Class Notes posted at http://mintaka.sdsu.edu/faculty/erics/teach/a201/powpoint.html
QUIZ #1: Friday, February 13
QUIZ #2: Friday, March 6
QUIZ #3: Friday, April 10
QUIZ #4: Friday, May 1
If you have ever wondered about the planets, the Sun, the fate of the Universe, black holes, or extraterrestrial life, for example, then you have been doing something that our ancestors have been doing for thousands of years. BUT we live in a special time - one in which we can start to answer many questions.
There are MANY interesting questions you can ask about astronomy, but more than any other science, we have a very limited ability to experiment with the universe... So astronomers have to be very creative in taking what the universe gives us (light) and using it to answer our questions. I will show you what kind of questions astronomers think are important, and how we try to answer them.
Should you take ASTR 101 or ASTR 201? These two classes will cover much of the same material, but one of the main differences is that ASTR 201 is a mathematically-based course. You will be expected to be VERY comfortable with algebra and geometry, and having some background in physics will be helpful (although not required). The main purpose of this class is to introduce you to a mathematical understanding of astronomy: mathematics is an extremely important tool to have if you want a full understanding of the universe. If this is your first year, you might want to wait until you have had some college math under your belt.
This course is a prerequisite for astronomy majors, but I expect that other science and math majors will appreciate the course fully and will hopefully want a more challenging course than is found in ASTR 101. If you still have questions about whether this course is for you, just ask.
Homework problems: There will be (probably between 5 and 10) homework problem assignments given during the semester. The goals in giving these problems are to: 1) make sure you become comfortable with the proper use of mathematics in astronomy, and 2) give you practice in analyzing situations that you are unfamiliar with. Science is all about trying to understand the universe - that often means that we don't know the answer to begin with.
I expect homework assignments to be clearly thought out and written out. To encourage this, on each homework set up to 5 points will be given for the clarity of your work.
Mini-Projects: At various times in the semester, I will give you short tasks to accomplish as a team. Some of these will be mini-experiments, and others will be like research proposals. In most science fields, if you want funding to conduct research, you need to present a convincing case to the people controlling the money. That means thinking carefully about what you are going to do and explaining before you complete the research why the research is important and whether it is a good use of resources.
One reason for doing this is to get you to think more deeply about concepts that you will read about, so that you will get a good mental picture of what is happening out in space, and a deeper grasp of astronomy. Another reason for doing this is to give you an introduction to how science is typically done these days.
I will give you more instructions when we do the first ones. Mini-projects must be done in groups of 2 or 3 (preferably 3). All members of the group should be named on the project report when it is handed in.
Astronomy article outlines: In each of the last two months of the class, I am going to ask you to select a popular astronomy article for a critical reading. The article can be on any topic in astronomy, but should involve recent research (for example, DO NOT select an article on "what is up" in the sky that week), and DO NOT choose press releases (which usually don't describe the subject very well). You MUST bring your article to me to check that it has enough information in it for a good review. Some good sources of articles are:
Quizzes: We will have quizzes every 3 - 4 weeks (see the class calendar below). Quizzes are closed-book and will typically be composed of a) short answers, and b) one problem and/or essay question. Although you will be introduced to astronomy vocabulary terms (and this will be tested in short answer questions), THE QUIZZES WILL NOT EMPHASIZE MEMORIZATION. The quizzes are intended to test whether you understand the material and can use it, rather than simply memorize it. Problems will most often resemble the homework problems and in-class thought questions that will be given during some lectures. Essay questions will test whether you can discuss important astronomy topics in your own words at a level that a fellow student can understand. I consider all of these types of questions to be important. Each quiz will be worth 10% of your grade, and you will be allowed to drop the lowest of your 4 quiz grades.
POLICY ON MAKE-UP QUIZZES: In the case of missed quizzes, make-ups will only be considered under the direst of circumstances. It is your responsibility to see me as soon as possible to arrange the make-up.
Final Exam: The final exam will be cumulative, and will resemble an expanded version of a quiz with similar questions.
SDSU also has its own (small) planetarium, which we may also use during the semester.
Please keep in mind that the schedule of topics is subject to change. (However, dates of quizzes will not be changed except under extreme circumstances.) There is a lot of material that can be covered, and it is impossible to do everything. But if you have an interest in something let me know, and I will try to work it in!
Sky Coordinates and Motions:
Week 1+: January 23, 26, 28, 30
Topics: Units; The Celestial Sphere
Questions: How do we point telescopes and observe objects in the sky?
Week 2: February 2, 4, 6
Topics: Angles; Sky Coordinates; Earth Rotation
Questions: When can you see different parts of the sky?
Week 3: February 9, 11, 13
Topics: The Seasons; Moon's Orbit, Phases, and Eclipses
Questions: How is the solar system set up? Why do planets and stars move
differently?
Week 4: February 16, 18, 20
Topics: Kepler's Laws; Newton's Laws, Gravity, and Energy
Questions: How does anything "orbit" something else?
Week 5: February 23, 25, 27
Topics: Light; Telescopes and Earth's Atmosphere
Questions: Why are different kinds of light important? What can we learn
from light?
Stars:
Week 6: March 2, 4, 6
Topics: Measuring Star Characteristics (Temperature, Distance, Luminosity,
Mass, Size)
Questions: What is a typical star like? Is the Sun normal?
Week 7: March 9, 11, 13
Topics: Stellar Structure (Equilibrium, Nuclear Reactions,
Energy Transport)
Questions: How do stars work?
Week 8: March 16, 18, 20
Topics: Stellar Evolution
Questions: How long do stars last? How do they change as they age? How will
the aging Sun mess with the solar system?
The Milky Way and Galaxies:
Week 9: March 23, 25, 27
Topics: Galactic Structure; Measuring Speed; Galactic Rotation
Questions: What is the Milky Way like? How many stars does it have? How big
is it?
SPRING RECESS: MARCH 28 - APRIL 5
Week 10: April 6, 8, 10
Topics: Galaxy Types; Galaxy Formation
Questions: Is the Milky Way normal? What makes different kinds of galaxies?
Cosmology:
Week 11: April 13, 15, 17
Topics: Expansion of the Universe; Redshifts; Supernovae
Questions: What is the Universe doing?
Week 12: April 20, 22, 24
Topics: The Big Bang; The History of the Universe
Questions: Did the Universe have a beginning? How did stars, planets, and
we come about?
Week 13: April 27, 29, May 1
Topics: The History of the Universe; The Fate of the Universe
Questions: How will the universe end?
The Solar System:
Week 14: May 4, 6, 8
Topics: Formation of the Solar System; Planet Types
Questions: How did the solar system and planets form?
Week 15: May 11, 13
Topics: Planet Atmospheres; Planets outside the Solar System
Questions: Is our solar system normal? Are the planets in our solar system
normal? Is there life on other planets?
Friday May 15, 2009 at 8:00 AM in GMCS 327.