  Presented is a successful two week lab involving real sky observations of the
Moon in which students make telescopic observations and analyze their own
images. Originally developed around the 35 mm film camera as a common household
object adapted for astronomical work, the lab transitioned to use the webcam as
film photography evolved into an obscure specialty technology and increasing
numbers of students had little familiarity with it. The printed circuit board
with the CCD is harvested from a retail webcam and affixed to a tube to mount
on a telescope in place of an eyepiece. Image frames are compiled to form a
lunar mosaic and crater sizes are measured. Students also work through the
logistical steps of telescope time assignment and scheduling, keeping to
schedule and working with uncertainties of weather, in ways paralleling
research observations. Because there is no need for a campus observatory, this
lab can be replicated at a wide variety of institutions.
