Modernization of the University of Texas 16-Inch Undergraduate Telescope

该大学在1975年购买了一台16英寸的望远镜；该望远镜存在严重的驱动问题，限制了目标捕获的制导精度和速度。该望远镜没有为天文学专业的学生和美国最大的天文项目之一的其他用户提供足够的教育或研究系统。该项目用更精确的系统取代了安装和驱动系统，并纳入了计算机控制。新系统能够以不同的速度跟踪，从而允许观察太阳系物体。随着望远镜的现代化，可以编写新的实验室练习并进行实地测试。该望远镜主要用于三门高级天文学课程：一门新的“天文技术”课程，作为对现有的“位置、动力学和运动学天文学”课程的补充，以及一门为未来的中级科学教师设计的“天文学方法”的现有实验室课程。在时间允许的情况下，预计低年级学生可以在目前的一学分一小时的课程中使用一些。

The university acquired a 16-inch telescope in 1975; this telescope has severe drive problems that limit the guiding accuracy and speed of target acquisition. The telescope does not offer the astronomy majors and other users at one of the largest astronomy programs in the country an adequate system for education or research. This project replaces the mount and drive system with a more accurate system and incorporate computer controls. The new system is capable of tracking at different rates, thus allowing the observation of solar system objects. In conjunction with the modernization of the telescope, new laboratory exercises can be written and field-tested. The telescope is used primarily in three upper division astronomy courses: in a new course on "Astronomical Techniques," as a supplement to an existing course on "Positional, Dynamical, and Kinematical Astronomy," and within an existing laboratory course designed for future secondary science teachers on "Methods of Astronomy." Time permitting, some use by lower division students within a current one-credit-hour course is envisioned.