Research Activities and Projects in Space Physics Lab Prof. Dr. Mohd. Zambri Zainuddin Makmal Fizik Angkasa Jabatan Fi

1. Research Activities and Projects in Space Physics LabProf. Dr. Mohd. Zambri ZainuddinMakmal Fizik Angkasa Jabatan Fizik Makmal Fizik Angkasa

2. Makmal Fizik Angkasa • Experiment and research fields : • Stellar Spectroscopy • Astronomical Photometry • Sky Brightness • Seeing Measurement and Optical Quality • Sunspot Monitoring • Visibility of Moon Crescent • Astronomical Adaptive Optics • Robotic Telescope Mounting

3. Makmal Fizik Angkasa Stellar Spectroscopy What is spectroscopy? • Spectroscopy pertains to the dispersion of an object's light into its component colors (i.e. energies). • By performing this dissection and analysis of an object's light, astronomers can infer the physical properties of that object (such as temperature, mass, luminosity and composition). Spectrograph and CCD camera • Equipment : • Spectrograph • Telescope • CCD Camera • Calibration Source Telescope Calibration source

4. Makmal Fizik Angkasa Stellar Spectroscopy Data Acquisition Technique Capturing the image Calibrating the spectra The detector and spectrograph is attached to the telescope during the spectroscopic observation. Processing the spectra Lines identification and measurements such as EW, temperature and radial velocity.

5. Makmal Fizik Angkasa Astronomical Photometry Definition The measurement of the brightness of the light source or other radiation within particular wavelength bands and of how this brightness varies with waveband and time. STV • Experiments conducted in this fields: • Sky brightness • Seeing measurement and optical quality Filter wheel • Equipment: • Telescope • CCD Camera • STV • Filter Wheel • Light meter CCD and filter wheel were used in the photometric observation.

6. Makmal Fizik Angkasa Astronomical Photometry Sky Brightness Observation technique to measure the brightness of the sky near the horizon.

7. Makmal Fizik Angkasa Astronomical Photometry Seeing Measurement and Optical Quality • Astronomical “seeing”is a measure of how close of a double star can be resolved on that night. It is usually expressed in arcseconds. • Differential Image Motion Monitor (DIMM) technique is employed in measuring the seeing level where a two hole mask is placing over the telescope aperture. This will put the optics slightly out of focus to create two close but distinct star images, and the motion of one image relative to the other is then measured. The configuration of two hole mask in DIMM method

8. Makmal Fizik Angkasa Astronomical Photometry The 3 dimensional stellar profile graph is displayed on the monitor screen of STV and seeing value is calculated during the observation. SEEING (DIMM) Exp=96ms Sep= 1.33^s FWHM=3.2^s

9. Makmal Fizik Angkasa Astronomical Photometry Optical Quality Measurement • Measures the optical image quality independent of seeing and drive problems. • Observation technique – by taking many very short exposures and reporting the best stellar widths it measures. The assumption is that drive errors are insignificant over short exposure times. A 3D graph of the star profile is displayed in real time during the observation. The optical quality is measured from the ratio of the peak brightness in an image to the total number of counts in the stellar spot.

10. Makmal Fizik Angkasa Sunspot Monitoring 20 July 2000 Time: 11:59 am RSN: 342 21 July 2000 Time: 12:05 pm RSN: 401 Sunspot monitoring device 11 August 2000 Time: 10:46 am RSN : 176

11. Makmal Fizik Angkasa Visibility of moon crescent Observation Technique Moon Calculator software–program for moon data which very useful to know information about the moon such as the position of the moon and sun . Jamadilakhir 1421 The 4-inch refractor mounted on the 12-inch telescope Meade is ready for taking the photos of moon crescent using the SLR camera whenever it can be seen. Photos of moon crescenttaken using SLR camera at f/6.3 Rejab 1422 Syaaban 1421 Observation form Rabiulawal 1423

12. Laporan Kenampakan Hilal 2003 Data Kenampakan Hilal 2003 (Muharam-Syabaan) Tempat : Baitul Hilal, Teluk Kemang, Negeri Sembilan. Longitud : 1010 51’ Timur Latitud : 20 27’ Utara Tekanan : 1005Pa Peralatan yang digunakan : Teleskop Meade LX200 -12” Makmal Fizik Angkasa Visibility of moon crescent Data of moon crescent for 2000/2001.

13. Makmal Fizik Angkasa Astronomical Adaptive Optics • Adaptive optics is a means for real timecompensation of the image degradation caused by turbulence in the Earth’s atmosphere. • Inhomogeneities in the air refractive index produces by the turbulence can affect the image quality of ground-based telescopes. • Main components: • Deformable mirror- correcting the instantaneous wave-front distortions. • Wave-front sensor- measuring the scattered laser light to correct the wave-front aberrations on the target object. • Real time computer Schematic layout of LGS system for an astronomical telescope

14. Makmal Fizik Angkasa Astronomical Adaptive Optics

15. Makmal Fizik Angkasa Robotic Telescope Mounting Paramount ME, robotic telescope mounting just arrived at our lab. This 10 minutes unguided image of Horsehead nebulae was taken with C14 and SBIG ST9E at f/7 . Some of the features offered in this type of mounting. C14

16. Do visit our website at http://fizik.um.edu.my/angkasa Makmal Fizik Angkasa Thank you