MicroObservatory

天文望远镜和图像处理系统将为 教育用途。 这个“微型天文台”将被设计用于 教师的课堂教学以及原创的科学 学生的研究项目。 它也可以被公众使用， 天文馆和科学博物馆。 通过加入最近开发的 强大的CCD光学探测器和微型计算机技术， 一个小型的光学望远镜，将有可能产生一个自我， 包含式、集成式和用户友好型天文望远镜和图像 处理系统 这些都是最前沿的技术， 光学天文学的研究，但成本已经下降到足以让 这些技术在未来几年内进入学校。 也许在任何其他前沿科学领域， 广泛的高中生（不仅仅是有天赋的）， 获得最先进的技术， 原创研究 我们看到美国人的几个重要补充， 科教事业的发展和广阔 （1）对于大量的 地球科学、自然科学、物理学和天文学课程， 学校，这将是一个系统， 学生在学校的白天观察， 天文学是一门实验室科学，就像学校里的其他科学一样。 (2)学生 他们自己可以进行广泛的研究项目， 让他们在实践中学习，而不仅仅是通过阅读， 讲座或进行标准实验室练习。 (3)学生 将发展各种技能，从计算机编程， 加工，数据分析，规划和设计自己的 原创项目 该计划包括建设 从现成的组件原型系统，供地区学校使用; 教学和研究活动的发展; 生产MicroObservatory;以及整个过程的评估和测试 两年项目。

Astronomical telescope and image processing system will be developed for educational use. This "MicroObservatory" will be designed to be used for classroom instruction by teachers as well as for original scientific research projects by students. It could also be used by the public in planetariums and science museums. By adding the recently developed powerful technologies of CCD optical detectors and of microcomputers to a small optical telescope, it will be possible to produce a self- contained, integrated and user-friendly astronomical telescope and image processing system. These are the technologies in the forefront of research in optical astronomy, yet costs have decreased enough to allow these technologies to reach into the schools in the next few years. Probably in no other area of frontier science would it be possible for a broad spectrum of high school students (not just the gifted) to have access to state-of-the-art technologies which would allow them to do original research. We see several important additions to the American scientific educational enterprise by the development and broad dissemination of the MicroObservatory: (1) For the large number of earth science, physical science, physics and astronomy courses taught in the schools, this would be a system which would allow for astronomical observations in the daytime when students are in school, making astronomy a laboratory science like others in the schools. (2) Students themselves could undertake a wide range of research projects which would allow them to learn by doing rather than just by reading, listening to lectures or performing standard laboratory exercises. (3) Students would develop a variety of skills, from computer programming, to image processing, to data analysis, to planning and designing of their own original projects. The proposed program includes construction of prototype systems from off-the-shelf components for use in area schools; development of teaching and research activities; design of the production MicroObservatory; and evaluation and testing throughout the two year project.