PROJECT
CLEA:
Laboratory Exercises
st
for the 21 Century
Larry Marschall
Glenn Snyder, Dick Cooper
Project CLEA
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, PA USA
CLEA WORKSHOP 2010—June
17-26, 2010
WHY HAVE A LAB COMPONENT
TO AN ASTRONOMY COURSE?
• “Interactive Engagement” with real
astronomy
•Deeper understanding of the distinction
between observation and interpretation,
data and theory.
•Appreciation of what astronomers do—
the phenomenology of the science.
AN INTRODUCTION TO
INTRODUCTORY ASTRONOMY
•What was taught in introductory astronomy?
•Some positional astronomy but mostly
modern Astrophysics .
•Is there an experiential or lab component to
these courses ?
• In some, but
What CAN be done?
An example of a “Canned Lab” on
Spectral Classification (S&T)
But this
was the
type of
Modern
Astronomy
digital
spectra
displayed
graphically
.
Why Project CLEA ?
• Astronomy Labs in the early 1990’s at
Gettysburg College – mostly paper/pencil
• Wide availability of computers on campus
• Paper Labs from Sky and Telescope
widely used in Astronomy
• “MACHO Computer Programs like
“Voyager” and “The Sky” – Stand-alone
packages, but they dominated the entire
astronomy curriculum
PROJECT CLEA
Contemporary Laboratory Experiences in
Astronomy
•Laboratory exercises illustrating modern astronomical
techniques
•Designed for non-science majors, but adaptable.
•Simulation of measurement process.
•Modern digital data and analysis techniques, using,
wherever possible, real data.
•Modular: each module includes software, student
workbook(s) technical guide.
•Funded by Gettysburg College and the NSF
Why Project CLEA ? – Part 2
• The Astronomy Laboratory lagged behind
contemporary astronomy
• We wanted to replace the current
paper/pencil labs
• We considered realism of operation an
essential ingredient of the program
• The interface of the program should mimic
actual instruments and data
CLEA: The last decade
Application in Astronomy Class
• Gettysburg College Application
– Class of 80 Students
– 4 Labs – 20 Students Each – 2 per table
– Coordinate Class with Labs
• Use as Demonstration in Class
• Labs Used as Projects – Additional
Information needed – Instructor input
• Other possibilities – How do you use?
Development of Curriculum Material
• Curricular Material/Lesson Plans
– Change/Modify Labs (Word/pdf)
– Split Labs to Fit Lab Time– ex. Jupiter
– Add Additional Material for Your Needs
• Select Labs that Support Your Curriculum
• Sample of Structured Lab For Extra Solar
Astronomy – Gettysburg Example
Gettysburg College Stellar Astronomy
Course Outline
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Order is What We Follow but There Are
Various Possibilities For Sequencing
Period of Rotation of the Sun
Flow of Energy Out of the Sun
Astronomy of Asteroids
Classification of Stellar Spectra
Photoelectric Photometry of the Pleiades
HR Diagrams of Star Clusters
Cepheid Variables – S&T Paper Lab – LE10
Gettysburg College Stellar
Astronomy - Continued
•
•
•
•
•
•
Crab Nebula – S&T Paper Lab – LE08
Dying Stars and Birth of the Elements
Radio Astronomy of Pulsars
Hubble Redshift Distance Relation
Large Scale Structure of the Universe
The Quest For Object X
Many Possibilities – Your
Thoughts on Lesson Plans
• Do You See Any Possibilities For Using
CLEA Labs in Your Courses?
• If You Use CLEA Labs - Which Ones Are
Your Favorites?
• Do You Have Any Examples To Share
With The Group?
CLEA: Modules from 2007
A collaboration with the
XMM-Newton mission
A collaboration with the
GONG project
CLEA: X-RAY TELESCOPE
Multi-Aperture Spectrometer
CLEA: X-RAY TELESCOPE
Abundance Models
New CLEA: Modules in 2008
VIREO H- R Diagram of
Star Clusters
Roemer Speed of
Light Experiment
Jupiter’s Moon
VIREO: H-R Diagrams of
Star Clusters
Introduced – Jan 2008
GOALS OF HR DIAGRAM
EXERCISE
• The student should be able to understand
what is plotted on an HR diagram.
• The student should be able to understand
how the HR diagrams of clusters change as
the cluster ages, and how the appearance of
an HR diagram can be used to determine the
age of the cluster.
GOALS OF HR DIAGRAM
EXERCISE
• The student should be able to understand
the difference between apparent and
absolute magnitudes, and how the HR
diagram of a cluster can be used to
determine the distance of the cluster.
• The student should be able to recognize the
comparative ages of clusters by looking at
their HR diagrams.
BASIC STRATEGY OF THE HR
DIAGRAM EXERCISE
• Load Selected Cluster Data (Either
“canned” or taken by the student using
VIREO’s telescope and photometer)
BASIC STRATEGY OF THE HR
DIAGRAM EXERCISE
• Display the data from the cluster on an
HR Diagram; Then fit a Zero-Age Main
Sequence to the plot to determine
distance and reddening.
BASIC STRATEGY OF THE HR
DIAGRAM EXERCISE
• Fit a theoretical isochrone to the
cluster plot to age, using sliders to
select isochrone.
The NEXT LEVEL - VIREO
• The Combination of all for the next
Computer Platform
• More Bells and Whistles
• Real Databases that are Available
• Simulated Where not Available
VIREO
“The Virtual Educational Observatory”
continuing in developement
Major Project: A non Modular approach
A Virtual Observatory
•Computer speed and storage so much higher than when this
project began that there is practically no limit to what we can
simulate in real time.
•Huge amount of data available and easily accessible
Why not create a software environment in
which future (and past) exercises can be
developed? A virtual observatory?
EXAMPLES OF FUNDAMENTAL
ASTRONOMICAL DATA SETS
•The Hubble Guide Star Catalog (coords and mags of
~20 million objects); USNO A2 (5 x108 objects), …
•The CfA Redshift Survey (mags, coordinates,
redshifts of ~5 x 104 galaxies
•Pulsar catalogs (coordinates, P, I(υ) for ~103 objects)
•Asteroid elements (coords, mags vs time for ~2 x105
objects)
•Large surveys: 2Mass (IR), SDSS (optical &NIR),
2dF (galaxies), etc.
Instrumentation of VIREO
•3 Optical/IR Telescopes: various apertures
•CCD Camera
•IR Camera
•Aperture Photometer
•Photon-Counting Spectrometer
•Multi-Aperture Spectrometer
•Radio Telescope: configurable aperture, etc.
•3 separately tunable receivers
•Analysis tools for
•Spectroscopy
•Imaging
•Astrometry
The Virtual Educational Observatory
Multi-Object Spectrometer
The Virtual Educational Observatory
Infrared Imager
WIDE DISSEMINATION
CLEA USED WORLDWIDE
•Freeware (to educational users).
•Manuals available in Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Hebrew, Kiwi,
French, Portugese, ???
• Users in all states and > 60 countries
•Software and manuals downloadable from website:
http://public.gettysburg.edu/~marschal/clea/CLEAhome.html
Or email - clea@gettysburg.edu
SUMMER WORKSHOP:
PROJECT CLEA 2010
• Targeted primarily at faculty who teach
undergraduate college astronomy courses and who
do not themselves have graduate specialization in
astronomy or astrophysics, the workshop will
introduce modern techniques of observation and
data analysis with an emphasis on the introductory
laboratory.
The week will include workshops on observing
techniques, hands-on experience with all CLEA
exercises, evening observing sessions at the
Gettysburg College Observatory, and an observing
trip to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory
in Green Bank, West Virginia.
Many Possibilities – Your
Thoughts on Lesson Plans
• Do You See Any Possibilities For Using
CLEA Labs in Your Courses?
• If You Use CLEA Labs - Which Ones Are
Your Favorites?
• Do You Have Any Examples To Share
With The Group?
Shameless Plug…
http://astronomy2009.us/
TO LEARN EVEN MORE……
Just Published!
CLEA MANUALS IN SPANISH
CLEA MANUALS IN ITALIAN
CLEA MANUALS IN DUTCH
CLEA MANUALS IN HEBREW
CLEA MANUALS IN POLISH
CLEA MANUALS IN KIWI
An Older “Canned Lab”
on Hubble’s Law
The CLEA WEBSITE:
http://public.gettysburg.edu/~marschal/clea/CLEAhome.html
Shameless Plug…
http://astronomy2009.us/
TO LEARN EVEN MORE……
Just Published!