Acquisition of Telescope Hardware and a Workstation for Astronomical Data Analysis

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9512216 Kwitter, Karen B. The funds are requested for a performance-upgrade package for the Williams College 24-inch telescope and for a computer system that will significantly enhance the ability of the faculty and undergraduates to analyze and interpret observational data. The work will install a new focus housing on the 24-inch DFM telescope to allow high resolution focus readout, thereby increasing the speed and efficiency of all observations, especially multi-filter CCD observations. Also, a DEC Alpha 3000/900 will be purchased on which to run IRAF (Image Reduction and Analysis Facility, a package from the National Observatories that has become the standard astronomical analysis tool), and auxiliary equipment for data transfer and storage. The new instrumentation will substantially improve the ability to conduct on-campus research, and to continue the student research participation-often involving data acquired at national observatories-that is a hallmark of the Williams College astronomy curriculum.