Course content:

• Methods of Observations with the modern Space- and Ground- based Telescopes
• Observational Techniques in Optical and X-ray astronomy
• Observational Experiments, Calibrations And Data Reductions
• Data Analysis

Theoretical and practical considerations will be supplemented with the home exercises which constitute the important part of the course.

Literature:

• Astrophysical techniques (5th Edition – 2008) – C.R. Kitchen: Taylor & Francis / CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-4200-8243-2.
• ISSI Scientific Report Volume 9 (SR-009): Observing Photons in Space (2010) – Edited by M.C.E. Huber, A. Pauluhn, J. Len Culhane, J. G. Timothy, K. Wilhelm and A. Zehnder. ISBN 978-92-9221-938-3.
• An Introduction to Astronomical Photometry Using CCDs (October 22, 2006) – W. Romanishin: the latest version of this book can be downloaded from here
• Observational Astronomy (Second Edition – 2006) – D. Scott Birney, Guillermo Gonzalez & David Oesper: Cambridge Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0-521-85370-5.
• Radiative Processes in Astrophysics – G.B. Rybicki & A.P. Lightman: J. Wiley. ISBN 0-471-82759-2.

Schedule

• Lecture 1: February 7: Introduction (Seeing the Night Sky with Our Naked Eyes, Viewing objects in wavebands other than optical, The Effect of the Earth’s Atmosphere), Continuum Radiation Processes (Electromagnetic radiation from Radio to Gamma-Ray wavelengths, Blackbody radiation, Multi-Wavelength Observations), Eye as a detector

  PDF

• Lecture 2: February 8: Telescopes (Historical introduction, General principles, Diffraction and Spatial resolution, Aberrations in reflecting telescopes, Optical configuration, Telescope configurations, Optical Telescopes, Segmented mirror telescopes, New large telescopes, Problems of Extremely large telescopes, Radio, Infra-Red and UV Telescopes)

  PDF

• Lecture 3: February 14: Telescopes (Adaptive Optics)

  PDF

No lecture on February 15

• Lecture 4: February 21: Telescopes (X-ray and Gamma-ray telescopes)

  PDF

• Lecture 5: February 22: Detectors (Detector Parameters, Types of Detectors, The primary interaction processes, Photographic emulsions, Photomultipliers, Micro-Channel Plates, CCDs)

  PDF, combined with Lecture 6

• Lecture 6: February 28: Physical limitations on the precision of photometric measurements

  PDF, combined with Lecture 5

• Lecture 7: March 1: X-ray Detectors (Proportional Counters, CCDs, Microchannel plates), Gamma Ray detectors (Scintillation crystals, Compton Scattering detectors, Pair production detectors, Solid state CZT detectors, Coded mask imaging, Air Čerenkov detectors)

  PDF, combined with Lecture 8

• Exercise session 1: March 7: Introduction to Statistics

  PDF

• Lecture 8: March 8: Infrared Detectors (Photoconductors, Bolometers), Next Generation Detectors (TES, STJ)

  PDF, combined with Lecture 7

• Lecture 9: March 14: Methods of Observations, CCD Imaging, Image processing, Basic Photometry

  PDF, combined with Lectures 10-12

• Lecture 10: March 15: Photometry (Magnitudes, Photometric Systems, Colour indexes)

  PDF, combined with Lectures 9-12

• Lecture 11: March 21: Photometry (CCD Gain)

  PDF, combined with Lectures 9-12

• Practical Sessions: March 22: 10:00 – 12:00; 14:15 – 16.15
• Practical Sessions: March 28: 10:00 – 12:00; 14:15 – 16.15
• Practical Sessions: March 29: 10:00 – 12:00; 14:15 – 16.15
• Lecture 12: April 18: Practical Photometry (Aperture photometry, SNR, Aperture Correction, Profile Fitting, Atmospheric absorption, Photon Counting Detectors)

  PDF, combined with Lectures 9-11

• Lecture 13: April 19: Spectroscopic techniques

  PDF

Compulsory problems (return by the deadline). 3 sets (20 % of the final score).

• deadline 14.03.2011 [set 1]
• deadline 25.03.2011 [set 2]
• deadline 03.05.2011 [set 3]

Practical work (20 % of the final score).

The final exam (60% of the final score) will be held on Thursday, May 12, 2011, at 9.00, in TÄ219. Questions for the exam: [PDF]