A Modern Technology Telescope for Undergraduate Student Projects and Research

将购置一台集许多先进技术特点于一体的现代望远镜，供物理学/天文学专业本科生使用。这些学生将使用望远镜学习观测天文学的研究技术，同时获得宝贵的原始科学数据。学生将进行自己的观察，分析数据，并准备结果发表。此外，他们还将亲身体验现代天文仪器的操作。该望远镜将被安装在位于北卡罗来纳州西部山区的阿巴拉契亚州立大学的暗天天文台。望远镜将配备各种辅助仪器，这些仪器目前存在或将用大学基金购买。其中包括测量变星亮度的光度计和采集恒星、星系、类星体和彗星图像的CCD摄像机。摄谱仪将用于获得足够质量的恒星光谱，以确定恒星的光谱类型（温度和大小）。观测和仪器控制将在一个温暖的房间里远程完成，与现代研究天文台的风格大致相同。学生还将探索通过电信从校园远程控制天文台的可能性。因此，新的更大的望远镜不仅将取代目前在现场的过时望远镜的功能，而且还将向下一代望远镜仪器迈出一大步。受资助机构将从非联邦来源获得等额的NSF奖励。

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.