A Modern Technology Telescope for Undergraduate Student Projects and Research

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A modern telescope that incorporates many advanced technology features will be acquired for use by undergraduate physics/astronomy majors. These students will use the telescope to learn research techniques in observational astronomy, in addition to acquiring valuable original scientific data. Students will make their own observations, analyze the data, and prepare the results for publication. In addition, they will learn first-hand the operation of modern astronomical instrumentation. The telescope will be installed at Appalachian State University's Dark Sky Observatory, located in the mountains of western North Carolina. The telescope will be equipped with a variety of auxillary instruments, which exist presently or which will be acquired with university funds. These include a photometer to measure the brightness of variable stars and a CCD video camera to acquire images of stars, galaxies, quasars, and comets. A spectrograph will be used to obtain stellar spectra of sufficient quality to determine a star's spectral type (temperature and size). Observations and instrument control will be done remotely from a warm-room, in much the same style as modern research observatories. Students will also explore the possibility of remote control of the observatory from campus, via telecommunications. Thus, the newer and larger telescope will not only replace the function of the obsolete telescopes currently at the site, but it will also take a great step forward into the next generation of telescope instrumentation. The grantee institution is matching he NSF award with an equal sum obtained from non-Federal sources.