Astronomy Research Seminar
Fall 2014
11/14/14 - Black Hole Research Info ******* Citizen Science - Zooniverse
9/17/14 - Doing Literature Searches and background research on galaxies and blackholes
Literature Searches
1. arXiv.org - Search by topic: Type in your topic in the search box at the top of the page and click "Go". A list of articles with that topic will come up. Scroll through the list and click on the arXiv link for a summary of the paper. You can usually find a pdf or html link of the actual paper.
2. Simbad - Search by topic; Type in your topic and click "SIMBAD search" - A list of a lot of information is returned so scroll down and look for "references". Click "display" "reference summary" and look through that list. Click on the link for a particular article that looks promising to get a summary of the paper. If you don't see a summary, look for the link "ADS Services" and click that. Look for a html or pdf link of the article.
Galaxies
Blackholes
Spring 2014
5/12/14 - Doing Literature Searches and Image Processing
Literature Searches
1. arXiv.org - Search by topic: Type in your topic in the search box at the top of the page and click "Go". A list of articles with that topic will come up. Scroll through the list and click on the arXiv link for a summary of the paper. You can usually find a pdf or html link of the actual paper.
2. Simbad - Search by topic; Type in your topic and click "SIMBAD search" - A list of a lot of information is returned so scroll down and look for "references". Click "display" "reference summary" and look through that list. Click on the link for a particular article that looks promising to get a summary of the paper. If you don't see a summary, look for the link "ADS Services" and click that. Look for a html or pdf link of the article.
Skynet - You can get your images here (http://skynet.unc.edu) or request new ones.
Things to take images of in the Winter Sky
1. Login in with our user name and password. To work with your image, you have to download the fits file of your image. Do that from the "Observation Manager" page. Find you image and click on it. From there you can download the Processed fits file of the image you want to work with (NOT the JPEG image!!). Make sure you know where you download it to.
3. A - Download the free DS9 image processing program from Ms. Barge's class webpage (it is already on school computers - its called "SAOImage DS9"). If you haven't used the program before, go through this online intro lesson to learn the basics of using the program. You'll need a webpage open with the instructions and DS9 open to work in. If you can't get the images as instructed, get them here. Just look for the DS9 Chandra lesson images.
3. B - Another good image processing program is ImageJ. You can also download that for free from Ms. Barge's webpage. There are lessons posted there which give you the basics of what to do with your image and how to "process" it to make it look great.
2/19/14 Light, Color and Disks Around Stars
Filters - Color pictures of objects in space are made from several images, each taken with a filter. Get a review of the process using the Hubble Space Telescope's online lesson about color in Hubble images.
2/5/14 Introduction - Looking for Young Stellar Objects – Using infrared & optical images to find YSOs
Online review of Light from Hubble Telescope's Amazing Space website - Star Light, Star Bright
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Fall 2013 News
Summer 2014 Science Opportunities
This is list is updated frequently so check back often
Internship Opportunities
Adler Planetarium - Telescope Faclitator - Online application There is a training November 2013
Adler Planetarium - 2nd Semester Research (afternoons after seminars) - Apply through Mr Karafiol
Resources
Programming - Udacity - Codecademy - C++ Tutorials
Research Topics
1. Looking for Young Stellar Objects – Using infrared & optical images to find YSOs
2. Pulsars – Using radio images to find new pulsars. Submit data to the Greenbank Radio Telescope at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). There is conference May 20, 2013 in Milwaukee for students to share their research.
3. Asteroid Search – Using optical images to find asteroids and NEO (Near Earth Objects). Submit findings to the Minor Planet Center and the Astronomical Research Institute.
4. Zero Robotics – Participate in a competition from MIT to program (using C++) small satellites located on the International Space Station. The competition registration is spring 2013 and it begins fall 2013. The early registration allows you to get familiar with programming.
5. Orion Quest - Partner with scientists doing research on the International Space Station. Analyze data from experiments running on the International Space Station and submit it online.
6. Cosmic Rays – use the muon detectors in 322 to do a variety of experiments related to high-energy physics and cosmic rays from space.
7. The School of Galactic Radio Astronomy (Smiley) – Use of a radio telescope in North Carolina. There are several labs to introduce you to the telescope and radio astronomy. Then it is up to you to select sources to take images of.
8. Citizen Science Projects – Each project is inspired by a science team who provide the initial ideas, the reassurance that what we’re doing can make a real contribution and students who are willing to use the end result. There are several to choose from. The level of work varies among the projects.
9. Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) – This list has research ideas using data from the SDSS telescope. There are basic and advanced projects to help you understand the science and analysis involved in these research ideas.
10. Science Buddies Astronomy Research Ideas – a variety of ideas