PHYS 3154 Observational Astrophysics J. H. Simonetti jsimonetti@vt.edu

Menu of Possible Observing Projects

This is a list of possible observing projects students may pursue after the initial required projects. Projects with an asterisk can be pursued with the goal of contributing to astronomical knowledge. Some projects have references; these references are not meant to exhaust all the possible sources of info; try using a search engine to find more. Projects are grouped in terms of the primary observing technique used (imaging, photometry, or astrometry); some projects may actual involve more than one technique.

General

1. You think of a project!*
   There are many ways to come up with an idea. Try looking through Sky and Telescope magazine, or at the Sky and Telescope website; look at their News or Observing sections for something that might be interesting to explore. Try other websites. Use your imagination and knowledge from Introduction to Astronomy or Introduction to Astrophysics. Do a follow up based on one of the required projects.
   
   
2. Targets of Opportunity*
   This is just a general comment, not a project. AstroAlert News Service from Sky and Telescope can be used to alert you to new events for observing projects. Events/objects that could be used are: comets, extragalactic supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, minor planets, neutrino-detected supernovae, novae, variable stars. Also check out Sky and Telescope's Pro-Am Collaboration webpage for interesting ideas.

Imaging

1. Testing other image processing software
   • ImageJ --- Might do all the standard astronomical image processing. Could it replace CCDOps, and be even better?
     • ImageJ
     • Generic Use of ImageJ Possibly correct...
     • West's ImageJ Plugins
     • Hessman's ImageJ Stuff
     • West's ImageJ Stuff
   • Sigma "...combines CCD FITS images in a way that reduces noise in your combined CCD image compared to using a simple average/mean combine."
   • Registax "...for alignment/stacking/processing of images"
   • DeepSkyStacker "...is a freeware for astrophotographers that simplifies all the pre-processing steps of deep sky pictures."
   • Python --- Used at the Hubble Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)
     • Python
     • STScI Python page
     • Notes on Essentials of Astronomy Data
     • DS9 A FITS image display program used by professionals. Versions available for all platforms.
   
   
2. Multi-band (BVRI) or color imaging (galaxies, nebulae,...)
   • "Why Reality is a Gray Area in Astronomy," by R.R. Britt
   • Color CCD Imaging with RGB and CMY Filters (Draft of "True-Color CCD Imaging," by R. Berry et al., Sky and Telescope, December 1998, p 142)
   • Image Acquisition --- see the notes on Color Calibration on this page
   • Easy RGB Processing with CCDOps
   • Color CCD Imaging with Luminance Layering
   Comparing our images with professional images
   • Gary's comparison with a 3.5-day HST exposure
   
   
3. Computer enhancement of images
   • Increasing Resolution as described by the author of the IRIS software
   • Other IRIS image enhancement/processing methods
   
   
4. Optical interferometry
   • "Cardboard Double-Star Interferometer," by Andreas Maurer, Sky and Telescope, March 1997. See the Blackboard website for this course for a pdf file copy of this article.
   
   
5. Image mosaic(s)
   • Widefield Deepsky CCD Imaging: Creating Mosaics using Photoshop
   
   
6. Imaging interstellar H-alpha emission (nebulae, other galaxies)
   
   
7. Measuring the relative/actual distances of galaxies
   • "The Virgo Cluster: a Finger Pointed at Us", Sky and Telescope NewsNotes, January 2002 issue, page 22. See the Blackboard website for this course for a pdf file copy of this article.
   • Surface Brightness Fluctuations (SBF)
   • Other references on Surface Brightness Fluctuations
   • See two papers from previous students on this subject (Craddock et al. 2001, and Roberts et al. 2001) at the Blackboard website for this course.
   • There is probably more on SBF out there on the internet --- look around!
   
   
8. Imaging Recent Supernovae*
   • Latest Supernovae images and information
   
   
9. Searching for new supernovae* (bit of a long shot)
   • How to Discover Supernovae
   
   
10. Satellite motion around the outer planets
    
    
11. High-resolution, lunar/planetary imaging (A bit of a stretch since our pixels under-sample the images. But do look at...)
    • Dithering technique
    • António Cidadão's Home-Page of Lunar and Planetary Observation and CCD Imaging (see especially the link to "Super Resolution")
    • High resolution CCD imaging

Photometry

1. Some detailed photometry references (not a project, but could be useful)
   • Walker's Guide to Photometry
   • Gary's Photometry for Dummies
   • A Guide to Minor Planet Photometry
   • What is the difference between "differential" and other photometry?
   
   
2. Some potentially useful photometry sofware (not a project, but could be useful)
   • EZPhot Photometry Software
   • MuniPack Photometry Software
   
   
3. Photometry of a variable star(s)* (individual stars, eclipsing binaries, cataclysmic binaries,...)
   • Delta Scuti Network A world-wide collaboration of astronomers observing short period variable stars (e.g., stars such as BL Cam).
   • American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
   • Center for Backyard Astrophysics
   • International Toad Watch (ITW)
   • Iowa Robotic Telescope Facilities, Research Projects
   • Sky and Tele's Variable Stars Page Has interesting info (e.g., on possible variables discovered by Hipparcos and needing more work).
   • Epsilon Aurigae
   
   
4. Determining the rotation period of an asteroid(s), or other photometry of asteroids*
   • CAPS Guide to Minor Planet Photometry
   • 3-D Asteroid Modelling and Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link (CALL)
   • CCD photometry of the binary asteroid 90 Antiope, by Michalowski et al. (2001)
   • Binary Asteroid (216) Kleopatra
   • Iowa Robotic Telescope Facilities, Research Projects
   
   
5. Optical observations of Gamma Ray Burst(s)* (photometry and astrometry)
   • Backyard Gamma-ray Bursts
   • Imaging a gamma ray burst
   • AAVSO International Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) Network
   • "Gamma-Ray Bursts and Amateur Astronomers," by G.J. Fishman, A.A. Henden, and J.A. Mattei, Sky and Telescope, January 2001
   
   
6. Observations of the variability of an active galaxy*
   • Quasars - Optical Variability at the Colgate University astronomy website
   • Active Galactic Nuclei and the Amateur
   • The Microvariability of BL Lacertae During the 1997 Optical Outburst
   • Iowa Robotic Telescope Facilities, Research Projects
   
   
7. Observations of a supernova or nova*
   • International Supernovae Network (ISN)
   • Latest Supernovae images and information
   
   
8. Transformation of BVRI measurements to standard photometric system (magnitude scale)
   • I have a hardcopy of useful (unpublished) material on this
   • The detailed photometry references at the top of this section have information on this topic
   
   
9. Extrasolar planet transit*
   • Gary's Exoplanet Observing Tutorial
   • Transitsearch.org provides info on searching for extrasolar planets via transits (tutorial, possible transit times,...).
   • Detection of Transits of Extrasolar Giant Planets with Inexpensive Telescopes and CCDs
   • Amateur Astronomers to Observe Transit of Faraway Planets
   • Photometric Monitoring of M67 with the GNAT 0.5-m Telescope (First author was a student in PHYS 3154!)
   • Transit Candidates Has RA, Dec, empherides, and results on stars already known to have a transiting planet (i.e., worth observing!): HD209458, TrES-1, and OGLE-TR56.
   
   
10. Photometry of a planetary satellite(s)* (e.g., Saturn's Iapetus)
    
    
11. HR diagram of a star cluster

Astrometry

1. Searching for asteroids*
   • Gary's Asteroid Hunting Article
   • Lowe's Strategies for Discovering Minor Planets
   • Hunting for Asteroids
   • Minor Planet Center (MPC)
   • Guide to Minor Planet Astrometry
   
   
2. Observations of Critical List Asteroids, NEOs, PHAs,...*
   • Near Earth Objects page of the British Astronomical Association. Lots of useful info on "how to," and other information.
   • Hunting for Asteroids
   • Minor Planet Center (MPC)
   • Guide to Minor Planet Astrometry
   • Ephemerides and Orbital Elements
   • Peter Birtwhistle's Methods Page
   • Astrometrica Software good for NEOs, fast-moving/faint asteroids
   • Common Problems A message from the MPC on what common mistakes are made in doing astrometry, and in reporting the results to the MPC.
   • NEO Confirmation Page at the MPC. A list of NEOs currently in immediate need of confirmation observations.
   • Spaceguard Priority List A list of NEOs needing observations.
   
   
3. Observations of a recently discovered comet(s)* (astrometry and photometry)
   • The ICQ Comet Information Website
   • Ephemerides and Orbital Elements
   
   
4. Determining double star separations and position angles*
   
   • Observing Double Stars for Fun and Science

Writing Your Own Software

1. Image Reduction/Analysis
   The ImageJ software provides the opportunity for you to write your own plugins to enhance image processing, or analysis. Some reference material follows. There is much more information out there on the Web.
   • Writing ImageJ Plugins --- A Tutorial

Other

1. Spectroscopy
   • PHYS 3154 Diffraction Grating Spectrscopy Setup
   • John Blackwell's Spectroscopy Page
   • Maurice Gavin's homepage
   • A Field Guide to Supernova Spectra
   • Visual Spec free spectra analysis program
   • Resolution calculation for a slitless spectrograph
   • Take spectra of stars representing the spectral sequence. Bright stars of various spectral types: Rigel (B), Sirius (A), Procyon (F), Capella (G), Aldebaran (K), Betelgeuse (M).
   • Take spectra of quasars (e.g., 3C273) and determine their redshifts (see Blackwell's and Gavin's results).
   • Take spectra of planets. See Backyard Spectroscopy and Photometry of Titan, Uranus and Neptune
   • Forum for Amateur Spectroscopy
   • See paper by past students Jim Lough and Alma Robinson, on Diffraction Grating Spectroscopy of Stars in M44, at the Blackboard website for this course.
   
   
2. Radio astronomy using our Small Radio Telescope (SRT)
   Advanced radio projects could be hunted down by starting at the following website. A general web searches might also be useful.
   • Haystack's SRT website
   
   
3. Artificial satellite imaging
   • Plotting Man-Made Satellites in TheSky Astronomy Software
   • TheSky, Frequently Asked Questions
   • U.S. Air Force "Raven" Project
   • NORAD Two-Line Element Sets
   
   
4. Optical SETI
   We don't currently have the equipment to do this but eventually we may.
   • Amateur Optical SETI

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Things that have been tried

...with varying degrees of success

1. BVR imaging of galaxy M51
2. BVR imaging of galaxy M81
3. BVR imaging of Crab Nebula
4. BVR imaging of galaxy M65
5. BVR imaging of galaxy M82
6. BVR imaging of galaxy NGC 2403
7. BR imaging of M87 and its optical jet
8. LRGB imaging of galaxy M101
9. H-alpha, RVB imaging of the Orion Nebula
10. Imaging the galaxy M104 (Sombrero)
11. "Snapshot" survey of a variety of galaxies
12. H-alpha mosaic of the Rosette Nebula
13. Mosaic of the Moon
14. RVB imaging of Jupiter (small image)
15. Simple stellar spectroscopy using a diffraction grating (star in M44, others)
16. Relative galaxy distances using the surface brightness fluctuations technique
17. Photometric observations of a supernovae in other galaxies (variety of goups/years)
18. Photometric observations of a binary asteroid (90 Antiope)
19. Astrometric observations of comet P/1983U3
20. Asteroid search (while observing a set of 7 known asteroids)
21. Search for asteroid 1950 DA (unsuccessful)
22. Determining the rotation period of asteroid 490 Alma (photometrically); prompted by an article in the Astronomical Journal
23. Observations of an artificial satellite

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