Astronomical Imaging For The Upperclass Physics Curriculum

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The project uses a high-quality, large-format CCD camera on the 16-inch computer-controlled telescope at Gettysburg College Observatory. The camera, with an associated image-processing workstation, is used to introduce exercises and research projects involving modern astronomical observing and analysis techniques to our upperclass physics majors. In the junior- level advanced laboratory course, it allows the replacement of an existing exercise on aperture photometry using a photoelectric photometer with an exercise on CCD photometry of short-period variable stars in clusters. Senior physics students doing a required senior project, as well as other majors interested in astronomy, can participate in research projects such as the measurement of asteroid parallaxes and the photometry of supernovae, and can be trained in the digital analysis of astronomical images. The asteroid and supernova projects not only affect our Gettysburg students, but involve coordination of observations and sharing of data with students and faculty at other institutions.