Introduction
to
Solar Observing
|
Introduction
to |
Course Overview | Course Syllabus | Course Schedule |
| Index of Course Sessions |
Course Syllabus
| Session 1: | Introduction and Orientation | ||
| Discussion of Course Objectives | |||
| Distribution of Course Materials | |||
| Description of Activities | |||
| Confirm Time Schedule for Following Sessions | |||
| The Sun: A Light Of Many Colors | |||
| Introduction to Spectra | |||
| Newton - Light Dispersion Using Prism | |||
| Visible Light | |||
| The Physics of Light and Optics | |||
| Raindrops - Nature's Prisms | |||
| Fraunhofer- Solar Spectrum; Discovery of Absorption Lines; Diffraction Gratings | |||
| Bunsen and Kirchoff - Matching Laboratory Emission Lines with Absorption Lines in Solar Spectrum; Kirchoff's Laws | |||
| Hands-On Activity 1 : Dispersion of various light sources using prisms | |||
| Hands-On Activity 2: Dispersion of various light sources using diffraction grating | |||
| Hands-On Activity 3: Construct handheld spectroscope | |||
| Session 2: | The Sun: A Closer Look | ||
| Safety Rules | |||
| Features on the Sun | |||
| Sunspots | |||
| Limb Darkening | |||
| Faculae | |||
| Telescopes | |||
| Reflectors | |||
| Refractors | |||
| Viewing the Sun Through a Telescope | |||
| Proper Use of Filters | |||
| Image Projection | |||
| Using Telescope | |||
| Using Binoculars and Monoculars | |||
| Pinhole Projection | |||
| Recording Observations | |||
| Photography (Film, Digital) | |||
| CCD Imaging | |||
| Sketching | |||
| Hands-On Activity 1: Observing the Sun with a telescope directly; identification of different features visible in white light | |||
| Hands-On Activity 2: Assembly of telescope projection system for sunspot sketching; make simple solar sketches | |||
| Session 3: | The Sun: Its Spotted Face | ||
| Historical Overview of Sunspot Observations | |||
| Schwabe - Sunspot Cycle | |||
| Lockyear - Sunspots Are Cool Spots | |||
| Hale - Magnetic Nature of Sunspots | |||
| Carrington - Differential Rotation of Sun; Migration of Sunspots (Butterfly Diagram) | |||
| Maunder - Periods of Low Sunspot Activity Relationship to Earth's Climate | |||
| Hands-On Activity 1: Sunspot sketching using telescope projection | |||
| Hands-On Activity 2: Determining the size of the sunspots | |||
| Hands-On Activity 3: Determining the rotational rate of the sun | |||
| Session 4: | The Sun: Remote Observing With ECO | ||
| Overview of Instrumentation | |||
| Hardware and Software Requirements | |||
| Submitting a Proposal to ECO | |||
| Preparing for Observing Session | |||
| Observing Session | |||
| Data Reduction | |||
| Scientific Report of Results | |||
| Hands-On Activity 1: Observing solar spectrum | |||
| Hands-On Activity 2: "Remote" operation of ECO robotic telescope | |||
| Session 15: | Final "Exam" | ||
| Making Test Preparation Fun Through Game Show-Style Quizzes | |||
| Jeopardy - you are given the answer, you must give correct question | |||
| Hollywood Squares - question for each square of tic-tac-toe grid; correct answer gets the square | |||
| Your Favorite Game Show Here | |||
| Sample Exam | |||
| Course Summation | |||
| Internet Resource List | |||
| Activities Instructions | |||
| Page last updated 10/29/01 | Copyright © 2001 M.C.Gino |