Course:      Astronomy 314, Section 1
                                Tuesday & Thursday, 09:30-11:00, Astronomy 265

          Instructors:      T. S. Bastian (will not be teaching this semester)
                                National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Room 218
                                e-mail:  tbastian@nrao.edu

                                K. Xiluri
                                Astronomy Department
                                University of Virginia
                                530 McCormick Road, R103
                                Phone:  924-7470
                                e-mail:  kx8u@virginia.edu

       Office hours:      by appointment

          Class text:   The class text is mainly handouts given by the instructors.
                                   
                                   

         Class content:   This course provides the student with an introduction to the fundamentals of astrophysics and instrumentation of radio astronomy. Basic instrumentation is emphasized during the first half of the course through a series of introductory lectures and illustrative laboratory experimetns. The experiments involve exploring electronic signals, characterizing a heterodyne receiver, and measuring the antenna temperature of our horn antenna.

A project is initiated in the first part of the course where we are using the Arecibo 300-m radiotelescope to observe pulsars and study their properties as part of our on-going class project. The analysis of such data will involve writing our own computer code as well as using IDL for presentation.

The astrophysics is emphasized during the second half of the course. Along with a series of introductory lectures, there will be three experiments involving the Small Radio Telescope (SRT) which combine instrumentation and astronomy: such as measuring the antenna beam, detecting HI along a known direction in our Galaxy and characterising line features such as velocity and dispersion, measure the Sun's flux using the Moon as a calibrator.

The course description and outline can be found here.

The course syllabus can be found here.

Laboratory Requirements:
Labs will be used to introduce key concepts and to enable the student to become acquainted with aspects of radio astronomical instrumentation and observing.
 

1. Exploration of electronic signals

2. Characterization of a heterodyne receiver

3. Using a heterodyne receiver and horn to measure antenna temperature

4. Measuring the beam of the SRT

5. Observing neutral hydrogen in the Milky Way

6. Measuring the Sun's mean brightness

7. Reduce and analyze Arecibo pulsar observations

8. Participate in Arecibo observing run (14 FEB 04)

The labs will be conducted in Room 169 or in the Student Observatory next to the  Astronomy Department at 530 McCormick Road .

Homework: Problem sets will be handed out every couple of weeks. They must be turned in within two weeks.

Class attendance:   Class attendance is not required. However, the material presented in each lecture constitutes the content of the course. While lecture notes will be posted on the class web page, they are unlikely to be an adequate substitute for discussion in class.

Missed exams: If you miss an exam, it is your responsibility to arrange for a make-up exam.

Grades:  Grades will be based on student performance on a midterm exam, the final exam, lab work, and homework sets as follows:
 
 

Class links: Some interesting web sites on radio astronomy can be found  here.