Home | Syllabus | Class Policies | Computing Resources | Problem Sets

Syllabus

The following is a tentative syllabus which will be updated and modified as the semester progresses. Lectures notes will be posted on Classes*v2 at least 30 minutes before each class. Reading assignments refer to "Observing the Universe" by A.J. Norton.

DATE LECTURE PROBLEM SETS (PS) + READING
1. Wed Aug 29
2. Fri Aug 31
Introduction: Sources of Astrophysical Info
CCDs and other Electronic Detectors
Reading: Norton pp. 1-4
Reading: Norton pp. 51-54
0. Mon Sept 3
3. Wed Sep 5
Labor Day, No Class
Coordinate Systems and Magnitudes

Reading: Norton pp. 5-10, 61-63 | PS#0 due
4. Mon Sept 10
5. Wed Sep 12
0. Fri Sep 14-16
Optical Telescopes I
Optical Observing Techniques
Keck Remote Observing (10pm+)
Reading Norton pp. 23-38
PS#1 due (Intro to Computing)
Reading Norton pp. 89-92
6. Mon Sept 17
0. Wed Sept 19
Optical Telescopes II
Field Trip to Campus Observatory
PS#2 due (CCDs, magnitudes, RA/Dec)
7. Mon Sept 24
8. Wed Sept 26
Calibrating Images I
Calibrating Images II
Reading Norton pp. 55-60
PS#3 due (HST color images)
9. Mon Oct 1
10. Wed Oct 3
Statistics I: Variance, Gaussian, Sigma, RMS
Statistics II: Calculating Errors
Reading Norton pp. 97-112
11. Mon Oct 8
12. Wed Oct 10
Science Topic: Color-Magnitude Diagrams
Photometry
Reading Norton pp. 61-68
PS#4 due (Image Reduction)
13. Mon Oct 15
14. Wed Oct 17
Model-Data Comparison I
The Future of Optical Astronomy
Reading Norton pp. 139
15. Mon Oct 22
0. Wed Oct 24
Introduction to Spectroscopy I
Fall Break
PS#5 due (CMD of Pal13)
16. Mon Oct 29
17. Wed Oct 31
Introduction to Spectroscopy II
Spectrographs and Integral Field Units
PS#6 (Age of Pal13)
Reading Norton pp. 39-49
18. Mon Nov 5
19. Wed Nov 7
Midterm Exam
Science Topic: Measuring Black Hole Masses
Midterm Exam
Reading Norton pp. 69-74
20. Mon Nov 12
21. Wed Nov 14
Spectroscopic Data Reduction I
Spectroscopic Data Reduction II

PS#7 (basic spectroscopy)
0. Mon Nov 19
0. Wed Nov 21
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving

22. Mon Nov 26
23. Wed Nov 28
Scientific Writing
How to Write an Observing Proposal I

PS#8 (Spectra of Black Hole Candidates)
24. Mon Dec 3
25. Wed Dec 5
Telescope Allocation Committees
Astrophysics as a Career

Final Project: Write an observing proposal
26. Mon Dec 10
Reading Week Final Project Telescope Allocation Committee Meets

Home | Syllabus | Class Policies | Computing Resources | Problem Sets