The Astro-Imaging Lab is an extra credit lab designed for ASTR 110G 
students to help raise their grades as well as allow them to get involved in 
more ``hands-on'' astronomy. In this lab, the student will produce an image
of a planet or the Moon using the Astronomy department's twelve inch telescope. 
The student will need to meet with their TA and set up 
an appointment to meet at the observatory to create an image of a planet.
The goal of this lab is to allow the student to produce their own picture of 
a celestial object using modern digital technology, including all
the excitement and complications that arise when trying to do so. \\

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The lab procedures are as follows: \\
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1. Inform your lab TA that you are interested in this extra credit project \\
2. Talk to your TA about what planets are accessible in the early evening during
this semester (you will be limited to one of these: the Moon, Venus, Mars, 
Jupiter, or Saturn). \\
3. Obtain a copy of the ``Beginner's Guide to Webcam Imaging with the Campus
12"'' from your TA.\\
4. Schedule an appointment to meet with your TA at the observatory to take
acquire your image. (Note: you will be required to obtain {\it and} reduce
your imaging data while at the 12" telescope.) \\
5. Write an essay (2 page minimum) on your object \\

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The essay must be well written and a minimum length of 2 pages. A bibliography 
must be included at the end of your essay.  Plagiarism is not tolerated in 
ASTR110G, and you will get NO credit for copying passages out of a book or off 
of a webpage!  We recommend you use a word processor due to the fact that 
incomplete essays will be returned. You are expected to include the image
you obtained at the telescope and write about the 
significance of the object. What is its nature (for example, temperature)? 
What type of atmosphere does it have (if any)? Where in the sky was it located? 
When did you observe it? Describe your image. What features can you make out 
on this image? See if you can identify them using reference materials (for
example you might name the largest lunar craters seen in your image by
searching under ``Moon map'' on the web). Describe how you obtained and 
reduced the data to produce this image. 

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This lab is truly a unique experience for students to not only observe 
celestial objects, but to obtain a color picture of them as well. The TA will 
let you know what nights you can show up to take the webcam images.
Every student who comes in will be required to write their OWN 
summary. The TA's will try to diversify the group by having students obtain
images of different objects if at all possible (for example, only a
small piece of the Moon can be imaged at any one time, so several images
can be made of the Moon that will all be different).

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{\bf Check the Lab Syllabus for the essay deadline!}
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