The Establishment of a Robotic Telescope Facility for Undergraduate Astronomy Laboratory Instruction

远程操作的机器人天文台创建了一个示范性的实验室科学课程，在本科天文学教育，通过实施学生天文台，积极收集数据的数字（CCD）图像的形式。 我们打算在成功的爱荷华州自动望远镜设施（部分由NSF-ILI计划资助， http://denali.physics.uiowa.edu/). 爱荷华州大学实验室手册"宇宙成像"（Mutel和Palen 1997）中描述的实验室练习适用于我们的计划。 这些演习与当地开发的实验室相结合并实施，是天文学实验室经验的组成部分。 天文台位于我们校园以北约35英里处，在达拉斯-沃斯堡大都会区最近的黑暗天空站点。 与互联网连接的遥控望远镜对天文学教育非常有价值，因为它们使学生能够通过个人计算机进行个性化实验和检索数据。 在一个附属气象站的协助下，一个完全自主的望远镜为实验室计划提供了灵活性，允许最大限度地利用好天气进行预定的观测，而不需要现场操作员。 机器人望远镜技术已迅速成熟，目前已用于涉及从K-12到研究生院学生的项目。 拟议中的天文台用于伴随入门课程的天文学实验室，主要由非理科学生组成。 我们的目标是通过在实验室中实施实验形式，为学生提供对科学研究过程的深入了解。使用机器人望远镜的数字图像，学生们以类似于天文学研究的方式进行实验。 学生的动机是对他们的数据有一种所有权感。 第二个重点是通过使用天文台的定向项目来提高物理学生的高级研究机会。 我们正在采用爱荷华州大学设施（唐尼和穆特尔1996年，ASP会议）的仪器，软件，教学实践和程序，以及适用的练习 101卷，第380页）。 这些练习是实验室课程的核心。 我们的最终产品是一个自动化的学生天文台和一套出版的介绍天文学实验室适合任何程序与acce

A remotely-operated robotic observatory creates an exemplary laboratory science curriculum in undergraduate astronomy education by implementing a student observatory that actively collects data in the form of digital (CCD) images. We intend to model this observatory after the successful Iowa Automated Telescope Facility (funded in part through the NSF-ILI Program, http://denali.physics.uiowa.edu/). Laboratory exercises described in the University of Iowa Laboratory Manual, "Imaging the Universe" (Mutel and Palen 1997) are adapted for the our program. These exercises, combined and implemented with locally developed laboratories, are an integral component to the astronomy laboratory experience. The observatory is located approximately thirty-five miles north of the our campus, at the nearest dark-sky site to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Remotely-operated telescopes linked to the Internet are highly valuable for astronomy education since they permit students to conduct individualized experiments and retrieve data via a personal computer. With the assistance of an attached weather station to monitor observing conditions throughout the night, a fully autonomous telescope provides flexibility to the laboratory program by allowing queue-scheduled observing making the most use of good weather without the need for an on-site operator. The technology for robotic telescopes has matured rapidly and is at present in use in programs involving students from K-12 through graduate school. The proposed observatory is used for astronomy laboratories that accompany introductory courses, populated largely by non-science students. Our goal is to provide students with a solid understanding of the scientific research process by implementing an experimental format into the laboratory. Using digital images from the robotic telescope, students conduct experiments in a manner similar to those employed in astronomical research. Students are motivated by having a sense of ownership of their data. A secondary focus is to enhance upper-level research opportunities for physics students through directed projects using the observatory. We are adapting instrumentation, software, instructional practices and procedures, and applicable exercises from the University of Iowa facility (Downey and Mutel 1996, ASP Conference Series, Vol. 101, pg. 380). These exercises are the centerpiece of the laboratory curriculum. Our final product is an automated student observatory and a set of published introductory astronomy laboratories suitable for any program with acce