Details

A Practical Guide to Lightcurve Photometry and Analysis


A Practical Guide to Lightcurve Photometry and Analysis



von: Brian Warner, Alan W. Harris

36,99 €

Verlag: Springer
Format: PDF
Veröffentl.: 03.07.2007
ISBN/EAN: 9780387333915
Sprache: englisch
Anzahl Seiten: 298

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Beschreibungen

It is a pleasure and an honor to offer a few words of forward to Brian Warner's guide to photometry. In his preface, he makes a considerable point about amateurs and professionals, and those who dare or deign to step across the line supposedly dividing the two. Here I would like to make a few observations about the two monikers, and suggest that there is not, or at least should not be, a distinction - tween "amateur" and "professional. " In preparing these remarks I referred to W- ster’s New Collegiate Dictionary (1960 edition; not so new anymore, but that was when my collegiate experience began): am´a·teur, n. [F. , fr. L. amator lover, fr. amare to love. ] 1. One who cultivates a particular pursuit, study, or science, from taste, without pursuing it professionally; also, a dabbler. 2. In sports and esp. athletics, one who is not rated as a professional. Well. . . a "dabbler" eh? "not rated as a professional"? No wonder we have an identity problem here. Somehow in my youth as an amateur astronomer I missed this connotation of the term. To me, the meaning of the term amateur was do- nated by its root, "to love," that is, one who does what he does out of love of the subject, not for remuneration (to the extent one can get away with that).
Getting Started.- Targets of Opportunity.- Photometry Fundamentals.- The Photometry Primer.- Photometric Reductions.- Second Order Extinction.- Telescopes and Cameras.- Imaging and Photometry Software.- Collecting Photons.- Analyzing the Data.- Period Analysis.- Building Star Systems.- Publishing Your Data and Results.
<P>Brian Warner has been an astronomer for 40 years. He ran the Minor Planet Observer for ten years, and has contributed more than 60 papers to the Minor Planet Bulletin, along with regular articles. He lives in Colorado, USA.</P>
<P>A Practical Guide to Lightcurve Photometry and Analysis provides, for<BR>those with access to even a modest telescope and CCD camera, all the<BR>information needed to take part in the scientific study of asteroids and<BR>variable stars.<BR><BR>Using commercially available equipment, amateur astronomers can<BR>determine the rotation rate, size, and shape of asteroids. Similarly, it<BR>is possible to discover the size, temperature, and orbits of stars in<BR>binary systems by using this powerful technique.<BR><BR>A Practical Guide to Lightcurve Photometry and Analysis contains all the<BR>material needed for readers to understand the theory, and avoid the<BR>practical pitfalls of lightcurve photometry. Detailed examples are<BR>given for obtaining data, and of course for the exciting and rewarding<BR>task of analyzing the data to determine the physical properties of the<BR>object.<BR><BR>Any college student or amateur astronomer who wants to go beyond mere<BR>imaging with a CCD camera and enter the challenging world of "real<BR>science" via the lightcurves of asteroids and binary stars will find<BR>everything necessary in this book.</P>
The next step after CCD imaging for amateur astronomers Provides a solid but not overly technical background in photometry theory and practice and suggestions for specific easy-to-implement projects Worked examples of photometry reductions using simple spreadsheets Many detailed "finder charts" with magnitudes for reference fields that allow putting observations on standard systems Detailed steps on how to go about gathering data for specific projects Covers lightcurve period analysis, and how to avoid common mistakes, by showing examples of how things can be misinterpreted
<P>This practical text provides those with access to even a modest telescope and a CCD camera the background and detailed steps to contribute to astronomical research, including joint projects in which they can take part, as well as techniques for gathering, analyzing, and publishing their data. The text helps the reader understand - and avoid – common pitfalls in the process, and offers detailed examples on how to obtain and analyze data. Under "choosing the right software," the author looks critically at the commercially-available packages, providing screen shots and useful advice. Amateur astronomers who want to go beyond CCD imaging will find everything they need to step into the world of "real" science.</P>

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