About observational astronomy

The Horsehead Nebula

Astronomers can gain an understanding of objects in the universe by studying them with a telescope. Observational astronomy is the process of collecting and analyzing data to learn about these objects. In this learning project a computer program will be used to view and study images taken with a telescope to learn basic concepts in astronomy.

Activities

A CCD (Charge-coupled device) imaging system is a type of digital camera that is very sensitive to the dim light from distant objects. The CCD camera is attached to a telescope and the images are stored on a computer where they can later be analyzed. Astronomical images are stored in a computer file format called FITS. These images can be opened and viewed by using computer software that understands this file format.

Readings

Background information:

• Observational astronomy
• Telescope

References

Additional helpful readings include:

• Image processing introduction
• Color in Hubble images
• Techniques of Observational Astronomy