Rogério
Monteiro-Oliveira, Ph.D.
AST-B09
Observational Astronomy
last updated on
May, 18th. 2026
Course Evaluation
Homework Assignment #1 (deadline May 7, 2026)
Observing Time Proposal (deadline July 1; presentation: July 1–2, 2026 | Latex template | Word template)
Student Seminars (presentation: July 1–2, 2026)
Lectures
L01 (notes | slides) Foundations of Observational Astronomy
Additional Resources:
L02 (notes | slides) Space and Time in Observational Astronomy
Additional Resources:
Animation - Paths of the Stars
Animation - Local Path of the Sun
Animation - Visualizing the Horizontal System
Animation - Two Systems: Celestial, Horizon
Animation - Rotating Sky Explorer
Animation - Sidereal Time and Hour Angle Demo
Animation - The Sun's Apparent Path and Sunlight Incidence on Earth
L03 (notes | slides) Information Carriers and the Earth's Atmosphere
Additional Resources:
Animation - Interactive Simulations: Molecules and Light
Interactive MODTRAN Radiative Transfer Model (University of Chicago)
L04 (notes | slides) Optics and Telescopes
Additional Resources:
Katz’s "Physics of Light and Optics" Free Textbook
Galileo Project: The Telescope
L05 (notes | slides) Detectors in Astronomy
Additional Resources:
What the Obsolete Art of Mapping the Skies on Glass Plates Can Still Teach Us
L07 (notes | slides1 | slides2) Photometry
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L08 (notes | slides) Spectroscopy
Additional Resources:
A Course on Stellar Atmospheres by by Dr. J. B. Tatum (University of Victoria, Canada)
L09 (notes | slides) Multi-Messenger Astronomy & Large Projects in Modern Astronomy
Additional Resources:
Gravitational-Wave Physics and Astronomy in the 2020s and 2030s (Review Paper)
Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole Merger
GW170817: Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Neutron Star Inspiral
High-Energy Extragalactic Neutrino Astrophysics (Review Paper)
L10 (notes | slides) Astronomical Databases & Telescope Time Proposals
Additional Resources:
NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database
High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center
Astro Data Lab Science Platform (NOIRLab)
Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program PDR
MAST (Space Telescope Data)
Object Visibility (Staralt / Startrack / Starobs / Starmult)
Astronomy Tools (by Brian Casey)
The Art of Writing Proposals (by Prof. Jorge Melendez, IAG/USP)
Writing Effective Telescope Proposals (by C.J. Salter, Arecibo Observatory)
How to Write Competitive Proposals and Job Applications (Paper on Nature Astronomy)
L11 (notes | slides) Data Reduction Tools: From Pixels to Physics
Additional Resources:
Definition of the Flexible Image Transport System (FITS)