A presentation by student Kayla Taylor at the 2021 Discovery Day at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Click here to view the Discovery Day website.

Advanced students enrolled in the capstone course "Observational Astronomy" must complete a project using the ERAU One Meter telescope and cameras or spectrographs.. These projects range from studies of the Sun and Moon to distant clusters of galaxies.

Photometric studies aim to measure the changes in brightness and the colors of celestial objects. One photometric project measured the dimming of a sun-like star as planet passed between Earth and the star. Another photometric project measured the subtle colors on the Moon's surface.

Spectroscopic studies aim to measure the chemical composition of celestial objects. One project recorded the spectrum of a gasseous nebula and made an inventory of the lines in its spectrum.

Long-exposures can reveal faint galaxies far beyond our own Milky Way. One project imaged a group of galaxies in the constellation Cancer.

Questions? Please contact Dr. Jason Aufdenberg at (386) 226 7123
e-mail: aufded93@erau.edu