Astronomy 220 - Special Topics in Astronomy

This hands-on course introduces telescopes, light detection methods, and basic astrophotography, offering students experience with 8-inch and smaller instruments on campus. Clear nights are devoted to observing and imaging solar system and galactic objects, while cloudy sessions shift to lectures and coding using Python and Astropy. Students learn everything from amateur astronomy essentials to planning observations and analyzing real data, with an emphasis on developing the practical skills of a professional astronomer.

This course is open to Astronomy Majors only Pre Req: 1 PHYSICAL SCI course This hands-on course introduces telescopes, light detection methods, and basic astrophotography, offering students experience with 8-inch and smaller instruments on campus. Clear nights are devoted to observing and imaging solar system and galactic objects, while cloudy sessions shift to lectures and coding using Python and Astropy. Students learn everything from amateur astronomy essentials to planning observations and analyzing real data, with an emphasis on developing the practical skills of a professional astronomer.