ASTR 230: Spring 2009 Syllabus

Time: Tuesday 7pm - 8pm ; HBH 254;

Instructor: Dr. Patrick Hartigan, hartigan@sparky.rice.edu, HBH 350, X2245 281-489-4976 (home)
TA: Wei Chen wc2@rice.edu, HBH 333, X2676, 713-517-2859 (cell)
undergrad zeno lab: HBH 347
Office Hrs:
PMH: 2:00-3:00 the day of class, after class and by appt.

Text: Peterson Field Guides: Stars and Planets, 4th ed.

 DATE             TOPIC                        ASSIGNMENT
Jan 6     Initial Orientation                Begin work on Lab I
Jan 13    Telescope/Celestial Sphere Intro   Read Field Guide; First Observing Week
Jan 20    Star Names, Conventions 	     Continue Observing
Jan 27    Telescope Essentials               Continue Observing; Start LAB II
Feb 3     Adv. Telescopes & Instruments      Continue Observing
Feb 10    CCDs & Observing Techniques        Meeting w/ Prof re Projects
                                             Dark Sky Field Trips
                                             Start Short Projects
Feb 17    Introduction to UNIX/IRAF          Finish up Lab I; Short Project Data Acquisition
Feb 24    IRAF Image Arithmetic & Display    LAB I DUE
Mar 3         **MID-SEMESTER BREAK**
Mar 10    Spectrographs                      IRAF Practice, Spectra; Project Observing
Mar 17    More IRAF Topics                   IRAF/IDL Practice, Project Observing
Mar 24    Lab I Grades                       LAB II DUE; Short Project DUE
          Error Analysis Techniques          Final Project Observing 
Mar 31    Exam on Lecture material	     Oral Exams
Apr 7     Project Description		     Presentation to class                  
Apr 14    Errors and Noise                   Final Project Observing
Apr 21      **NO CLASS (Registrar)**	     Data Analysis for Project
Apr 28    Final Oral Presentations 3pm 
Apr 29    Final Web Pages Due  (Wednesday 5pm)                

If you have a documented disability that will impact your work in this class, please contact me to discuss your needs. Additionally, you will need to register with the Disability Support Services Office in the Ley Student Center.