The measurement of astronomical parallaxes with CCD imaging cameras on small telescopes
- Department of Physics, Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont 05753 (United States)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Colgate University, 13 Oak Dr., Hamilton, New York 13346 (United States)
- Department of Physics, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325 (United States)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia 24450 (United States)
- Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
- Department of Astronomy, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut 06457 (United States)
Small telescopes equipped with charge-coupled device (CCD) imaging cameras are well suited to introductory laboratory exercises in positional astronomy (astrometry). An elegant example is the determination of the parallax of extraterrestrial objects, such as asteroids. For laboratory exercises suitable for introductory students, the astronomical hardware needs are relatively modest, and, under the best circumstances, the analysis requires little more than arithmetic and a microcomputer with image display capabilities. Results from the first such coordinated parallax observations of asteroids ever made are presented. In addition, procedures for several related experiments, involving single-site observations and/or parallaxes of earth-orbiting artificial satellites, are outlined.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- OSTI ID:
- 7018322
- Journal Information:
- American Journal of Physics; (United States), Vol. 61:3; ISSN 0002-9505
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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