Class Notes posted at http://mintaka.sdsu.edu/faculty/erics/teach/a201/powpoint.html
QUIZ #1: Friday, February 8
QUIZ #2: Friday, February 29
QUIZ #3: Friday, March 28
QUIZ #4: Friday, April 25
Should you take ASTR 101 or ASTR 201? These two classes will cover much of the same material, but 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 be able to 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.
Tutorials: The second book for the course has a set of in-class activities that we will use. The reason for using these is to get you to think more deeply about concepts that you will read about. That way I hope you will get a mental picture of what is happening out in space, and a deeper grasp of astronomy.
I require that tutorials be done in groups of 2 or 3, and some of the tutorials will be turned in for grades. (All members of the group should be named on the worksheet 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). The quizzes will last half of a class period. 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 parts of the tutorials that we will do 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, 25
Topics: Units; The Celestial Sphere
Week 2: January 28, 30, February 1
Topics: Angles; Sky Coordinates; Earth Rotation
Week 3: February 4, 6, 8
Topics: The Seasons; Moon's Orbit, Phases, and Eclipses
Week 4: February 11, 13, 15
Topics: Kepler's Laws; Newton's Laws, Gravity, and Energy
Week 5: February 18, 20, 22
Topics: Light; Telescopes and Earth's Atmosphere
Stars:
Week 6: February 25, 27, 29
Topics: Measuring Star Characteristics (Temperature, Distance, Luminosity,
Mass, Size)
Week 7: March 3, 5, 7
Topics: Stellar Structure (Equilibrium, Nuclear Reactions,
Energy Transport)
Week 8: March 10, 12, 14
Topics: Stellar Evolution
The Milky Way and Galaxies:
Week 9: March 17, 19, 21
Topics: Galactic Structure; Measuring Speed; Galactic Rotation
Week 10: March 24, 26, 28
Topics: Galaxy Types; Galaxy Formation
SPRING RECESS: MARCH 29 - APRIL 6
Cosmology:
Week 11: April 7, 9, 11
Topics: Expansion of the Universe; Redshifts; Supernovae
Week 12: April 14, 16, 18
Topics: The Big Bang; The History of the Universe
Week 13: April 21, 23, 25
Topics: The History of the Universe; The Fate of the Universe
The Solar System:
Week 14: April 28, 30, May 2
Topics: Formation of the Solar System; Planet Types
Week 15: May 5, 7, 9
Topics: Planet Atmospheres; Planets outside the Solar System
Friday May 16, 2008 at 8:00 AM in PA 216.