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Astronomical Data Astronomical Data Collection and Processing Collection and Processing
of LLPV’s in GGC’sof LLPV’s in GGC’s at the BGSU Observatory at the BGSU Observatory
J Leon WildeJ Leon Wilde
TAA Seminar, UT, February 2nd, 2007
IntroIntro
• Before observing…
• BGSU’s telescope
• CCD Imaging
• Typical observing night
• Image processing
• My Thesis Work
Before observing…Before observing…
• What to look at
• Where to look from
• What instruments?– 0.5 m Reflecting
telescope– CCD imager
The CCD ImagerThe CCD Imager
• “Charge Coupled Device”
• Si diodes
• KAF-1000E– Specs .pdf for
KAF-1001E
Why use CCDs?Why use CCDs?
• High QE• High Linearity• Large dynamic
range• Uniform response• Low Noise• Digital
Gate Structure/FunctionGate Structure/Function
• Voltage push
• Sends data to onboard amplifier and A/D converter
• Our CCD– Two phase push– Charge transfer
efficiency = 0.99997
CCD illuminationCCD illumination• Frontside
– Photons pass through phasing gates
– QE lower than Bs
• Backside– Etched back– High QE– Hard to make, thus... – More expensive
• Our CCD– Frontside
CCD DrawbacksCCD Drawbacks
• Noise!– Dark current– A/D conversion– CCD flaws– Worked out during processing
• Expensive!– Delicate manufacturing process– Better science means higher standards
CCD LinearityCCD LinearityP
ixel
val
ue (
AD
U’s
)
Integration time (seconds)
SBIG ST8Linearity Test
CCD CoatingsCCD Coatings
• CCDs naturally insensitive to blue
• Coatings used– Coronene & Lumogen phosphors– Lumogen better of the two– Lumogen commercially used in highlighters
• Our CCD– “Blue Plus Transparent Gate”
Typical NightTypical Night• Arrive an hour before sunset
• Get equipment ready
• Take bias frames / flat field frames
• Observe!
• Take more bias / flat fields
• Send images to Dr. Layden’s computer
• Shut equipment down
• Go home!
Image ProcessingImage Processing• Correct the images
– Optics aren’t perfect (dust donuts, vignetting)– CCDs aren’t perfect– Electronics aren’t perfect– Observers aren’t perfect
• “The problem exists between the chair and the computer.”
• “Garbage in, garbage out.”
• Get science from the data– Convert ‘relative’ values into ‘real’ values
• Programs:– IDL and IRAF
Processing…Processing…• Zero (Bias) frame
– Remove floor value– Subtract combined image from data
• Dark frame– Remove dark current– Subtract combined image from data
• Flat field– Remove non-uniformities arising from:
• CCD flaws• Optics flaws
– Divide combined image from data
Processing…Processing…
• Photometry– RR Lyrae Program, getting star magnitudes
versus time
• Pretty pictures– Combine images from different color filters
My Thesis Work:My Thesis Work:Why Study LPV’s?Why Study LPV’s?
• Variability provides distance calibrations
• LPV’s are understudied
• For SIM (Space Interferometry Mission)
Why look in GGC’s?Why look in GGC’s?
• Stars are of the same age
• Stars are at the same distance
• Stars are similar in composition
DetectionDetection
• Acquire data over long enough time
• Process images
• Image subtraction– DAOPHOT, ISIS
New GGC’sNew GGC’s
• “New” to us!
• Selected from Harris Catalogue– min Dec– max V_hb– Small:
• Core concentration• E(B-V) - Foreground reddening
– Span of [Fe/H]
Next steps…Next steps…
• Our data:– Finish processing / Photometery– Learn DAOPHOT– Perform DAOPHOT on recent data / NGC
6539
• PROMPT data:– Determine best collection method
ReferencesReferences• People
– Dr Andy Layden for his time, Dr John Laird for his books– Mike Smitka– Brian Pohl & Dr. Bruce Carney, UNC Chapel Hill
• Book– Steve B. Howell, 2000, Handbook of CCD Astronomy, Cambridge University Press
• Websites– http://physics.bgsu.edu/~layden/observatory.htm– http://zebu.uoregon.edu/ccd.html– http://www.ccd.com/ccdu.html– http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/oconnell/astr511/lec11-f03.html– http://www.wildealien.com/ccd/
• PowerPoint file available online– http://physics.bgsu.edu/~jlwilde/taatalk-feb07.ppt
• Contacting me: