PY 160 Introduction to Astronomy through Observation and Astrophotography
 
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This field based course had students apply basic astronomy knowledge, telescope operation, and observing techniques to astrophotography and digital image processing. The purpose of this course was to allow students the opporunity to gain and apply scientific techiques related to astronomy. The City of Rocks State Park became home to both the students and faculty that went on the trip.  
   
Campgrounds and Gala Cliff Dwellings Slideshow
     
  This site was a great location to hold this class due to the high elevation, low humidity, and exceptional dark skies. During the night time, the campground was filled with students using telescopes, performing observations, and taking pictures of cestial objects until the sun started to come up.
Student-taken Astrophotos Slideshow
   
     
During the day time, little can be done with optical astronomy. It was during that time that students were able to be immersed in the local (and past) culture. Performing petroglyph searches of our camping site and a research site turned up several intresting objects. A trip to the Gala Cliff Dwellings showed how a different culture lived hundreds of year ago.  
   
Students and faculity slideshow
     
  This trip was capped off by a trip to the Very Large Array, a facility that is part of the National Radio Observatory system. However, the class did not end there. Since this class was designed to promote learning not only inside the classroom, but outside as well, students were responsible for creating their own project to work on in New Mexico as well as on thier own once they returned. There were a diverse range of topics chosen by students which invovled everything from taking images and researching different facets of celestial bodies, to using photographed objects as the source of inspiration for the composition of a choral piece, to researching ancient cultures and their use of astronomy.
Part of the Very Large Array (VLA) system
   
     
Since public outreach is an important part of not only astronomy but the college experience as well, students were given the chance to do that as part of this class. While in New Mexico, together with the City of Rocks State Park, we held a public observing night which had approximately fifty people attended. Also, details of our trip, experiences, and discoveries were presented to different places closer to home. As part of some students projects, presentation have been planned, or have already been given to the Kaskaskia Archeological Society, elementary school classes, concerts, and at Millikin itself.  

 

  
Ken Mentzer taking GPS readings on an ancient solar calendar