Development of Remote Observing Capabilities in the Undergraduate Astronomy Curriculum

计算机控制的望远镜的发展使天文教育的远程观测课程成为可能，这大大扩大了学生使用望远镜的机会。有几个K-12天文学教育项目的例子，在这些项目中，联网的望远镜允许来自不同受众的学生进行天文观测。该项目正在开发一种新的天文实验室活动课程，通过快速互联网连接和视频会议控制，使用更大口径（1.0米）的望远镜进行远程观测，为本科教育提供远程观测能力。基于其他人在远程望远镜和其他观测项目上的工作，该项目正在开发一套本科天文学实验室，这些实验室超越了简单的CCD成像练习，包括行星状星云的光谱观测、偏振观测、类星体和agn的光度监测，以及月球和其他太阳系天体的天体测量。一个远程观测中心正在波莫纳学院的新安德鲁大楼中开发，以使学生能够控制波莫纳学院位于加利福尼亚州赖特伍德的1米望远镜，以及位于加利福尼亚州克莱蒙特的波莫纳学院校园布拉克特天文台的一小群计算机控制的望远镜。这些实验室活动的发展极大地扩展了天文学学生的能力。该项目通过极大地提高观测天文学课程的深度和广度，改善了参加天文学入门课程的大量文科学生的天文学教育。课堂活动的设计也允许在高级本科课程中使用。在这两种情况下，远程观测能力通过简化观测的调度和后勤工作，在改善了小型和大型小组协作学习的氛围中，扩展了对望远镜的访问。

Astronomy (11) The development of computer controlled telescopes has enabled the possibility of remote observing sessions for astronomy education that greatly expand the accessibility of telescopes to students. Several examples of K-12 astronomy education programs exist in which networked telescopes allow students from a diverse audience to conduct astronomical observations. This project is developing a new curriculum of astronomy laboratory activities with remote observing capabilities for undergraduate education using a larger aperture (1.0-meter) telescope controlled through a fast internet link and video conferencing. Based on others' work with remote telescopes and other observing projects, this project is developing a set of undergraduate astronomy labs that go beyond simple CCD imaging exercises to include spectroscopic observations of planetary nebulae, polarimetetric observations, photometric monitoring of quasars and AGNs, and astrometry of the moon and other solar system objects. A Remote Observing Center is being developed in the new Andrew Building at Pomona College to allow groups of students to control the Pomona College 1-meter telescope in Wrightwood, CA, and a small cluster of computer-controlled telescopes at Brackett Observatory on the campus of Pomona College in Claremont, CA. The development of these laboratory activities greatly extends the capabilities available to a much broader class of students in astronomy. The project is improving astronomy education for the large number of liberal arts students attending introductory astronomy classes, by greatly improving the depth and breadth of the observational astronomy component of the class. The class activities are also designed to allow use in advanced undergraduate classes. In both cases, remote observing capability extends the access to the telescopes by simplifying scheduling and logistics of observing, in an improved atmosphere of both small and large group collaborative learning.