This course is intended for first- or second-year graduate students and senior undergraduates. The main aim is to provide a complete background concerning modern techniques in optical and infrared astronomy.

Although there are no required books for the course, some useful reads are the following:

-- Schroeder, D.J. (2000), Astronomical Optics

-- Rieke, G. (2003), Detection of Light

-- Howell, S.B. (2000), Handbook of CCD Astronomy

-- Glass, I.S. (1999), Handbook of Infrared Astronomy

-- Chromey, F.R. (2010), To Measure the Sky: An Introduction to Observational Astronomy

-- Massey, P. & Hanson, M.M. (2011), Astronomical Spectroscopy (chapter)

-- Hardy, J.W. (1998) Adaptive Optics for Astronomical Telescopes

In addition to lectures, problem sets, and a research paper, we will (hopefully be able to) incorporate the following activities into the class:

-- Trip to Palomar Observatory

-- Tours of the COO Labs in Cahill

-- Ay 105 Exercises in Optics / Detectors (grad students only)

[Credit: Bob Paz/Caltech]