Tutorials

In this tutorial session, I will walk you through the data reduction steps on low-resolution spectroscopic data. I will use IRAF which will help you to learn basic data reduction steps such as tracing and extraction, accurate wavelength solution and flux calibration. Most telescopes now have automated pipelines to perform most of the steps of data reduction.However, it is best to understand how each individual step is obtained so that you can debug the data further easily. Several calibration spectra (like bias, flat fields and arc lamps) needs to be obtained during observation and advantages of observing 2 flux standards in a given night of observation will be discussed. 

In the second part of the session, I will quickly introduce GALFIT, which is a 2D image decomposition of a galaxy structure obtained by modelling their light distribution using analytical functions. When run successfully, it derives various physical parameters such as size, luminosity, central concentration, etc. Parameters thus obtained can help to analyse the morphology of a given galaxy and facilitate new science. Integral-field imaging capabilities provide both imaging and spectroscopic data and GALFIT forms a sophisticated tool to analyse them across wavelength ranges.