Welcome to the PHYS 1155 Astronomy Laboratory Website

There are no prerequisities. You are not expected to have any previous experience using a telescope, or to have any specific knowledge of the night sky. You will learn any related background in the corequisite lecture course Phys 1055 Introduction to Astronomy.

Syllabus

Detailed discussion of how the course will work, grades, etc.

Blackboard

To check your lab scores login to Blackboard.

Course Materials

SIP

Sky Image Processor (SIP) is the Java web-based image analyzer we use for some of the lab exercises.

Prices Fork Observatory Exercise

The handout for the Prices Fork Observatory Exercise. This exercise must be done at one of the Prices Fork Observatory Open Houses. The Prices Fork Observatory Open Houses are scheduled for first and third Friday evenings of each month, but only occur if the sky is not cloudy! Consult the syllabus and the Open House webpage for more details.

Refracting Telescope Kit Instructions

These are the instructions for how to assemble the refracting telescope. You will assemble your telescope at the first lab meeting (don't assemble your telescope until that lab meeting!).

Planisphere

Uncle Al's Sky Wheels can be downloaded in three parts: the star wheel cover, the first insert with constellations and bright star names, and the second insert with constellations and celestial coordinate lines. These downloads are for the 2000 version. The 2009 version does not have star names.

Orbits of Jovian Moons (movie)

An animated gif showing the orbits of the moons of Jupiter. For use in the Kepler's Laws lab exercise. This is a copy of the image at www.astro.washington.edu/labs/clearinghouse/movies/images/orbits_of_jovian_moons.gif

Jupiter's Moons Javascript Utility

A Javascript Utility at Sky and Telescope's website that will display the configuration of the Galilean Moons of Jupiter on any given date and time.

Transit Times of Jupiter's Great Red Spot

A page at Sky and Telescope's website that will display a list of the transit times of Jupiter's Great Red Spot, for a given date.

Map of the Moon

A map of the moon's major features, from Sky and Telescope.

Double Star Telrad Finder Charts

Telrad finder charts for Mizar and Alcor, epsilon Lyrae, and Alberio.

Excel Spreadsheet for Impact Crater Lab

An Excel spreadsheet that students should download and fill in (with measured data) during the Impact Crater Lab. When done, this sheet should be printed out and attached to each lab partner's writeup.

Discovery Star Charts

Charts for the Discovery lab. Limiting Magnitude, SummerTriangle, and Andromeda.

Moons of the Giant Planets

The Moons of the Giant Planets lab at the University of Washington's lab clearing house.

Geologic Features of Mars

NASA lab available from Univresity of Michigan website. Best used in conjuction with Google Mars

Astronomy Minor

Outside Links of Interest

Sky and Telescope's webpage on Pronouncing Constellation Names

Sky and Telescope's webpage on how to pronounce constellation names. Includes mpg files so you can actually hear the pronunciations, and interesting historical information.

VT Astronomy and Astrophysics

The webpage containing links to all VT Astronomy and Astrophysics courses, plus links to many external sources of information on astronomy and astrophysics.