ASTR 136G Advanced Astronomy Lab: Detectors

Students use laboratory data to measure and calibrate data from a charged coupled device (CCD) detector in an imaging camera, characterize the detector dark current, the camera system flatfield response, and the readnoise. Students evaluate the impact of these detector parameters on the signal to noise of the measurement of flux from a point source and use them to make predictions for data quality. Course is part of the ASTR 136 collection of 2-credit advanced labs. Class meets in person over a three-week period. All data acquisition will be in the laboratory, there is no nighttime observing component to this lab.