Astronomy 392J
Astronomical Instrumentation
Fall 1999, TTh 9:30
RLM 13.112
Professor Daniel Jaffe
Department of Astronomy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
Contacts
Prof.- Daniel Jaffe, RLM 17.218, 471-3425, dtj@astro.as.utexas.edu
TA (machine shop supervisor)- Greg Doppmann, RLM 16.308, 471-3453, greg@astro.as.utexas.edu
Machinist- Jimmy Welborn, RLM 17.330, 471-3427, jimmy@astro.as.utexas.edu
Substitute Prof- John Lacy, RLM 16.332, 471-1469, lacy@astro.as.utexas.edu
1. Introduction
This course teaches the fundamentals of the design and construction of
experimental apparatus using astronomical instruments as the model for the
process. We will cover key aspects of some of the most important topics in
the field: optics and optical design, mechanical design and machining,
electronics design and fabrication, real-time computer control, project
planning, and performance analysis. Since we cannot teach you everything
you need to know in a single semester, we will try to equip you with enough
background to be able to continue learning on your own.
1.1 Overall Objectives
By the end of the course, you should have a concrete knowledge of many of
the essentials of instrumentation. You should be able to plan out,
schedule, and organize an instrumentation project and have some idea of
what goes into a project budget. You should understand the steps involved
in the mechanical, optical, software, and electronics design. You should
have a good working knowledge of where to obtain information you need for
your project in each of these areas. You should have concrete knowledge of
computer aided design (CAD) programs for mechanical design (AutoCad),
electronics design and simulation (Circuit Maker), and optical design
and simulation (Zemax). You will know how to do basic work with hand
tools and with machine shop equipment. You will be able to assemble and
understand some electronics circuits and be able to use laboratory
equipment to test them. You will know the fundamentals of optical design
and be able to design and build a grating spectrometer. You will be able
to use LabView to interface an instrument to a computer.
2. How the Course Works
2.1. Philosophy
Astronomy 392j is a team-taught course where you are part of the team.
There will be only occasional classes in a more conventional
seminar/lecture format. Most of the rest of the time, the class will look
more like an apprenticeship, an engineering project course, a physics lab
course, or a bunch of curious kids let loose in a room full of great toys.
The learning in this course is centered around the activities of teams of
3-4 students. We have structured the activities to emphasize collaborative
learning. As future teachers, researchers, and technical managers, you
will need to know how to help colleagues, coworkers, employees, and
students master complex material. You will start that process here. Your
participation as a teacher/trainer in this course is as important as your
role as student/trainee. You will be encouraged to work together on almost
everything. Although there will be some background reading to do, most of
the learning will take place in the form of activities. Compared to the
typical course, this course will involve much more ``class'' time and
somewhat less time outside of class. We encourage people to make
themselves available to their peers by spending some extra time in the lab.
We have set aside general space to allow you to work together on problem
sets. Feel free to hang out, but be ready to give up your space if a
working group or team needs it for some reason.
As professor for this course, I serve four purposes: (1) As facilitator. I
am here to make sure you have all resources necessary to do the activities
and learn the material. This includes making sure the software works, the
hardware is there, the materials are clear etc. (2) As part of the coaching
staff. Along with the other members of the Department and the Observatory
who are making themseleves available, I am (in principle) a knowledge
resource. You can come to me for advice, for direction to additional
people or material, or for help when you are flat-out stuck. (3) As
referee. When there are conflicts between or within teams and groups over
resources or (heaven forfend!) personalities that cannot be resolved
satisfactorily without help, I am there to deal with them. (4) As
evaluator. This is after all a course. You will get a grade (see below).
I also take seriously the part of this role that involves evaluating the
course materials and organization, as well as the performance of the
outside instructors and even ourselves. Y'all need to contribute to this
effort by taking your own evaluating role seriously.
2.2. Texts
Building Scientific Apparatus by Moore et al. (2nd ed)
The Art of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill (2nd ed.)
Both of these are great references as well as textbooks. If you
have any inkling at all that you may be around instrumentation in
the future, hang onto these books at the end of the semester!
2.3. Segments and Segment Groups
The curriculum for this class has been divided into four segments. Each
segment covers an important aspect of instrument design and construction:
mechanical design and fabrication, electronics and circuit design, optics
and optical design, and computer interfacing and software design. The
segments will consist of a reading assignment, a set of problems, some
hands-on skill learning tasks and a laboratory exercise.
The class will be divided into segment groups. Each group
will rotate through the segments in succession. Groups will have 3
weeks to complete each segment. You will do most of the activites as a
group.
2.4. Projects and Project Teams
A major aspect of this course will be the use of what you are learning to
design and construct a working instrument. The instrument project for this
year's class will consist of designing and building an optical
spectrograph. This instrument will have a solid-state optical detector and
operate under computer control. It should be able to take
wavelength-calibrated spectra of bright emission-line sources (lamps).
You will carry out the project as a member of a project team. Each
team will be responsible for planning, designing, and building its
own instrument. The members of your team will all come from
different segment groups so that your team quickly collects all of
the skills needed to carry out the project.
1. Assignments and Deadlines
Each segment will have a reading assignment, a set of paper exercises, a
piece of software to master, a practical exercise, and an
evaluation/debrief. Because other groups will need access to the
hardware, your group must complete each section within the allotted
time. The evaluations should be done individually and handed in to
the instructor. You should work out the paper exercises or problem sets on
your own. You may then consult with your group about the answers. Each
student must hand in his or her own writeup of the problems. Problem sets
will be due at the end of each segment (note that, for the computer
interfacing segment, you will need to demo your knowledge rather than doing
a problem set). Each project team will have a preliminary review of their
design and a final review of the project. At the two reviews, each member
of the team will be expected to be able to stand up and make any part of
the presentation. At the preliminary review, approximately six weeks
before the end of classes, each team member will have to turn in a written
description of the instrument, how it will work, and how it will be built.
This document should be about two pages long, plus figures.
2.6. Class Meetings
In order to transfer information between the groups and teams
and between these entities and the instructors, to settle scheduling
conflicts, and to provide an opportunity for making adjustments in the
material, we will have a brief class meeting each TuTh at 9:30 (promptly!).
Parts of some classes will be devoted to a class lecture/activity on an
instrumentation topic. The remaining time will be used for meetings of
groups and teams, together with the Prof. Attendance at the meetings is a
course requirement.
2.7. Getting Help
(a) Your Segment or project group: You are all working together, so split
up the learning task in a way that makes sense to you and then teach each
other what you know.
(b) Your classmates: Many of you come into this with a great deal of
knowledge and talent. Make it your business to find out which of your
classmates is already an expert in something and tap into that expertise.
(c) The Prof : I will arrange meeting times with each group and team
outside of class time. Apart from that, it you need to meet with me, have
a member of your group arrange a time for me to be here when your group or
team is. Personal problems of individual students can be handled in my
office, by arrangement.
(d) Other experts: One advantage in being in a place where a lot of
building is going on is that somebody usually knows the answer to your
question. I will be calling on some of the local experts to share their
expertise in certain areas and to serve on the design reviews for your
projects. Sometimes, these folks can be helpful before you get to that
stage by getting you started on something, giving you a reference, or
telling you your idea won't work. These folks can be found on the 15th to
17th floors of RLM. Here is a partial list.
Optics: Phillip MacQueen, Bob Tull, Gary Hill,
Electronics: Phillip MacQueen, Gary Hansen, Fred Harvey, Al Mitchell
Computer Interfacing: Mark Cornell, Bill Spiesman.
Mechanical Design: John Booth, Gordon Wesley, George Barczak, Jimmy Wellborn
(e) (Heaven Forbid!) A book. There are tons of books out there. Some of
them are even helpful. Also, check out parts catalogs. They often have
little tutorials in them. The parts themselves sometimes give you ideas.
Individual segments will contain some specific references to relevant
reading material.
2.8. Evaluation of Your Performance
The grade in this course should reflect the amount of skill you acquire and
the strength of your contribution to the efforts of your group to learn the
material and your team to build the instrument. Items we will include in
setting your grade are: (1) Attendance in class time and meetings with
instructor, participation in these activities (~ 15%) (2) Individual
problem sets and group writeups
(~ 25%) (3) The completeness,
thoughtfulness and insight displayed in your evaluations of the segments
and the project (~ 10%) (4) Your writeup of the instrument for the
preliminary review (~ 10%) (5) Your performance and that of your team at
the preliminary review (~ 10%) (6) The level of mastery you display when
you (individually and as a team) exhibit and demonstrate your instrument at
the end of the course (~ 30%). To carry out this last point, during the
last week of class, your team will demonstrate your instrument. Each of
you will have a private discussion with the prof. and TA in which you
explain the workings of the various elements of your system. Your
evaluation on item (6) will depend equally on how well your team did on the
project, and on how well you do yourself.