A Brief Guide To Setting-up the A105 and A110 Labs. The following is a guide to setting up the Astronomy labs in no particular order, though the hard ones are first. -tom ************************************************************************* 1) Seasons Lab (Ast105 & 110) The set-up of this lab takes me 20 minutes or so when I do it by myself. Get help if the window is tighter. For new TAs, they need to know how to adjust the height of the lamp so that it is centered on the equator. What is needed for each lab group: Globe on stand Desklamp Meter stick Ruler Roll of Tape String/yarn, > 32" long January & July Sun images (in 3-ring binder) Elevation device Orrey (so TAs can demonstrate what is really going on) Graph paper (one piece per group) Extension cords (six for Walden) Issues: the flashlights in the elevation device get a build-up of corrosion and that means they get flaky. I use sandpaper on the battery holder (and spring) to remove this. You also need to tighten up the "swing arm" bolts before use so they will stay in place during the exercise. Note that I have created two sets of materials for this lab. One should stay in the Walden closet, EXCEPT that the rulers, meter sticks, extension cords and tape need to be carried down ahead of time (Math might steal them otherwise!), and brought back when done. **************************************************************************** 2) Scale Solar System (Ast105 only) All of the "planetary" materials are now in a toolbox. There is a stick with a nickel glued to it for creating the properly scaled Sun. This lab gets used for outreach, so it is hard to track down where the materials are being stored. Find out a week before! With astroturf in the stadium, we need cones to mark planetary positions. The hard part of this lab is getting the Faculty to give you their schedules early enough so you can attempt to reserve Memorial stadium in time (usually the first real lab for A105). Note that this is very difficult in the Fall. Though the team doesn't usually start practice until 2:30, so we can sometimes squeeze in the earlier A105 lab sections. If worse comes to worse, the Horseshoe has line markings that can be used in a pinch (though the marching band may be in the way). To reserve the stadium, go here: https://conference.nmsu.edu/facility-request-form/ If they are unresponsive (and they usually are), I've used these contacts in the past, not sure they are still active: gary rachelle 6-5437, grachele@nmsu.edu ryan robinson 6-4126, ror2a@nmsu.edu In desperation try Herb "touchdown" Taylor, at tdtaylor@nmsu.edu, he is most helpful at getting football to respond. If no one responds, just have them march into the stadium and run the lab. The guy who takes (took?) care of the stadium (keys and such): Louis Sandoval mgrlouis@nmsu.edu (575) 646-6140 Mgr, Athl Equip (Football) Athletics (575) 646-6140 ************************************************************************ 3) Optics (Ast110 only, though I used it in my A105 classes) This is another lab that takes 20-30 minutes to set up if alone. Note: doors must be closed at all times to keep the fire alarm from sounding. What is needed: The first aspect is the smoke machine/laser demo. You need to take the smoke machine out early and plug it in as it takes 10-15 minutes to heat up. Put it on the cart, on top of the black slide projector case (that's why we still have this thing). It needs to be elevated to get the smoke at the right height for the laser beams. The laser beam contraption goes on the right hand side of the first desk, you need to wedge one side of it due to wonky laser pointing so as to properly illuminate the tall, narrow wooden demonstrator with the flat mirrors glued on it. Then the two mirrors on stands. Two eye charts taped to the front whiteboard for the telescope exercise. For each group: One optical bench (white screen, lamp, small double convex and concave lenses, and the one larger convex lens). One 6V transformer to power the light (note that you can plug them in ahead of time as long as the contacts don't touch---open circuit ok, closed circuit = burnout! Just attach the leads to something to keep them separated. This will also require some extension cords. Meter stick One angle-of-reflection device, with a "laser straight" to provide the linear light source (they use two AAA batteries). There is a complete, new, optical bench in a box on the top shelf. This for when we get to the point where we have less functional benches than needed. ************************************************************************ 4) Density (A105 only, though A110 could/should use it also) For each group: Triplebeam balance Plastic box of metals and minerals Overflow/Eureka cup Graduated cylinders 3 for each group (small, medium, large) Digital caliper Water jug Best to have a roll of paper towels handy to clean up the spillage. Warnings: the new TAs need a lesson from the older TAs about using the overflow cup (there is a technique required for best results). Note there is a small meteorite in the caliper box for faster groups to play with. Issues: the triple beam balances need to be zeroed before each lab session. This is actually quite easy, but seems to be beyond the ability of our TAs and faculty. Make sure all of the sliding weights are in their "0" detents. Note the smallest of these needs to be manually slid until it is EXACTLY at zero. Then adjust the knurled knob below the pan until the device is balanced. Over time, it is sometimes necessary to adjust the screws and nuts at the righthand end of the arm to allow for a balance with the knob---a screwdriver and pliers are necessary for this adjustment. The entire procedure for 8 balances takes about 15 minutes. The batteries used in the calipers ("357") are quite common and can be bought at Walmart. *********************************************************************** 5) "Discovering Exoplanets" lab (Ast110) This lab doesn't work as well as I'd like, as the photometers are too alignment-sensitive. The set up is simple enough, but again takes about 15 - 20 minutes. Jason is the only one that uses this lab. For each group: Desklamp Transit device with photometer meter stick center of mass demonstrator. **Radar guns** (we have two of these $1500 units) The transit devices need to be clamped down to the table (using the blue C-clamps in the back room). They slide around too easily. The main issue is getting 1) the photometers functioning---they eat batteries, and 2) having the TAs set the desklamp at the correct height and distance. You want a minimum of about 250 counts for the unobscured light source. So the lamp needs to be 12 to 18 inches away, and adjusted in height and direction! Use the "Jupiter" ball and slide it into the center, then adjust the desklamp so that the shadow is PERFECTLY centered on the ground glass. The students need to not move any aspect of the light + device, and remain behind the device so no scattered light finds its way to the detectors. The photometer batteries are 2032s. Easy enough to find (I think they are also the batteries in the PCs used for the Kepler law lab). The radar guns take a while to charge. They need to be set up into a metric unit (km/s, or m/s). They tend to flake out, sometimes a hard reset is necessary (see the manual), and some fiddling to get them going. ************************************************************************** 6) Sun lab (Ast105 and Ast110) Most of this lab is a binder lab, so it is simple, and all they need is a ruler. The other parts, 1) magnets/compass, and 2) solar observing are not as simple. For each group: Solar images three ring binder Ruler Plastic tray for iron filings Iron filings Bar magnet Compass (in a metal case to keep them from being ruined!) Issues: the main problem with this lab is the quality of magnets. They degrade in strength to the point the iron filings aspect doesn't work though the plastic tray . Secondly, they no longer act as dipoles. I haven't found long (6"), reliable, strong enough magnets for this lab yet. The superstrong magnets are all multi-polar. I have a magnet "re-magnetizer" on the shelf, but it still doesn't produce great magnets. Solar observing: it is impossible to describe the use of the solar telescopes here, they just require practice and some aid from someone who knows how they work. It takes me about 10 minutes to set two of them up for observing, though tweaking the etalon and such sometimes takes a bit longer (especially if there isn't some strong activity to tune them with!). If cloudy, and it takes *very little cirrus* to make them non-functional, the TA is SOL (use the GONG website). *********************************************************************** 7) Comet lab (A105 and A110) There are two parts: impacts, and comet building. The TAs know this lab well, so they don't usually need any help. The student's favorite lab. For each group: Tub of flour Ball bearings magnet (for ball bearing retrieval) pepper flashlight ruler meter stick wood tamping block hair "pick" for surface treatment Bucket spoon solo cups (see below) one gallon ziploc baggie materials: sand, potting soil, water, ammonia, dry ice TA: needs the dry ice cooler, a hammer, and a towel. Issues: the top coat of flour needs changing annually, as it gets quite gross. They use way too much pepper! The tubs of flour need to be prepared correctly, or else the impacts don't work: too hard, and they bounce out and don't leave a significant crater. Too soft, and the ball bearing disappears. You need to pack the flour tightly using the wood blocks, then use the hair pick to loosen the top 1/3 inch of the flour to a fluffy consistency. Comet: the TAs apportion out the dry ice to each group into the baggie, and usually the water/ammonia mixture into a solo cup. To get the dry ice, you need to go over to chemistry (several TAs know the routine) and obtain the dry ice from the freezer (we have our own key!), and then charge it to the department (the index number has been 100245). Bring back the pink slip for Lorenza. Chemistry sometimes doesn't have any dry ice, and so you have to go to the Albertson's on El Paseo. Ask at the front service desk to get it. For one 28 person lab, about 6 or 7 lbs is all that is needed. Albertson's dry ice comes in ~10 lb bags. If you get it way ahead of time, get more than 6 lbs per section, as it will disappear as the day wears on. Note that it will *not* last to the next day, you will need to get more. ************************************************************************* 8) Parallax For each group: a ruler a tape measure The parallax devices need to be put together ahead of time and require a pair of pliers and a wrench. They get disassembled due to our limited space. The protractors need to be mounted on the black tripods--there is a preferred alignment (there is a rivet on one side that skews). Two "wood screws." Note that the tripods need to be at different heights so that the shortest and tallest students can use them. The tape should be on the floor, if not, it is easy to lay down the three marks. The parallax ruler should be on everyone's desktop and projected for the entire lab. It can also be found here: http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/tharriso/ruler.pdf ************************************************************************ 9) Spectroscopy Easy enough to setup, maybe 10 minutes. You need three lamps with known elements, and I use Hydrogen (simple), Mercury (blue) and Neon (red) to show the differences. The fourth, "mystery element," is always helium, as it is simple AND bright. Global setup: The blackbody lamps with rheostats plugged in at the console Three (flat top and bottom) tube holders/exciters Fourth (angled-top) tube holder/exciter needs to be set ontop of five plastic white trays from the Sun lab to get it to the correct height for use with the: Gray spectroscopes (two). These need to be aligned correctly so that the spectrum is visible. Opposite side of room to minimize traffic. Flashlights for illumination of wavelength scale. For each student: one black plastic spectroscope. The blackbody bulbs are easily broken, a spare is in the closet. I had to order them in off the web as they are unusual, and don't seem to be carried locally. The hydrogen tubes have the shortest life. If it doesn't look bright pink (too much 'white'), then throw it away. ******************************************************************* 10) Binder labs Surface of the Moon (both) Terrestrial planets (both) Galaxy Morphology (A110) Water on Mars (A105) The students need rulers for Moon and Morphology labs. The Water on Mars lab needs write-upon overhead plastic sheets and a marker to allow the tracing of water features, and a ruler (and a paper towel). ********************************************************************* 11) Hubble Law and How Many Galaxies (A110 only) These are simple, with a ruler needed for Hubble's Law, and the HDF images (in a 3 ring binder) for How Many Galaxies. ******************************************************************** 12) HR Diagram and Mapping the Galaxy (A110 only) Mapping the Galaxy needs fondue sticks, tape, scissors, and colored pencils for each lab group. Each group for the HR diagram lab needs a "dynameter" and printouts of the "B" and "V" images from the postscript files found on the bottom of the A110 homepage: http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/astro/ These PS files have the exact scale needed to make this lab work! ********************************************************************* 13) Phases of the Moon and the Earthquake lab (A105 only) The phases lab just needs half-black nerf balls for use in class (flashlights no longer necessary). They are in a grocery sack on the bottom "A105" shelf. The earthquake lab needs compasses (the circle drawing type), and we have big slinkies for wave form demos. ******************************************************************** 14) Kepler's laws and the Orbit of Mercury labs (both) The Kepler's law lab needs rulers to start off with, but then just the PCs in BX113. Note these machines need new batteries, but just hit F1 on boot, and the messages will go away. DO NOT download updated versions of Java, as these will not work on these XP machines. The machines need to be powered up ahead of time, and down when done. Unplug from the walls to keep the power supply units working, and in case of lightning. Ofelia has our only key to this room. The orbit of Mercury lab only requires a protractor for each student, or pair of students (however the TA runs this). ******************************************************************** 15) Earth density You need stopwatches, balloons, and the key to the penthouse. And, of course, a link to your friend in Boulder, here's one site: https://www.suncalc.org/#/32.3199,-106.7637,11/2018.04.05/14:16/1/0 this is of course for las curces for the current date. but easily changed. We have some stopwatches, but they might need batteries. Students generally use their phones. The tape measures might be helpful in measuring the shadow length (though inches to cm!). ********************************************************************* 16) Rarely run labs: Heating and Cooling of Planets, Volcanoes of Io, Reflectance spectroscopy I have not seen Heating and Cooling of Planets run anytime in the last 10 years, so I don't know exactly what it takes: black and white cans, thermometers and water? Daytime observing is dangerous unless you know what you are doing. Nancy did this way, way back, but not recently. Volcanoes on Io replaced a terrible old lab with something just about as difficult. I doubt anyone will run it, but all of the materials are in a box on the shelves---digital thermometers, squeeze balls, blackbody templates. And then the laminated Io maps. Jim Murphy used this lab, but no one else has except the author. Reflectance spectroscopy uses colored paper and the Alta "spectrometers" to get various numbers out and plot spectra. It is extraordinarily brief, and of dubious value as it lacks a reason for doing it in the first place. Better to run the spectroscopy lab used in A110 than this lab. I started pondering a replacement, but could not get a hold of a true set of RGB and CMYK filters (magenta is the problem). There could be value in doing a "Why things look the way they do lab." Nancy is the only one who's run this lab in the last decade. The Alta spectrometers frequently break. They can be sent back for refurbishment, or just buy new ones at $235/each: https://www.vernier.com/products/sensors/spectrometers/alta/ ********************************************************************* 17) Characterizing Exoplanets (A105 only) This lab just needs rulers, and the link to the semi-major axis calculator: astronomy.nmsu.edu/astro/semimajor.html It is a replacement for the original A105 exoplanet lab, and thus is quite different from the A110 exoplanet lab. It could/should be run in A110 also. The author is the only one who has had this run. The math apparently gives the students fits. There is a special set of images of the Exoplanets that the TA needs to have for the last part of the lab (the prediction part). It can be found in the astro account: LABMANUALS/Astr105/XOPlanet/exoTA.pdf This also has a cheatsheet to check whether the students screwed up something. ************************************************************************ 18) Gases, Liquids and Ices in the Outer Solar System This is a new lab that has not been tested for student understanding issues (math, technical abilities, etc.), or for length. Thus, it should be run on a limited basis to debug it before releasing it to the lab manual and the rest of the sections. The goal is to provide an outer solar system lab, as the "Io" lab is just too hard. In the text file, called "wateross.tex" I have put in a bunch of (non-printing) notes to help with the running of this lab. It will be in the directory called WaterOSS as water was the original theme I was taking until I discovered the liquid dry ice experiment. ***YOU MUST RUN THIS AHEAD OF TIME TO INSURE YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON!*** (do it when A110 is doing comet lab, that way you have free dry ice) My original goal was to buy a high quality vacuum pump/bell jar like this one: http://www.novatech-usa.com/Products/Vacuum-Pumps/LAV-3-G-DKIT?gclid=CjwKCAiArrrQBRBbEiwAH_6sNEPK7j3L54n4DeRZLbHZEUz3Wm-4TYld9B7MXwjmhwEeNFm_YvgQQBoCwO0QAvD_BwE So we can freeze water in the classroom. Such systems cost $1200, so not bad, but until we get one I have written this "demo" in a generic way so a youtube video like these, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4BGV7-1lhs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti9C_cLSR0A can be shown instead. It would be nice to have this to set it up to see if salty water freezes at a different temperature (or ever with this pump). So a Mars simulation would be more realistic. The pump has to get below 6mm of mercury to get to the triple point. Here is what they need for this lab; Chunks of dry ice (not very much, maybe 0.25 lb per section) Finely crushed dry ice (sugar grain size!) water ice cubes ziploc baggies (small ones, not the gallon size!) goggles pliers funnel pipet "beaker" (use the overflow cans from the density lab) paper towels The dry ice and ice cubes can be gotten from chemistry. Just like comet lab. In the hallway before you turn towards the chemistry stockroom (by the drink machines) there is a hotel-like ice machine that allows you to get ice cubes for free. If stored in the cooler with the dry ice they should stay frozen for the entire afternoon. You only need 8 or so per lab. There is a pdf file called liquidCO2.pdf in the WaterOSS directory that describes how to perform the experiment. The big problem is they do not describe how to get the dry ice into the pipet! You need to crush it finely, and use a funnel that fits inside the narrow neck of the pipet. To do this efficiently you need 1) finely crushed dry ice, and 2) both the pipet and funnel tips clipped so that they are as wide as possible but still allowing the funnel to slide into the pipet tube! Be careful--we have lots of pipets, but not many funnels. A paper clip or piece of wire helps ram the dry ice through the funnel. We need to explore having a blender or snoopy snow cone machine to crush our dry ice to the required level. While the pipets can explode, it isn't really that violent, since they have a seam that just rips open: You get a snow shower! With goggles on, everything should be totally safe. Note the liquidCO2.pdf directions have you doing this experiment UNDER WATER in the beaker. But when I first did this, the pipet exploded, and water went everywhere! The reason for the water bath is that the surface of the pipet fogs-up. I just wiped the fog off with my finger, but a quick dip in the beaker will also work. The rest of this lab is just a binder lab, and should go smoothly, except it MIGHT be too long (though there are not that many questions). You might have to have a link to the final two images online so they can find them.