  Modern astronomy increasingly depends on computational thinking. Although
some astronomy courses for undergraduates use computing, high school astronomy
courses often have little computing. Created as a part of a research experience
for teachers in astronomy and another in computer science, this project
leverages robotic telescope images and astronomical algorithms to determine the
distance to a star cluster using variable stellar photometry. Students
investigate Python and Jupyter Notebook to analyze astronomical images to
calculate the interstellar distance to a star cluster across the Milky Way.
Students will learn how to write Python code that runs in a Jupyter Notebook
such that the brightness of stars in an astronomical image can be determined.
The real astronomical image data will be directly manipulated and analyzed by
code the students create. Student project files and teacher solution files are
provided. Code is open source, and materials are available for classroom use.
