HET606 Tools of Modern Astronomy

Credit Points:
12.5

Duration & Workload:
One semester, equivalent to a 5 contact hour per week lecture course

Prerequisites:
HET603 Exploring Stars and the Milky Way (or equivalent) and introductory tertiary-level mathematics & physics (or equivalents)

Aims:
This unit aims to provide a good understanding of electromagnetic radiation, focusing on both its emission mechanisms and its subsequent detection, with an emphasis on telescopes and their observations. The electromagnetic spectrum from gamma rays to radio waves will be covered.

Content:

  • Celestial co-ordinates and time systems
  • The nature and production of light: gamma-rays to radio waves; thermal and non-thermal sources; emission lines; earthly and heavenly examples
  • The electromagnetic spectrum; the sky at different wavelengths; atmospheric windows
  • Photometry, filters, colour magnitudes and colour indices
  • Photomultipliers, CCD imaging
  • Optical spectroscopy, prism and grating spectroscopy; the detection of extrasolar planets via spectroscopic means
  • The eye as an optical instrument, lens systems, refracting and reflecting telescopes; magnification, light-gathering power, angular resolution, diffraction limit and aberrations
  • Principles of telescope mount and housing design, control systems
  • Optical seeing, active and adaptive optics, laser guide stars, astronomical site selection and light pollution issues
  • Infrared astronomy: detectors, South Pole infrared astronomy and space missions
  • Construction and resolving power of single-dish radio telescopes, principles of radio and microwave receivers
  • Radio interferometry, interferometer arrays and aperture synthesis, VLBI, data analysis
  • High-energy astronomy: design of UV, X-ray and gamma-ray telescopes and detectors
  • Neutrino astronomy, gravity wave detectors
Teaching Method:
This unit will be presented in online delivery mode, with contact via newsgroup and email.

Assessment Method:
Assessable newsgroup contributions, assignments and project.

Textbook:
For information about the textbook, follow this link