Observations Using a Bespoke Medium Resolution Fast Spectrograph (Abstract)

Volume 40 number 2 (2012)

John Menke

22500 Old Hundred Rd, Barnesville, MD 20838; john@menkescientific.com

Abstract

Designing and building a medium resolution (R = 3000) spectrograph was the relatively easy part. The really challenging part is learning how to use it: learning the characteristics of the spectrograph, choosing the right kind of astronomical problems, learning the best methods of taking data, and figuring out how to analyze the results. I have used several observing projects to "commission' this system, including measuring the Doppler shifts in several WUMa type stars. I will briefly describe the spectrograph but discuss in more detail the early experiences of using it.