Foundations of Astronomical Data Science

Date
12 July 2023 to 13 July 2023 - 10:00-16:00
Location
Training Room 108, Computing Centre
Speaker
Norbert Gyenge, Joe Heffer

All of our events may be recorded and shared via the University of Sheffield Kaltura platform so those who cannot attend may still benefit. We will consider your attendance implict consent to this.

Register Here via Eventbrite

This workshop is for University of Sheffield researchers. Please ensure that you sign up using a University of Sheffield email address so that your booking is accepted.

The Foundations of Astronomical Data Science curriculum covers a range of core concepts necessary to efficiently study the ever-growing datasets developed in modern astronomy. In particular, this curriculum teaches learners to perform database operations (SQL queries, joins, filtering) and to create publication-quality data visualisations. Learners will use software packages common to the general and astronomy-specific data science communities (Pandas, Astropy, Astroquery combined with two astronomical datasets: the large, all-sky, multi-dimensional dataset from the Gaia satellite, which measures the positions, motions, and distances of approximately a billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy with unprecedented accuracy and precision; and the Pan-STARRS photometric survey, which precisely measures light output and distribution from many stars.

How will it be taught?

This will be an in-person practical workshop using the Data Carpentry Foundations of Astronomical Data Science lesson.

Prerequisite knowledge

This workshop assumes a working knowledge of python and some exposure to the bash shell. There lessons available on the following dates:

  • Python
  • Bash Shell

Technical Requirements

You will need to install Python, Jupyter, and some additional libraries. Instructions will be circulated prior to the workshop. Installations are available for all major operating systems.

Statement on free at point of use training

We are delighted to be able to make free at point of use training available to the research community, to enable better software and more open, reproducible research. However, free at point of use training is not free. The cost of a course can easily run to thousands of pounds, if preparation costs are taken into account.

If you sign up for a course, please make sure you either attend or cancel your booking. Bookings can usually be cancelled using eventbrite.com or, failing that, by emailing rse@sheffield.ac.uk.

Running courses that are not fully attended wastes our funding (which is provided by taxpayers, charities and students, amongst others) and reduces our collective capacity to improve research outputs and researcher experiences.

Persistent failure to attend booked courses might result in you being excluded from future training opportunities.

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