Graduate Workshops

• Graduate students receive a lecture inside the dome of the Shane 3-meter telescope. Photo by Elinor Gates.

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2017 Kraft Observational Astronomy Workshop

Between 12 and 16 October 2017, Lick Observatory intends once again to host a 5-day Observational Astronomy Workshop on Mount Hamilton. Intended to provide an introduction to observing, the Workshop is open to entering and early program University of California graduate students. Interested PhD students from within the UC system are encouraged to attend. The number of participants is limited to 20 persons.

The Workshop — run by the Lick staff astronomers — includes hands-on experience with: the Kast spectrograph on the Shane 3-m reflector; the Hamilton spectrometer on the Coude Auxiliary Telescope (CAT); direct CCD imaging with the Nickel 1-m reflector. Additionally, the Workshop promises introductory lectures, interactive observation planning sessions, rewarding observatory experiences as well as valuable networking opportunities embracing the whole of UC Astronomy.

Once more, this year's Workshop is made possible thanks to a 2013 donation from UC Irvine astronomy professor, Virginia Trimble, allowing UCO to defray most, if not all, expenses. This Fall's workshop has been named in honor of Robert (Bob) Kraft (1927—2015).

Application for this year's workshop opens:
7 August 2017 

Deadline for workshop applications:
29 September 2017

Further information (including a biography of Robert Kraft and a link to apply) can be found at the following URL: http://mthamilton.ucolick.org/EVENTS/2017/

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2016 Herbig Observational Graduate Workshop

Between 6 and 10 October 2016, Lick Observatory shall once again host a 5-day Observational Astronomy Workshop on Mount Hamilton. Intended to provide an introduction to observing, the Workshop is open to entering and early program University of California graduate students. Interested PhD students from within the UC system are encouraged to attend. The number of participants is limited to 20 persons.

The Workshop -- run by the Lick staff astronomers — includes hands-on experience with: the Kast spectrograph on the Shane 3-m reflector; the Hamilton spectrometer on the Coude Auxiliary Telescope (CAT); direct CCD imaging with the Nickel 1-m reflector. Additionally, the Workshop promises introductory lectures, interactive observation planning sessions, rewarding observatory experiences as well as valuable networking opportunities embracing the whole of UC Astronomy.

Once more, this year's Workshop is made possible thanks to a 2013 donation from UC Irvine astronomy professor, Virginia Trimble, allowing UCO to defray most, if not all, expenses. This Fall's workshop has been named in honor of George Howard Herbig (1920--2013).

Application for this year's workshop opens:
8 August 2016

Deadline for workshop applications:
24 September 2016

Further information (including a biography of Herbig and a link to apply) can be found at the following URL: http://mthamilton.ucolick.org/EVENTS/2016/

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2015 Rudolph Minkowski Observational Workshop

Lick Observatory will host a 5-day Observatory Astronomy Workshop on Mount Hamilton October 15-19. Intended to provide an introduction to observing, the workshop is open to entering and early program University of California graduate students. Interested PhD students from within the UC system are encouraged to attend. The number of participants is limited to 20 persons.

The workshop, run by the Lick staff astronomers, includes hands-on experience with the Kast spectrograph on the Shane 3-meter Reflector; the Hamilton Spectrometer on the Coude Auxiliary Telescope (CAT), and direct CCD imaging with the Nickel 1-meter Reflector. Additionally, the workshop promises introductory lectures, interactive observation planning sessions, rewarding observatory experiences as well as valuable networking opportunities embracing the whole of UC Astronomy.

This year's workshop is once again made possible thanks to a 2013 donation from UC Irvine Astronomy Professor Virginia Trimble, allowing UCO to defray most, if not all, expenses. This fall's workshop has been named in honor of Rudolph Leo Minkowski (1895-1976).

Registration opens:
August 28, 2015

Deadline for initial workshop registration:
October 2, 2015

For further information, including a link to registration and a biography of Minkowski, see the Observational Astronomy Workshop website: http://mthamilton.ucolick.org/EVENTS/2015/

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2014 Rudolph Minkowski Observational Workshop

The workshop was held at Lick Observatory from October 16 - 20, 2014, with twenty students from six different UC campuses attended. All of the students were housed in the on-site dormitories for the duration of the workshop.

Activities at the workshop included an extensive walking tour of the Mount Hamilton site, a talk on the history of Lick Observatory, viewing through the 36-inch refractor, lectures on observatory astronomy techniques (e.g., celestial coordinate systems, CCDs, planning an observing run, near infrared techniques and adaptive optics, data reduction), night sky orientation, and ultimately conducting observing runs and obtaining both spectroscopic and imaging data with the Shane 3-meter, Nickel 1-meter, and Coude Auxiliary telescopes.

Special thanks to Lick support astronomers Dr. Elinor Gates and Dr. Paul Lynam, who put an enormous amount of effort into organizing and conducting this workshop. In addition, we had the support of a remarkable volunteer, Patrick Maloney, who assisted with the operation of the 36-inch refractor and Nickel telescopes.

Our sincere thanks to UC Irvine Professor Virginia Trimble, whose generous financial sponsorship made this event possible.