|
Featured Image
Comet Pan-STARRS
This is an image of Comet Pan-STARRS captured from the Lake Murray Dam on March 13th, 2013. Pan-STARRS is one of two comets that will be visible to the naked eye this year. Named after the telescope which discovered it in 2011, Pan-STARRS is making its first trip around the sun and based on orbital calculations, it won’t return for another 106,000 years.
Comets are large chucks of ice and dust which originate in the Oort cloud of the outer solar system. When comets approach the sun, solar radiation and wind vaporize the ices which form an atmosphere, or coma, around the comet and produce its tail, which always points away from the sun. A secondary dust tail may also form and point in a different direction and curve along the comet’s orbit. (Image credit: Alex Mowery)
To see more pictures, visit our
Image Gallery.
|
|
|
Student Information |
Self-Paced Astronomy Students...
Students enrolled in any of the University's Self-Paced Astronomy courses (ASTR 111, 111A, 211, 211A, 311) have the opportunity to take classes at the Melton Observatory. Students can earn credit for up to 9 units by attending observatory classes. Sign-up sheets are posted in the Astronomy Center outside of room 007C. The available units and their descriptions are below. For the summer semesters, classes will be scheduled as weather permits. The current semester's lab schedule, guidelines for writing the reports for units 49, 50, and 55, and a sample report can be found on the Astronomy Center homepage.
|
Unit 45 - Fall Sky
Unit 46 - Winter Sky
Unit 47 - Spring Sky
Unit 48 - Summer Sky
Note: These units will be canceled if it is cloudy. |
|
These units are seasonal labs and will be held at the appropriate times. Students will be lead on a tour of the sky and will be shown various stars, constellations, and planets visible to the naked eye, and will learn important and interesting facts about these objects. Students will be required to point out 5 objects in the sky at the end of the lab to receive credit. Students may not attend more than one of these units per semester. |
|
Unit 49/50
The Night Sky
Note: These units will be canceled if it is cloudy.
|
|
Students will observe a variety of the different types of objects found in the night sky and make sketches of their observations. In Unit 49, students will learn about telescopes and their uses, and in Unit 50 will use telescopes to observe objects in the sky that evening. You will receive credit for two units with successful completion of this unit. Two reports, each a minimum of 3 typed pages, must be turned in to the EV Desk in the Astronomy Center by the due date to receive credit. |
|
Unit 55
Solar Observation
Note: This unit will be canceled if it is cloudy.
|
|
Students will learn about basic properties and the structure of the sun, observe the sun through an appropriately filtered telescope and make sketches of their observations. A minimum 3-page typed report must be turned in to the EV Desk in the Astronomy Center by the due date to receive credit. |
|
Unit 59
Introduction to Charge Coupled Devices (CCD)
Note: This unit will NOT be canceled due to weather. |
|
Similar to the indoor labs held at the Astronomy Center, this unit discusses the basics of CCDs with the students completing the worksheets in class. All worksheets must be turned in at the end of the lab to receive credit. This unit will be taught in PSC 105. You must bring a pencil, calculator and worksheets to lab.
Download Unit 59 Worksheet |
|
Unit 60
The CCD Camera and Image Processing
*You must complete Unit 59 first.
Note: This lab will be rescheduled if it is cloudy. |
|
Weather-permitting, students will get to use the CCD camera to take some images and then perform the necessary image processing functions. They will then use the image to perform a simple analysis. The students will complete the worksheets in class. All worksheets must be turned in at the end of the lab to receive credit. You must bring a pencil, calculator and worksheets to lab.
Download Unit 60 Worksheet |
|
It is the responsibility of the student to check the unit status before attending class. You will NOT receive credit for showing up to a canceled class. If a class is canceled, you will need to sign up and attend another class session. Observatory units are weather dependent, and will only be canceled when the weather prevents observations. Cancellations are posted on the Astronomy Center home page.
Honors Astronomy Students...
Students in the Honors Astronomy class SCHC 115 will attend lab every week on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Sunday evening,
either at the Observatory if it is clear, or in a location determined by the instructor if
it is cloudy. Students will use the Scientific Method in their investigations and complete lab reports at the conclusion of their lab.
|
|
|
