An Undergraduate Laboratory in Experimental Astronomy

将建造一个工作在1.4 GHz的16英尺射电望远镜，以及相关的接收器、转向架、数据采集和计算机设备。整个仪器将用于天文学专业的一门必修实验室课程，该课程还将涉及红外和光学仪器。有了这个射电望远镜，学生们将能够确定我们银河系盘中氢气的运动；探测来自旋转的中子星的周期性信号，并绘制太阳和射电星系天鹅座A等强射电源的地图。学生所做的实验工作也将针对他们对无线电设备和模拟和数字信号处理的理解。康奈尔大学正在为建造射电望远镜提供资金。

A 16-foot radio telescope operating at 1.4 GHz, with associated receivers, steering mount, data acquisition, and computer equipment will be constructed. The overall instrument will be used in a required, new laboratory course for astronomy majors, which will also involve infrared and optical instrumentation. With this radio telescope, students will be able to determine the motion of hydrogen gas in the dish of our Galaxy; detect periodic signals from a rotating neutron star, and make maps of strong radio sources like the Sun and the radio galaxy Cygnus A. Laboratory work performed by the students will also be aimed at their understanding of radio equipment and analog and digital signal processing. Cornell University is contributing to the cost of constructing the radio telescope.