ASTR 377: Experimental Astronomy
Section 1, Fall 2020
Lecture: Tuesday
and Thursday
Location:
RITA room 385
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, observing 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 is an approximate list of topics
covered. Many of these topics/programs
will be overlapping.
-- General Introduction
to Observational Methods
--Statistical Techniques
-- Python and IDL
Programming
-- Data Analysis
-- Photometry, Imaging,
and Spectroscopy
-- X-ray Astronomy
--Telescope Observing
--Final Project
Syllabus Statement Regarding how the Covid-19
pandemic will affect ASTR 377 for the Fall 2020
All faculty and students
must abide by public health guidelines that include practicing social
distancing in the classroom and elsewhere on campus, following signage
indicating the entrance, exit, and traffic flow in and around campus buildings,
wearing a mask or cloth face covering while in the presence of others, washing
or sanitizing hands frequently, sanitizing individual and shared learning and
work spaces, and staying home when sick. These practices are mandatory.
Students will not be
allowed to attend class without an appropriate face covering or when showing
symptoms of illness.
All courses will move
online for one week after Thanksgiving. Final research projects will be presented
online. Therefore, all students will be given access to a computer equipped
with a web camera, microphone, and Internet access.
Every lab and assignment
will be performed individually because of the Covid-19 guidelines.
Each student will be assigned
a Macbook pro laptop to use for the lab. Please take good care of them! The laptops include all the required software to
run the assignments. You will be using
these laptops at your homes during all online periods. Since the first online
period is between August 24 – September 14, I will provide these laptops to you
the week before online classes begin.
Each student will be assigned
a ZWO ASI1600MM Pro Monochrome Astronomy Camera equipped with an EFW Mini 5
slot filter wheel. Each unit is numbered so please use the same unit during the
semester. Please take good care of
them! These units will be stored in RITA 385, but
in case we are required to go completely online you may take the CCD
camera/filter wheel home to complete several of the labs that require their
use.
Each student will be
assigned a Celestron goto
telescope, mount, and tripod. These will be stored in RITA 385. You may take
these out for observing on the RITA roof deck. Because of Covid-19 guidelines,
assess to the RITA roof deck will be limited. Fridays and Weekends are always
available for observing and collecting data for your research projects.
The College anticipates
that some members of the community will fall ill or test positive for the
coronavirus, and then be required to quarantine, thereby missing class,
assignments, and assessments. I will provide reasonable accommodations for
students who become ill or indicate a need to isolate themselves. To the extent
possible, arrangements will be made for students with COVID-19 related absences
to continue in the class.
All non-rooftop-observing
labs will be recorded and students that need to isolate may use the online
recordings, instructions and data provided on OAKs to complete assignments and
will be granted an extension to submit their work.
However, students should
be aware that missing to submit 4 or more assignments will result in a poor or
failing grade.
If a student is absent (online
or in-person) from class for an extended period, a withdrawal (W) before the
deadline should be strongly considered.
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 document all your activities and
assignments in README files, at a level sufficient enough that someone else
could reproduce your work.
Each student will prepare
a proposal for an independent project involving new observational 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:
Participation
in Class |
10% |
Lab
reports/Worksheets/Programming Assignments |
50% |
|
|
Final
Project 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:
Attendance (in person or online) is mandatory. 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. Extensions will
be granted in cases
Missing 4 or more labs (undocumented) will result in a letter grade
of F. Your attendance level will also be included as part of the class participation
portion of your grade. Please turn cell
phones to off or to silent-mode during class.
Weather Closure of CofC
If the College of Charleston closes and members of
the community are evacuated due to inclement weather, students are responsible
for taking course materials with them in order to continue with course
assignments consistent with instructions provided by faculty. In cases of
extended periods of institution-wide closure where students have relocated,
instructors may articulate a plan that allows for supplemental academic
engagement despite these circumstances.
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 collect data on optical telescopes, analyze and interpret the
data, and present your findings in a written 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