Laboratory Schedule

For the laboratory, students will work together with a partner.  The laboratory consists of several `canned' labs and a research project.  For most of the labs, it will be necessary only to fill out the worksheets in the lab manual and answer several short questions on the lab.  To gain additional writing experience, each pair of partners will choose one of the laboratories done between January 23 and February 28 and write a 1000 word (or longer) report describing the purpose and significance of that lab and their results and interpretation.  Comments on how the labs could be improved, either in the mechanics of their execution or their description in the lab manual are encouraged.  For each section of the lab, the different pairs of partners will be required to choose different labs to write up.  The sign-ups will be done on a first-come, first-served basis.  A first draft of these reports will be due on March 6 or 7 and during that session, the students will present their reports.  The final draft of these reports will be due on March 25.

The research project is an investigation to be undertaken by each pair of partners.  The research project should be significantly more involved than a single lab.  Each research project must involve the analysis of new observations obtained with the Iowa Robotic Telescope or archival data obtained from an outside astronomical observatory, either ground or space based.  Several possible research projects are described in the lab manual.  However, students are encouraged to think up original ideas for the research project.  A one paragraph project proposal must be handed in by March 22.  It is strongly suggested that the students begin as early as possible on the research project.  Students are encouraged to discuss ideas for projects with Prof. Kaaret or the laboratory teaching assistant Allison Mercer.


Dates
 Topic
1/23, 24
 Laboratory Spectroscopy (p. 81)
1/30, 31
 Properties of the Sun (p. 56)
2/6, 7
 Energy Flow Out of the Sun (p. 63)
2/13, 14
 Spectral Classification of Stars (p. 75)
2/20, 21
 Stellar Properties Using BVRI Photometry (p. 180)
2/27, 28
 Age and Distance of a Stellar Cluster (p. 89)
3/6, 7
 Laboratory presentation
3/20, 21
 Radio Astronomy of Pulsars (p. 104) (or Mass of a Black Hole if ready)
3/27, 28
 Research Project Planning
4/3, 4
 Properties of Supernovae (p. 96)
4/10, 11
 Research project analysis
4/17, 18
 The Redshift of Galaxies (p. 130)
4/24, 25
 Research project analysis
5/1, 2
 Research project presentations