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Observational Astrophysics Dr M. Hendry 10 lectures, starting Autumn 2004
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Course details
Expanding on Astronomy A1Y Observational Astrophysics, these lectures will investigate quantitatively the observational tools and methods of data collection and reduction that underpin modern astrophysical observations. We will study how we detect celestial objects, and the factors that limit what, and how well, we can observe.
Copies of lecture notes will appear here as the course proceeds. They are for reference only, and should be used to replace your own lecture notes. You will find the course much harder if you don't create your own written version, so please do not print these notes out en masse.
Ideas of radiant energy
The units and concepts of received energy:
luminosity, radiant flux and flux density; solid angle; specific
intensity and surface brightness; temperature and effective
temperature; apparent and absolute magnitude;
bolometric and colour magnitudes; distance modulus; bolometric
correction.
Detectors and telescopes
Simple telescope optics; image intensity and
illumination;
detectors at different wavelengths, from gamma rays to radio waves.
Lecture notes: pdf format
Pictures: [ Cerenkov
detector
| Spark Chamber
|
Chandra X-ray satellite
| XMM X-ray satellite
| XMM mirrors
| M87 jet images |
HST |
Hubble Ultra Deep Field
|
VLT | NGST
| Spitzer Space
Telescope
| JCMT |
SCUBA
| ALMA |
VLA in New Mexico
| SRT (at the
Observatory) | Pulsar telescope (at the
Observatory) ]
Examples of optical detectors
Photographic plates;
photomultipliers;
image intensifiers; charge-coupled devices.
Lecture notes: pdf format
Pictures: [ Birr Castle
telescope | Drawing
of
M51 | Photograph
of M51 | Schmidt
Camera (with Hubble)
| Automatic Plate
Measuring machine
| APM galaxy survey
| CFHT /
Megacam | CFHT
M51 image | Megacam
image of the Rosette Nebula ]
External Sites: [ Sloan Digital
Sky Survey ]
Ideas of sensitivity
Signal-to-noise ratio; Poisson noise; dark
current noise and readout noise in CCDs; quantum efficiencies of photon
detectors; radio noise; detection of continuum and line sources.
Lecture notes: pdf format
Pictures: [ Hubble ultra deep field | CMBR map from the WMAP satellite ]
The atmosphere
Absorption/transmission windows; optical depth
and
zenith extinction; scattering, including Rayleigh scattering;
refraction; scintillation.
Lecture notes: pdf format
Pictures: [ Adaptive
Optics image of
binary system | La Palma observatory
| Smoke rings
| Ring of Brodgar
Sunset | Hawaiian
Sunset ]
External Sites: [
A Green Flash site |
Another Green
Flash site
|
Overview of Adaptive Optics Research ]
Spectral techniques
The importance of spectroscopy in astrophysics;
dye
and interference filters; prisms; diffraction gratings;
spectral resolving power; design of a slit spectrometer.
Lecture notes: pdf format
Pictures: [ VLT Echelle
spectrograph (UVES)
| Design drawing of UVES
]
External Sites: [ ESO
VLT Instruments | Keck Observatory
Instruments ]
Resolving power and interferometry
diffraction and the lambda/D relation; the
problem of seeing; speckle patterns and speckle interferometry;
intensity interferometry
Lecture notes: pdf format
Pictures: [ HST image of
Betelgeuse
| Speckle patterns
|
Diffraction patterns
]
External Sites: [ Keck
Interferometer | VLT Interferometer
|
Terrestrial Planet Finder
|
COAST homepage |
COAST
resolved image of double star Capella |
COAST
resolved image of the surface of Betelgeuse ]
Books
The recommended textbook for A2 is An
Introduction
to Modern Astrophysics, B W Carroll and D A Ostlie, Addison Wesley . You will also find information in the
following
books relevant to Observational Astrophysics:
