Welcome to the Williams College Hopkins Observatory! As part of your astronomy course, you will be using the Astronomy Department's observing facilities. We hope you will enjoy this opportunity to experience astronomy first-hand and that your observing projects will enhance your appreciation of this amazing and wonderful universe.

You will be using the Observatory's 24" Cassegrain telescope, 6" refracting telescope, 8" and 10" Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, 5" solar spar telescope, binoculars, a 512 x 512 pixel CCD electronic imaging system, a 35mm camera and your eyes to observe and study a wide range of celestial objects, from stars and planets to galaxies and nebulae. Although there will always be TAs present to supervise and help you use the equipment, you will be able operate the telescopes yourself.

The observing program is designed to be flexible. There are a wide variety of objects to observe and projects to do, so to a certain extent you can customize the observing program to suit your own interests.

This handout contains an explanation of the observing program and some basic instructions on how to use the telescope and the CCD camera. Bring this handout with you each time you observe. You are not permitted to operate the telescopes or the CCD camera without the supervision of a TA or the Observatory Supervisor.

You are required to complete 50 points worth of observing projects over the course of the semester. Each observation for an observing project may take around half an hour to complete. By March 17th you are required to have completed at least 25 points worth of these projects. The final 25 points are due by May 12th.

The (maximum) point values of different types of observations and projects are listed below:

constellation 5 pts

naked eye 5 pts

binocular 5 pts

telescope 5 pts

solar observing 10 pts

cloudy night 5-10 pts

special 5-15 pts

You should complete at least one observation from each of the first five categories listed above (including one solar observing session, which are scheduled throughout the semester). As you complete each observing project, place it in the black "Completed Assignments" tray in the Observatory Control Room.

The observatory is located on the fourth floor of the Physics-Astronomy building, at the top of the rear (south) staircase. Observing hours are usually 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM, Mondays through Fridays (see the bulletin board outside the classroom for updates, changes, and solar observing times). The telescopes will only be in use on evenings with clear skies. However, the observatory control room will be open during observing hours regardless of the weather. There will be TAs on duty at the observatory on clear and cloudy evenings during observing hours. As mentioned above, there are observing projects you can do on cloudy nights. You must sign up for all observing sessions you plan to attend. A sign-up sheet will be posted on the bulletin board outside TPL 206. The observing evenings are divided into four 1-hour blocks: 7:00-8:00 PM, 8:00-9:00 PM, 9:00-10:00 P.M and 10:00-11:00 PM. A maximum of 5 students can request observing during each time block. There is no restriction on the number of hours of observing you can request, however you are expected to show up for time you have requested.

Here are the requirements for full credit for each class of observations:

constellations: find and sketch the general outline of the constellation (enough so that someone else could see your sketch and recognize the constellation). Answer the constellation questions (on the constellation sheet). Ask a TA to test you on the constellation (go back outside and point out the constellation without looking at a map or notes). If you pass the test, the TA will sign you off on that constellation.

naked eye: find and sketch a non-stellar object and its position relative to the surrounding constellations and/or horizon features. Identify and label at least 3 features or details (which could include

colors, brightness, or nearby star names or constellations). If you

include the horizon in your sketch, label the directions or landmarks

that would allow someone else to find the object with your sketch.

binocular: find and sketch an object that would be difficult to see with the naked eye. There are lists of binocular objects for each constellation in the constellation folders and plenty of recommended objects in the books on the shelf in the observatory. Sketch the object as you see it through binoculars, and describe and identify at least 3 features or details (this could be colors, textures, or other qualities of what you see). Also, draw a rough finder chart that you or someone else could use to find the object again.

telescopic: find an sketch an object that would be difficult to see or

less revealing through binoculars. Identify and label at least 3 features of the object that you’re observing. Also, draw a rough finder chart that you or someone else could use to find the object again. If you use the 24" to find your object, make sure you give the coordinates of the object with your sketch (instead of a finder chart).

solar: There is a separate handout for solar observing which you can pick up when you come to the observatory. After you make your

observations of the sun, you can answer the questions on the handout

at the observatory, or take it with you and complete them later.

cloudy: the details for all the cloudy night projects are in the black folder in the observatory control room. Note that you are allowed to complete a maximum of 20 points worth of cloudy night projects so it's a good idea to do all your other observations as early as possible and save the cloudy night projects as a last resort if the weather turns bad.

special: this can include observations during special events such as eclipses and meteor showers as well as projects which require observations over a longer period of time or special equipment (such as astrophotography or image processing). Long-term projects are generally a good idea since you can have some periods of bad weather and still be able to finish the project.

Some existing special projects are:

Observing the Moon (15 pts)

Observing Variable Stars (10-15 pts)

Measuring the Earth's Diameter (10 pts)

Constructing a Sundial (10 pts)

Other ideas for projects include:

Draw a detailed star chart

Draw a detailed Moon chart

Draw detailed deep-sky charts

Chart the rising and setting positions of the Sun (or Moon)

Observe a meteor shower

Track the Sun, Moon, planet, or comet through the sky

Photograph different constellations

Photograph the Moon

Photograph the Sun (with a filter)

Photograph deep-sky objects

Observe and sketch double-stars

Observe and chart variable stars

Build a telescope

Sketch a planet and it's moons

Measure the size of a planet or Saturn's rings

Measure the mass of Jupiter or Saturn

Measure ellipticity of Moon's orbit

Measure tilt of galaxy and ecliptic

Drawing part of an analemma

Star counts in different parts of the sky

Make a nocturnal, astrolabe or some other ancient astronomical device

Make a 3D scale model of a constellation

Suggest your own project - think about some aspect of the night sky or observing you would like to know more about and come up with a project! We can probably customize a project for you. Contact Steve Martin (x3210, smartin@williams.edu) for details.

There is a small library of astronomical books and charts at the observatory which will help you identify and read about what you've observed. In addition, there are computers connected to the World Wide Web which will allow you to compare your observations with those of other telescopes around the world (and even the Hubble Space Telescope!). These are all resources that you should use when reading about the objects you've seen, or are planning to observe. If you need more ideas about things to observe, there are constellation folders at the observatory which contain lists of objects to observe with binoculars, telescopes, and the naked eye for each constellation. Also, ask the TA’s for suggestions or their favorites.

You don't have to be an artist to enjoy drawing what you see in the night sky. Sketching astronomical objects and constellations is a way of training yourself to see more of what you're looking at: to observe rather than to just look. Also, by drawing the objects, it helps you to connect things that you've read about them with the actual objects, making them more real and memorable for you. The next time you observe the object, you'll see even more details that you missed the last time you saw it.

When drawing objects and constellations, try to estimate distances between parts of the object relative to 'fixed' measurements in your field of view. For example, if you're drawing an object looking through a telescope or binoculars, you can measure distances based on the size of the field of view itself ('that star is about two-thirds of the field of view and 30 degrees down from that other star'). You can also measure distances based on relative distances between stars ('that star is about one-half the distance between those other two stars and about 45 degrees to the south'). If you're drawing naked-eye objects, use objects such as landmarks (if the object is near the horizon) or measurements of your hand or fingers held at arm's length (''Saturn is three fingers above and one fist to the left

of that bright star"). As a rough rule, your fist (with thumb) at arm’s length covers approximately 10 degrees on the sky. Your finger at arm’s length covers about 1 degree. By getting the proportions right in your drawings, it will make it easier for you to identify them on your star chart and also to find them again using your drawing next time you're out observing.

When you're looking at faint or diffuse objects, try to use averted vision to notice more details and include any comments on your drawings that help you see more of what you're observing ('blue fuzzy area', 'faint nebulosity over here', 'this star is really red'). In addition to including any comments on your drawings, it's also helpful to have the following notes with each sketch:

• the name of the constellation or object and its designation (NGC or Messier number, etc...)

• the name of the constellation containing the object

• the type of optical instrument (if any) and eyepiece used

• the time and date

• observing conditions (on a scale of 1 'wow' to 10 'pea soup')

• a north or other orienting arrow

• your notes and observations

Remember: you don't have to be a professional artist to make a drawing that is meaningful to you, so relax and have fun. If you're interested in techniques for drawing and sketching what you see in the sky, you may want to look at the July 1995 issue of Astronomy magazine (in the science library) and the following web sites:

http://www.city-net.com/~LSMCH/SKETCH1.HTML

http://www.helsinki.fi/~jkahanpa/drawings.html

http://samwise.ceri.memphis.edu:80/~davis/DSO/

REMEMBER: choose and observe your objects EARLY in the semester!