Annie McCutcheon
Astrophysics Major
About
I am a fourth year at UC Berkeley studying Astrophysics. Outside of my studies, I'm a third degree black belt in Bok Fu, and I'm a member of the competitive Wushu team on campus. I also occasionally surf at Pacifica, a few miles south from San Francisco.
Research Projects
Fabry Perot Simulator
Summer 2021
To help continue the development of my advisor's small sat telescope, I created a simulation of a Fabry Perot interferometer, which improves visibility by removing the effects of zodiacal light. This helps to further the purpose of the project, measuring the absolute intensity of Extragalactic Background Light.
Gravitational Lensing Animation
December 2021
My group and I are in the process of creating an animation that shows how gravitational lensing affects how we see stars and planets near black holes. This is programmed using python.
Radio Astronomy: the HI Line and Interferometry
Spring 2023
Over this semester, I will complete four labs to help develop my understanding in the techniques of radio astronomy. So far, I have measured the speed and width of the HI line and am currently using an interferometer to observe the sun, moon, and the Crab Nebula.
