AST 403 Experimental Techniques in Astronomy

Semester: Fall
Credit Hours: 4
Prerequisite: the equivalent of PHY 217, PHY 218, ME 201 or MTH 281, and PHY 227

This course is an introduction to the tools of modern observational astronomy. We discuss geometrical and physical optics applied to telescopes and astronomical cameras; the physics of light detection at radio, infrared, visible, X-ray, and g-ray wavelengths; and the instruments and techniques used for observations of faint celestial objects over the full useful range of spectral and angular resolution. The intention is to provide to students the preparation necessary to design, build, and optimize astronomical instruments. However, the material should be useful to anyone who will be using remote-sensing instruments, astronomical or otherwise, or is seeking to understand measurements made with these devices. (Cross-listed with A203/W)

syllabus

1. Introduction: spectra of astronomical objects, and their faintness, demonstrate the necessity of observations at all wavelengths, sensitivity of detectors, and the range of useful spectral and angular resolution.
2. Geometrical Optics. Rays, paraxial rays, and thin mirrors. Thin lenses. Conic section mirrors. Computerized ray tracing. On-axis geometrical aberrations. Off-axis geometrical aberrations. Telescopes. Applications of telescopes. Cameras. The auxiliary optics for making images with telescopes.
3. Physical Optics. Wave optics. Diffraction-limited telescopes. Antennas and the reciprocity theorem. Describe radio telescopes. Gaussian beam propagation.
4. Detectors And Noise. Photodetectors. Shot noise. Johnson noise. Poisson and Gaussian statistics. Coherent and incoherent detection, two methods of detection in common use in astronomy. Sensitivity.
5. Instruments For Photometry, Polarimetry And Spectroscopy. Broadband filters and polarizers. Spectrometers. Fabry-Perot interferometers. Diffraction grating spectrometers.

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