The final lab in the Optical/IR Instrumentation class involved building several op-amp circuits to demonstrate their capabilities. We built a voltage follower, an integrating circuit, and several others. Additionally, we characterized the performance of an InSb photodiode in a vacuum/cryogen environment using a laboratory blackbody, verifying that the Planck equation worked. We also use a laser to measure the information density of a CD compared to a DVD by determining the pit spacing on each.
Finally, the most visually appealing part of the lab was the creation of a near-infrared 3 color image of the Ring Nebula (M57). We went up to Fan Mountain Observatory, used the 31″ telescope and the FanCam infrared camera to capture broadband images (J,H,K_s) of the Ring Nebula. The images were then reduced and combined into a 3-color image:
Pictures are descriptions from all portions of the lab are available at this link: ASTR 512: Lab 5
