Some

Possible Student Research Projects

for the early years of the 21st century

Software Development

Observing Projects at the SSU Observatory

Data Analysis

Development of Astronomical Instrumentation

Computer hardware and software systems

Literature research

Software Development

system to prepare and utilize custom object databases for the Epoch telescope at the SSU Observatory

• software primitives (EXE files) exist to generate the necessary database files
• what is needed is a system or set of procedures to make the process relatively automatic

develop ASCOM drivers for the Servostar software system

• Servostar is the telescope control software for the Epoch telescope
• ASCOM (Astronomy Common Object Module) is a system to allow scripts in languages such as VisualBasic and perl to control telescope mounts and CCD cameras
• ASCOM is completely open source
• Servostar source code is "not yet available"

develop software to create an image catalog by analyzing CCD images in a directory

• perl scripts
• information needed for the catalog must exist in FITS image headers
• FITS (Flexible Image Transport System) is the international standard for astronomical data

develop software to insert custom components into FITS headers for astronomical images

• perl scripts
• FITS (Flexible Image Transport System) is the international standard for astronomical data
• custom FITS components may be needed for the image catalog software and for the observatory data archive system

implement a software system to obtain the Fourier power spectrum for time series brightness measureasments with non-uniform spacing

• fortran subroutines are available from the AAVSO
• a system may be needed to take time series data from EZPHOT or from AIP and analyze the data using the available subroutines
• Montecarlo simulations may be needed to evaluate the approximations used to treat the non-uniform data spacing

various projects related to robotic telescope systems

• develop scripts for automated observing using VisualBasic or perl
• use RTML to specify observations
• RTML (Robotic Telescope Meta Language) is an XML based robotic telescope control language
• probably using ACP (Astronomy Control Package, by DC3 Dreams)

various projects related to the development of an archive system for images obtained at an observatory

• perl scripts
• unix cron jobs and perl scripts to evaluate submitted images and prepare image catalogs
• move images to long term storage
• build SQL database in ORACLE using data in the image catalog
• web pages to allow user control of the process
• web pages to allow SQL query of the database
• web pages to allow viewing and downloading of selected images
• automated processes for uploading and downloading specified images using ftp

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Observing Projects at the SSU Observatory

monitor provisionally designated eclipsing variables to detect additional eclipses and determine periods

determine times of minima for eclipsing systems exhibiting apsidal motion or variable periods

monitor Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) to establish baseline activity and microvariability for objects to be observed by the GLAST mission

search for afterglows from reported Gamma-Ray Bursters (GRBs)

obtain survey images as part of the Galactic AntiCenter Variable Star Survey (GACVSS)

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Data Analysis

implement image subtraction to detect and study variability for a sequence of images

• the ISIS package is installed on perry
• learn what the package does
• learn how to use the package
• use the ISIS package on data from SSUO

automate the data analysis for AGN programs

• identify the sequence stars in the AGN images
• measure the magnitudes for the sequence stars
• use the measured magnitudes to determine the standard magnitudes for the AGNs

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Development of Astronomical Instrumentation

develop an autoguiding system for the Epoch telescope and ST-7 CCD camera

• the ST-7 generates autoguide signals which can drive the telescope drive controls
• an autoguide plug is available on the camera
• the telescope hand paddle can accept these signals
• a cable will need to be constructed to run from the camera along the hand paddle cable and connect properly inside the hand paddle
• schematics for such a cable are provided with the documentation for the camera

   

complete development and engineering evaluation for the grating spectrometer CCD system

• a new adapter plate is needed to connect the ST-6 CCD canera to the spectrometer
• the new adapter plate probably needs to be thicker

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Computer hardware and software systems

install and maintain observatory hardware and software systems

develop and maintain the SSUO image archive

evaluate RTML 2.0 and make recommendations for possible modifications to allow RTML to be FITS compliant

develop system to receive GRB announcements from the internet and prepare RTML for distribution to a robotic telescope network

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Literature research

data reduction for AGNs

noise evaluation and variability descriptors for AGNs

eclipse simulations for extrasolar planets

planets in binary or multiple star systems

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