I'm ready to move on to more "advanced" research tools

Photometry

A discussion of what photometry is and why you would want to do it. Includes where to find already-reduced Spitzer photometry. Also see Aperture photometry using APT.

Units

If you've done photometry before and expect to do it the same way here, BE CAREFUL because IT WILL NOT WORK. The units of Spitzer images can be tricky. This page has a lot of information about these units and how to convert them into more familiar units.

Color-Magnitude and Color-Color plots

A general discussion of color-magnitude and color-color plots.

SED plots

A general discussion of spectral energy distribution (SED) plots.

Making a simple mosaic (with Spitzer data and tools)

This page describes how to make a simple mosaic by combining post-BCD mosaics from more than 1 AOR into one large mosaic.

Making Mosaics Using MONTAGE

MONTAGE is a software package that allows you to make mosaics from any set of astronomical images (e.g., not just Spitzer images).

Making a mosaic from the BCDs

very skeletal, more to come eventually

Accessing Kepler and CoRoT data

Kepler and CoRoT data are much more than just exoplanets, but of course they're in here too.

What is a periodogram?

Information on periodograms -- what they are, why you care about them, and how to use the NASA Exoplanet Archive's tool for determining them.

Movie tutorials for Kepler data

These were created by John Blackwell (Exeter) for one of the 2011 NITARP teams. Note that the NASA Exoplanet Archive interface has changed since these were made, but hopefully things are still clear.

• http://youtu.be/3r0ltH9Ixg0 -- searching the Kepler database, obtaining light curves, periodograms, and interpreting the periodograms. (~4 min)
• http://youtu.be/lzrtQSxwajg -- more on Kepler light curves and periodograms, and how to do more sophisticated investigation of the light curves using the NASA Exoplanet Archive tools. (~8 min)

Studying Young Stars

More information on the study of young stars, not necessarily specifically Spitzer-related.

Working with star-forming regions

Working with L1688 -- A sample analysis thread using Lynds 1688, developed in the context of the Lynds Cloud team (2008). This is n entire chain of analysis for Lynds 1688 (a star-forming region), start to finish. Working with CG4+SA101, an adaptation of "Working with L1688", with specific application to that project in CG4+SA101, from 2010. Working with the BRCs, a further adaptation of those pages, with specific application to that 2011 project. Note that each one of these is more or less 'frozen' after the corresponding class graduates, so for the most current links, explanations, details, please see the most recent one, though there are copious links back in the chain to the earlier versions.

Studying Variable Stars

More information on the study of variable stars, light curves, eclipsing binaries, etc.

Studying AGN

More information on the study of active galactic nuclei (AGN).

Using MaxIm DL

Tutorial videos from J. Blackwell, 2011.

Now what?

So you've finished your year of NITARP and are looking for what's next...