ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH IN AN UNDERGRADUATE SETTING · ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH IN AN UNDERGRADUATE...

ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH ASTRONOMICAL RESEARCH

IN AN UNDERGRADUATE IN AN UNDERGRADUATE

SETTINGSETTING

EXPLORING THE REAL SKY AT THE GETTYSBURG EXPLORING THE REAL SKY AT THE GETTYSBURG

COLLEGE OBSERVATORYCOLLEGE OBSERVATORY

and and

THE VIRTUAL SKY THROUGH PROJECT CLEATHE VIRTUAL SKY THROUGH PROJECT CLEA

A QUICK LOOK AT GETTYSBURG A QUICK LOOK AT GETTYSBURG

COLLEGE COLLEGE

• Enrollment ~2700

• 4 yr Liberal Arts College, Undergrad only

• Semester System

• Physics Dept: 8 full-time faculty; 2-3 instructors; lab technician; administrative assistant

• ~ 40 Physics majors; average of 10 BS/BA’s per year

• Specialties in Optics, Plasma, Nuclear & Particle Physics, High-Energy Theory, Biophysics, Astronomy

WHO DOES ASTRONOMY AT WHO DOES ASTRONOMY AT

GETTYSBURG?GETTYSBURG?

• Faculty and Staff– Dr. Larry Marschall, Professor of Physics

– Dr. Jacquelynne Milingo, Asst. Professor of Physics

– Dr. Glenn Snyder, Software Developer, Project CLEA

– Dr. Richard Barvainis, Associate Fellow

– P. Richard Cooper, Lab Instructor, Co-PI Project CLEA

– Ian Clarke, Lab Instructor, Planetarium Director

– Michael Hayden, IT, Small Radio Telescope maven

• Students– Introductory Astronomy Students (80/semester)

– Advanced Lab (Physics 325) Students

– Informal Student Researchers; Asteroid Patrol, NURO

– Senior Thesis Students (1 every year or 2)

WHAT KIND OF ASTRONOMY WHAT KIND OF ASTRONOMY

RESEARCH DO WE DO AT RESEARCH DO WE DO AT

GETTYSBURG? GETTYSBURG?

• Searches for Transiting Planets in Clusters

• Transit Timing Measurements

• Observations of Positions and Light Variations of Asteroids

• Light Curves of Binary Stars

• Light Curves of Supernovas

• Activity Cycles of Spotted Stars

• Abundance measurements of Planetary Nebulae

• Development of Educational Software that explores Astronomical Research Techniques (Project CLEA)

AT G

CO

WHERE DO WE DO THIS WHERE DO WE DO THIS

RESEARCH?RESEARCH?

• On-Campus

– Gettysburg College Observatory (Marschall)

• Off-Campus

– National Undergraduate Research Observatory (NURO),

Flagstaff, Arizona (Marschall, Milingo)

– Other National Observatories (Milingo, Barvainis)

GETTYSBURG GETTYSBURG

COLLEGE COLLEGE

OBSERVATORYOBSERVATORY

THE GETTYSBURG THE GETTYSBURG

OBSERVATORYOBSERVATORY

View from the SoutheastView from the Southeast

The Gettysburg 16The Gettysburg 16”” Reflector c.1991Reflector c.1991

•F/11 0.4 m

•Mfr. Ealing, 1968

•Closed Fiberglass

Tube

•Home-brew

computerized filter

photometer

patterened after the

KPNO Mark III

(operating system ran

on 64K of code

under DOS)

•Upgrade by

ACE, Tucson,

1996

Tube CoolingTube Cooling--Pre 2009Pre 2009

The Gettysburg 16The Gettysburg 16”” ReflectorReflector

•F/11 0.4 m

•Mfr. Ealing, 1968

•Upgrade by ACE,

Tucson, 2009—

Carbon Fiber open-

truss tube

•Camera:

Photometrics 350;

TE Cooled; High

Speed readout

•Chip: SiTE 003B

1024 x 1024 pixels

•ACE 2-wheel filter

box; 16 slots

•STV-Offset Guider

Camera and Filter BoxCamera and Filter Box

Computer Control from Remote Warm RoomComputer Control from Remote Warm Room

(software and Hardware by ACE)(software and Hardware by ACE)

SBIG STV Automatic GuiderSBIG STV Automatic Guider

Auxiliary Auxiliary

Chilled Chilled

Water Water

Circulator for Circulator for

CCD CCD

Dome Control and Dome CoolingDome Control and Dome Cooling

AstronomerAstronomer’’s View of the Controlss View of the Controls

Autoguider Telescope ControlCCD control

Autoguider Display

Sidereal Time

Universal Time

DVDVHS

Stereo/FM

The ACE Telescope Control ScreenThe ACE Telescope Control Screen

Warm Room Warm Room

HardwareHardware

RackRack

Guider and CCD controlsGuider and CCD controls

CCD and Telescope ControlsCCD and Telescope Controls

REMOTE CONTROL OVER THE WEBREMOTE CONTROL OVER THE WEB

Automatic Image Data LoggingAutomatic Image Data Logging

Observing Aids: Phase predictor for Observing Aids: Phase predictor for

eclipsing Binary Starseclipsing Binary Stars

A Sampler of A Sampler of

OBSERVING OBSERVING

PROJECTSPROJECTS

Searching for Asteroids:Searching for Asteroids:

a typical observing loga typical observing log

An Asteroid DiscoveryAn Asteroid Discovery

A Series of images of the asteroid Petunia, 2000

taken several minutes apart.

A Series of images

of the asteroid 2005

YU55 Nov 8, 2011

8 10-sec exposures

in R

taken several

seconds apart

ASTEROID ASTEROID

PARALLAXPARALLAX

ASTEROID PARALLAXASTEROID PARALLAX

Photometry of Eclipsing Binaries and Bright Photometry of Eclipsing Binaries and Bright

SupernovasSupernovas

SOME RECENT PUBLICATIONS SOME RECENT PUBLICATIONS

WITH STUDENT COWITH STUDENT CO--AUTHORSAUTHORSTorres, Guillermo, Mader, Jeff A., Marschall, Laurence A., Neuhäuser, Ralph, and Duffy*,

Alaine S., “Optical Photometry and X-Ray Monitoring of the “Cool Algol” BD+05˚706:

Determination of the Physical Properties”, Astron. Journal, 125, 3237 (2003)

Mader, Jeff A., Torres, Guillermo, Marschall, Laurence A., and Rizvi, Akbar H.*, “Optical

Photometry and Spectroscopy of the ‘Cool Algol’ AV Delphinus: Determination of the

Physical Properties”, Astron. Journal, 130, 234 (2005)

Torres, Guillermo, Lacy, Claud H. Sandberg, Marschall, Laurence A., and Sheets, Holly

A.*, “The Eclipsing Binary V1061 Cygni: Confronting Stellar Evolution Models for Active

and Inactive Solar-Type Stars”, Astrophys. Journal, 640, 1018-1038 (2006)

Morales, Juan Carlos, Torres, Guillermo, Marschall, Laurence A., and Brehm, William*,

“Absolute Dimensions of the G7+K7 Eclipsing Binary Star IM Virginis: Discrepancies with

Stellar Evolution Models”, Astrophys. Journal, 707, 671-685 (2009)

PHOTOMETRY OF PHOTOMETRY OF

NEARBY NEARBY

SUPERNOVAESUPERNOVAE

GCO VRI GCO VRI

Composite, Aug Composite, Aug

28, 201128, 2011

PHOTOMETRY OF PHOTOMETRY OF

NEARBY NEARBY

SUPERNOVAESUPERNOVAE

GCO VRI GCO VRI

Composite, June Composite, June

4, 19984, 1998

GCO SUPERNOVA IMAGINGGCO SUPERNOVA IMAGING

------The Dark ENERGY ConnectionThe Dark ENERGY Connection

GCO GCO

SUPERNOVA SUPERNOVA

IMAGINGIMAGING

------The Dark The Dark

ENERGY ENERGY

ConnectionConnection

DETECTING PLANETS BY DETECTING PLANETS BY

TRANSITSTRANSITS

ExtrasolarExtrasolar Planet PhotometryPlanet Photometry

ExtrasolarExtrasolar Planet PhotometryPlanet Photometry

Transit Timing ObservationsTransit Timing Observations

Searching Searching

For Young For Young

ExtrasolarExtrasolar

Planets With Planets With

Small Small

TelescopesTelescopes

Searching For Young Searching For Young EstrasolarEstrasolar

PlanetsPlanets

The YETI Research Group, AIU Jena,

November 14-17, 2010

Mauna KeaUniversity of Hawaii

2.2-m telescope

ToruńCentre for Astronomy

0.6-m telescope

JenaAstrophysical Institute

0.9/0.6-m telescope

Calar AltoAstronomical Observatory

2.2-m telescope

Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory

1.0- and 2.3-m telescopes

RozhenAstronomical Observatory

0.6- and 2.0-m telescopes

Tenagra IIObservatory

0.8-m telescope

GunmaAstronomical Observatory

1.5-m telescope

SwarthmorePeter van de Kamp Observ.

0.6-m telescope

LulinLulin Observatory

1.0-m telescope

XinglongNational Astronomical O.

0.9/0.6-m telescope

Stará LesnaAstronomical Institute

0.6-m telescope

GettysburgGettysburg College

0.4-m telescope

CIDA VenezObservatory 1.0- and

1.5-m telescopes

Y E T I = Young Exo-planet Transit Initiative

Searches for Young Transiting Searches for Young Transiting

PlanetsPlanetsTrumplerTrumpler 37 and 25 37 and 25 OriOri Target ClustersTarget Clusters

STUDENT PAPERS AT NATIONAL STUDENT PAPERS AT NATIONAL

MEETINGSMEETINGS

PROJECT CLEAPROJECT CLEA(When you can(When you can’’t, or dont, or don’’t want t want

to go out at night)to go out at night)

PROJECT CLEAPROJECT CLEA

General Design PrinciplesGeneral Design Principles

••Laboratory exercises illustrating modern astronomical techniquesLaboratory exercises illustrating modern astronomical techniques

••Simulation of measurement technique, not just Simulation of measurement technique, not just ““cannedcanned”” datadata------

random noise, instrumental characteristics, etc. are programmed random noise, instrumental characteristics, etc. are programmed

in.in.

••Simulation of discovery process.Simulation of discovery process.

••Designed as supplement to course material, but a growing body ofDesigned as supplement to course material, but a growing body of

support materials for teachers and students has been developed. support materials for teachers and students has been developed.

••Complexity adjustable to emphasize pedagogical objectives.Complexity adjustable to emphasize pedagogical objectives.

••Designed for nonDesigned for non--science majors, but adaptable.science majors, but adaptable.

How we use CLEA At GettysburgHow we use CLEA At Gettysburg

•• Intro Intro AstroAstro 101/102101/102

–– 2 Classes/semester total 80 Students2 Classes/semester total 80 Students

–– 4 Labs4 Labs--3h each 3h each –– 20 Students Each 20 Students Each –– 2 per table2 per table

–– Coordinate Class with LabsCoordinate Class with Labs

•• Used as Demonstrations in ClassUsed as Demonstrations in Class

•• Other possibilitiesOther possibilities

–– UpperclassUpperclass Observing CourseObserving Course

–– Independent projectsIndependent projects

–– Prep for the research at the observatory Prep for the research at the observatory

•• How do you use CLEA materials?How do you use CLEA materials?

CLEA EXERCISES: 1992CLEA EXERCISES: 1992--20072007

CLEA: Modules from 2007CLEA: Modules from 2007

A collaboration with the A collaboration with the

XMMXMM--Newton missionNewton mission

A collaboration with the A collaboration with the

GONG projectGONG project

New CLEA: Modules in 2008New CLEA: Modules in 2008

H- R Diagram of Star

Clusters

Roemer Speed of

Light Experiment

Jupiter’s Moon

VIREO VIREO

““The Virtual Educational ObservatoryThe Virtual Educational Observatory””

Instrumentation of VIREOInstrumentation of VIREO

••3 Optical/IR Telescopes: various apertures3 Optical/IR Telescopes: various apertures

••CCD CameraCCD Camera

••IR CameraIR Camera

••Aperture PhotometerAperture Photometer

••PhotonPhoton--Counting SpectrometerCounting Spectrometer

••MultiMulti--Aperture SpectrometerAperture Spectrometer

••Radio Telescope: configurable aperture, etc.Radio Telescope: configurable aperture, etc.

••3 separately tunable receivers3 separately tunable receivers

••Analysis tools forAnalysis tools for

••SpectroscopySpectroscopy

••ImagingImaging

••AstrometryAstrometry

EXAMPLES OF FUNDAMENTAL EXAMPLES OF FUNDAMENTAL

ASTRONOMICAL DATA SETSASTRONOMICAL DATA SETS

••The Hubble Guide Star Catalog (The Hubble Guide Star Catalog (coordscoords and and magsmags of ~20 of ~20

million objects); USNO A2 (5 x10million objects); USNO A2 (5 x1088 objects), objects), ……

••The The CfACfA RedshiftRedshift Survey (Survey (magsmags, coordinates, , coordinates, redshiftsredshifts of of

~5 x 10~5 x 1044 galaxiesgalaxies

••Pulsar catalogs (coordinates, P, I(Pulsar catalogs (coordinates, P, I(υυ) for ) for ~10~103 3 objects)objects)

••Asteroid elements (Asteroid elements (coordscoords, , magsmags vsvs time for ~2 x10time for ~2 x1055

objects)objects)

••Large surveys: 2Mass (IR), SDSS (optical &NIR), 2dF Large surveys: 2Mass (IR), SDSS (optical &NIR), 2dF

(galaxies), etc. (galaxies), etc.

DATA CURRENTLY IN VIREODATA CURRENTLY IN VIREO

••20 Million Optical objects with spectra and 20 Million Optical objects with spectra and

magnitude data.magnitude data.

••80 Million IR point sources80 Million IR point sources

••20,000 Asteroids20,000 Asteroids

••60,000 Galaxies with 60,000 Galaxies with redshiftsredshifts and morphologyand morphology

••6000 quasars6000 quasars

••1500 pulsars1500 pulsars

The Virtual Educational ObservatoryThe Virtual Educational Observatory

MultiMulti--Object SpectrometerObject Spectrometer

The Virtual Educational ObservatoryThe Virtual Educational Observatory

Infrared ImagerInfrared Imager

HOW TO GET CLEA HOW TO GET CLEA

MATERIALSMATERIALS•Free!

•Manuals available in Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Hebrew,

Kiwi, French, Portugese, ???

• Users in all states and > 60 countries

•Software and manuals downloadable from website:

http://www3.gettysburg.edu/~marschal/clea/CLEAhome.

html

Or email - clea@gettysburg.edu

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

http://www3.gettysburg.edu/~marschal/cle

a/CLEAhome.html

Or email - clea@gettysburg.edu

CLEA MANUALS IN SPANISHCLEA MANUALS IN SPANISH

CLEA MANUALS IN ITALIANCLEA MANUALS IN ITALIAN

CLEA MANUALS IN DUTCHCLEA MANUALS IN DUTCH

CLEA MANUALS IN HEBREWCLEA MANUALS IN HEBREW

CLEA MANUALS IN POLISHCLEA MANUALS IN POLISH

CLEA MANUALS IN KIWICLEA MANUALS IN KIWI