Undergraduate usage of the NMSU 1m

The NMSU 1m telescope was used in fall 2000 in the NMSU undergradate honors class, HON 331, "Using a Telescope: Observation, Technology, and Analysis in Astronomical Research", taught by Jon Holtzman in part to support his Cottrell Scholar program funded by the Research Corporation.

Students used the telescope in pairs to obtain data to pursue four "research" projects:

Measuring the Mass of Saturn. Students obtained multiple images of Saturn and its moon, Titan. From these, they determined the orbital period of Titan and the size of its semimajor axis, from which they extimated the mass of Saturn
- Composite image of Saturn and Titan over the period of a month
Eclipsing Binary Stars. Students obtained light curves of two eclipsing binaries, AX-CAS and HP-AUR, and experimented with some modelling software to understand the nature of these light curves
- Light curve of AX-CAS
- Light curve of HP-AUR
True Color Galaxies. Students took pictures of a variety of galaxies and some calibrating stars through 3 different filters (blue, green, red), and attempted to make some true color pictures of galaxies, while learning about different types of stellar populations.
- NGC 1300
- NGC 891
The Great Nebula in Orion and the Helix Nebula. Students observed the Orion Nebula and the Helix Nebulae through several different filters and attempted to make some true color pictures, while learning about different emission mechanisms in nebulae.
- Helix Nebula