Basics of AstronomyBasics of AstronomyCasey McNamara

THE UNIVERSETHE UNIVERSE

EVERYTHINGEVERYTHINGGalaxies, solar systems, Galaxies, solar systems, planets, stars, black holes, planets, stars, black holes, clusters, dark matter, AGNclusters, dark matter, AGN

GalaxiesGalaxies Large-scale system of stars, Large-scale system of stars,

interstellar gas, dust, and plasma interstellar gas, dust, and plasma EllipticalElliptical SpiralsSpirals IrregularsIrregulars 90% composed of dark matter90% composed of dark matter

Galaxies 2Galaxies 2

Variable StarsVariable Stars

A variable star in the Large A variable star in the Large Megellanic CloudMegellanic Cloud

CepheidCepheidMiraMiraLong PeriodLong PeriodChange luminosityChange luminosityOver 5,000 Over 5,000 cataloguedcatalogued

Stellar EvolutionStellar EvolutionLifetime 2 million to trillions Lifetime 2 million to trillions of yearsof yearsBegins with collapse of giant Begins with collapse of giant molecular cloudmolecular cloudNew stars main sequence in New stars main sequence in HR DiagramHR DiagramHR Diagram shows spectral HR Diagram shows spectral typetype

H-R DiagramH-R Diagram

SpectroscopySpectroscopyO, B, A, F, G, K, and MO, B, A, F, G, K, and M Break up ray of light into Break up ray of light into components in visible light components in visible light spectrumspectrumChemical composition of Chemical composition of objectobject

Visible Light Visible Light SpectrumSpectrum

Stellar Spectra and Stellar Spectra and GraphGraph

Absorption and Emission Absorption and Emission SpectraSpectra

Jacoby AtlasJacoby Atlas

MONET North & SouthMONET North & SouthMOMOnitoring NENEtwork of TTelescopesSutherland, South AfricaMcDonald Observatory, TexasStudents receive 85% of timeRoboticDesigned to cover entire night sky

SAAO Sutherland hilltop view, including MONET

MONET Telescope and McDonald Observatory

Views of MONETViews of MONET

CCD and DSLRCCD and DSLRCharged-coupled deviceCharged-coupled deviceFound in CCD and DSLRFound in CCD and DSLRDigital Single Lens ReflexDigital Single Lens Reflex

Astroimaging ToolsAstroimaging ToolsAperture Photometry ToolAperture Photometry ToolImage JImage JMaxim DLMaxim DLPhotoshopPhotoshop

Dark and Flat FieldsDark and Flat Fields

Dark Field Flat FieldSignal to NoiseSignal to Noise

Ratio of signal power to noise corruption

Astronomy TodayAstronomy TodayDavid LefreniereDavid LefreniereSpectroscopy and hidden Spectroscopy and hidden exoplanetsexoplanetsNicholas CowanNicholas CowanLooks at wavelengths to find Looks at wavelengths to find water on other planetswater on other planets

BibliographyBibliographyBrinkworth, Carolyn, and Claire Thomas. "Galaxies." Faulkes Telescope Educational Guide. July 2001. 2 June 2009.

"Galaxies - KidsAstronomy." Astronomy For Kids. 02 June 2009 <http://www.kidsastronomy.com/galaxys.htm>.

Xantox. "M104 Galaxy in Infrared Light." Strange Paths :: Physics, computation, philosophy. 02 June 2009 <http://strangepaths.com/page/3/en/>.

Sanders, Robert. "Rethinking Last Century's Closest, Brightest Supernova." UC Berkeley News. 9 Jan. 2007. UC Berkeley. 2 June 2009 <berkeley.edu/.../releases/2007/01/09_LBV.shtml>.

"Chapq5!" The University of Toledo : Welcome to the Department of Physics and Astronomy. 02 June 2009 <http://astro1.panet.utoledo.edu/~ljc/chapq5.html>.

Smith, Gene. "Stellar Spectra." Center for Astrophysics & Space Sciences, UCSD. University of California. 02 June 2009 <http://cass.ucsd.edu/public/tutorial/Stars.html>.

"Measuring Stellar Spectra." University of Colick Astronomy. 2 June 2009 <www.ucolick.org/.../week2/stellar_tempsC.html>.

"Stars' Life Cycle." Think Quest Astronomy. 2 June 2009 <library.thinkquest.org/.../stars/life_cycle1.htm>.

Rasband, Wayne. "MONET : ImageJ." Institut für Astrophysik Göttingen. 28 Oct. 2004. 03 June 2009 <http://www.uni-sw.gwdg.de/~hessman/MONET/ImageJ/>.