Integration of Image Processing and Spectroscopy into Modern Astronomy Laboratories

在入门和高级天文学课程中，许多实验室活动仍然依赖于使用摄影打印-一种不再用于专业的技术。计算机价格的下降和高质量、用户友好的图像处理软件的进步使得现代方法学融入课程成为可能。此外，最初为研究目的获得的数字图像的积累为学生提供了一个机会，做实验室活动，甚至对档案数据的研究。最后，现代视觉和CCD光谱设备为学生提供了参与这一极其重要领域的机会。本项目的目标是将现代图像处理技术和光谱学融入天文学课程，从入门级到专业课程。传统上用摄影完成的入门实验练习将被使用现代数字图像，光谱和计算机处理技术的练习所取代。对于高级天文学的学生，一个更大的CCD相机将允许高质量的光度和光谱数据获得。学生可利用更快的电脑及互联网，利用现代化的资源，为观测作准备。具体活动包括测量球状星团中的可变星星亮度，以确定到星团的距离;测定疏散星团中恒星的亮度和颜色，以研究恒星的演化;测量恒星的自行，以及计算蟹状星云的年龄。其他活动将检查哈贝尔太空望远镜的图像，以研究早期宇宙的性质。此外，学生小组，发现任何变星在这些领域将研究档案图像的星星领域。天文学专业的学生将使用CCD相机和摄谱仪来获得各种天文学上有趣的物体的图像和光谱。将使用图像处理技术分析这些图像以提供定量结果。

Many lab activities in introductory and advanced astronomy courses still rely on the use of photographic prints- a technology no longer used in the profession. The drop in the price of computers and the advance of high-quality, user-friendly image processing software has made possible the integration of modem methodology into the curriculum. Also, an accumulation of digital images originally obtained for research purposes offers an opportunity for students to do lab activities and even research on archival data. Finally, modem visual and CCD spectroscopic equipment provides the opportunity for students to participate in this extremely important area.The objective of this project is to integrate modem image processing techniques and spectroscopy into the astronomy curriculum, from the introductory level through the program for majors. Introductory lab exercises traditionally done with photography will be replaced with ones that use modem digital images, spectra and computer processing techniques. For advanced astronomy students, a larger format CCD camera will allow high quality photometric and spectroscopic data to be obtained. Faster computers and Internet access will allow students to use modem resources to prepare for their observations.Specific activities will include the measurement of variable star brightness in a globular cluster to determine the distance to the cluster, determination of brightness and colors of stars in open clusters to study stellar evolution, measurement of proper motions of stars, and calculation of the age of the Crab Nebula. Other activities will examine images from the Hubbell Space Telescope to study properties of the early universe. In addition, teams of students, to discover any variable stars in those fields will study archival images of star fields. Astronomy majors will use the CCD camera and spectrograph to obtain images and spectra of a variety of astronomically interesting objects. These images will be analyzed with image processing techniques to provide quantitative results.