The course is aimed at students interested in astronomy in general and eager to acquire the basics for a conscious use of an amateur telescope, with the possibility of extending visual observation through astrophotography techniques.


The topics covered by the course will be:

1. Astronomical geography. Equatorial and altazimuth coordinates, zenith, nadir and equatorial plane. Julian day, UT. Free planetariums such as Stellarium and Aladin will be presented
2. Geometrical Optics: Galilean refractors, Newtonian telescopes, Schmitd-Cassegrain, Maksukov, Ritchey-Chretien). Principles of operation.
3. The actual use of a telescope and the different types of frames (azimuthal, equatorial fork or German), different types of eyepieces, barlow lenses. Objects visible in the telescope: Planets and Satellites of the solar system.
4. Astrophysics notes on the main celestial bodies easily photographed with amateur telescopes (galaxies, nebulae, double stars, globular clusters, asteroids, quasars)
5. Observational laboratory. Constellations and celestial orientation.
6. CCD sensor: Overview of operation and properties. Flat field. Dark frame.
7. Astrophotography: How to observe the main celestial bodies with the colour photographic sensor or with RGB technique (galaxies, nebulae, globular clusters)
8. Amateur astronomers and scientific research:
1. Time of Minima of eclipse binaries, interpretation of O-C graphs (exchange of matter between binary stars and hypothesis on the presence of the third body). Photometry of variable buttons: physical meaning. Effect Blazhko.
2. Asteroids, calculation of orbital parameters and 3D models
3. Quasar
4. Extrasolar planets
9. Management of a remote observatory: the example of Seveso, of the Versari Scientific High School of Cesano Maderno, of San Casciano in Val di Pesa. Remote live observations of some object (if permitted by weather conditions).