) 953-1431) or me so that such accommodation may
be arranged.
College
of Charleston Honor Code and Academic Integrity:
Lying,
cheating, attempted cheating, and plagiarism are violations of our Honor Code
that, when identified, are investigated.
Each incident will be examined to determine the degree of deception
involved.
Incidents where the instructor determines the student-s actions are related
more to a misunderstanding will be handeled by the
instructor. A written intervention designed to help
prevent the student from repeating the error will be given to the student. The intervention, submitted by form and
signed both by the instructor and the student, will be forwarded to the Dean of
Students and placed in the student-s file.
Cases
of suspected academic dishonesty will be reported directly by the instructor
and/or others having knowledge of the incident to the Dean of Students. A student found responsible by the Honor
Board for academic dishonesty will receive a XF in the course, indicating
failure of the course due to academic dishonesty. This grade will appear on the student-s transcript for two
years after which the student may petition for the X to be expunged. The F is permanent. The student may also be placed on
disciplinary probation, suspended (temporary removal) or expelled (permanent
removal) from the College by the Honor Board.
Students
should be aware that unauthorized collaboration--working together without
permission-- is a form of cheating.
Unless the instructor specifies that students can work together on an
assignment, quiz and/or test, no collaboration during the completion of the
assignment is permitted.
Other forms of cheating include possessing or using an unauthorized
study aid (which could include accessing information via a cell phone or
computer), copying from others- exams, fabricating data, and giving
unauthorized assistance.
Research
conducted and/or papers written for other classes cannot be used in whole or in
part for any assignment in this class without obtaining prior permission from
the instructor.
Students
can find the complete Honor Code and all related processes in the Student Handbook at http://studentaffairs.cofc.edu/honor-system/studenthandbook/index.php