Reading assignments posted on the class Blackboard website: blackboard.sdsu.edu
Exams:
Thought Questions posted at http://mintaka.sdsu.edu/faculty/erics/teach/questions.html
Mid-Term Exam #1: Wednesday, October 3, 2007 in class.
Mid-Term Exam #2: Friday, November 2, 2007 in class.
Final Exam:
Monday December 10, 2007 at 10:30 AM in PA 216.
Why Take This Class?
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.
This course can benefit you in several ways:
- You will realize that your experiences on Earth can help you
understand everything in the Universe - from planets to stars
to galaxies to the Universe itself. Astronomy is not something for a
select few to understand - you can understand too.
- You will get practice in using the scientific method to
understand your world. I want to encourage you to OBSERVE your
surroundings and to THINK CRITICALLY about what you observe. You
should realize that true understanding is not knowing a name - it is
being able to frequently and correctly PREDICT.
- You should realize that none of us knows everything - there are
many questions left out there to answer. And in answering one question, we
may often create another one!
If you take this course we will cross the Universe, trying to
understand it.
Attendance and Classroom Rules
Attendance is optional. HOWEVER, there are a number of reasons for
regularly attending classes.
- Lectures will NOT be directly from the book. I can't and won't
cover the entire book. I will try to explain important and/or difficult
topics. EXAMS ARE MORE LIKELY TO COVER WHAT I CONSIDER IMPORTANT, NOT
WHAT THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK CONSIDERS IMPORTANT.
- In class, I will give frequent ungraded "thought questions" to give you
practice in thinking about important course topics. These are also examples of
the kinds of questions that will show up on exams.
- Reading quizzes will ONLY be given in class. NO EXCEPTIONS. If you
regularly miss class, you will find that the missed quizzes will significantly
drop your grade.
To make class time useful for everyone, please follow the following rules:
- If you come in late or if you know you have to leave early, sit in the
back of the class. That way you will minimize distractions to me and to
other students.
- Don't start packing until class is over. This is very distracting,
and can cause you to miss important information at the end of class. I work
hard to keep the lectures within class time - don't be worried that I will lose
track of what time it is.
- Turn your cell phone off. In-class ringing will incur the creepy
stare. You don't want that.
Grading Policy
The course grade will be based on the
- Reading quizzes (15% of grade)
- Online Assignments (15% of grade)
- Mid-term exams (20% and 20% of grade, respectively)
- Final exam (30% of grade)
Exams: Exams are closed-book and will typically be mostly
multiple-choice (25-30 questions for each midterm exam, and 50 for the
final exam), with one or two essay questions (and usually an
additional short answer section on the final). Exams MUST be taken in
the class you are registered for if there is more than one
section. You will be allowed to bring a single 3-by-5 card to each
exam, and you will be able to write whatever you want on that card. My
suggestion is that you use it to hold important ideas and definitions
that you want to be sure to remember. HOWEVER, the multiple choice
questions are NOT geared toward memorization of the material. More
often they resemble the thought questions that I will be presenting
during most lectures. THE EXAMS WILL ALSO EMPHASIZE MATERIAL FROM THE
ONLINE ASSIGNMENTS (see below). The exam questions are intended to test
whether you understand the material and can use it, rather than
your ability to simply memorize.
The final exam will not be cumulative, but will focus on the material
in the last one-third of the class. However, concepts like gravity and
light that are covered earlier in the semester will appear since they
are important in all areas of astronomy.
POLICY ON MAKE-UP EXAMS: In the case of missed exams,
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 exam. In cases where a make-up midterm exam is allowed, the
exam will be 7 - 10 essay questions (generally about a paragraph
long). 3-by-5 cards are NOT ALLOWED on make-up exams.
Reading Quizzes: Reading quizzes will typically be two short
answer questions on the reading assigned in the previous
class. Reading assignments will be announced in the class before, and
will also be posted on the web at the class Blackboard website: blackboard.sdsu.edu.
Make-ups
will not be given for missed quizzes under any circumstances. However,
your lowest five quiz grades will be dropped before calculating your
grade. You will be required to use the CPS response pad (the "clicker")
on reading quizzes.
Online Assignments
In order for you to get an idea of how astronomers learn, you are
going to be asked to complete a number of tutorial assignments outside of
class. These assignments will graded online, but MATERIAL FROM THE
ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE EMPHASIZED ON THE EXAMS.
TO BE ABLE TO DO THE ASSIGNMENTS, you need to be registered with the
Mastering Astronomy website (www.masteringastronomy.com). See the directions on
the last page of the syllabus.
The assignments deal with difficult but important concepts in
astronomy, and are intended to get you to focus on these topics and
seriously think through a series of short questions. It is
important for you to figure out for yourself when you do or don't
understand something!!!
Observing Sessions
We will have at least one evening observing session during the quarter
using telescopes on the roof of the Physics-Astronomy Building. If
the weather cooperates, you will have an opportunity to view the Moon,
planets, stars, etc. An optional trip to Mount Laguna Observatory will
also be scheduled during the semester. Attending at least one
of these sessions during the quarter is strongly encouraged. I will
inform you where and when to meet for the sessions.
SDSU also has its own (small) planetarium, which we will use at least once
during the semester.
Course Outline
Please keep in mind that the schedule of topics is subject to
change. (However, dates of exams 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!
Week 1: August 27, 29, 31
Topics: Day and Night; Rotation of the Earth
Week 2: September 5, 7 (HOLIDAY: September 3)
Topics: The Seasons; Phases of the Moon; Eclipses
Week 3: September 10, 12, 14
Topics: Constellations; Planet Motions; The Scientific Method
Week 4: September 17, 19, 21
Topics: Earth-centered and Sun-centered Models of the Solar
System; Brahe and Galileo's observations; Kepler's Laws
Week 5: September 24, 26, 28
Topics: Newton's Laws of motion; Gravitation
Week 6: October 1, 3, 5
Topics: Orbits; MIDTERM; Light
MIDTERM EXAM #1: Wednesday, October 3, 2007 in
class.
Week 7: October 8, 10, 12
Topics: Blackbody Radiation; Atoms
Week 8: October 15, 17, 19
Topics: The Earth and the Terrestrial Planets; Jupiter and the Jovian
Planets
Week 9: October 22, 24, 26
Topics: Formation of the Solar System
Week 10: October 29, 31, November 2
Topics: The Sun's Surface; How the Sun Generates Light; MIDTERM
MIDTERM EXAM #2: Friday, November 2, 2007 in
class.
Week 11: November 5, 7, 9
Topics: Characteristics of Stars; Star Birth; The Lengths of Star Lives
Week 12: November 14, 16 (HOLIDAY: November 12)
Topics: The Main Sequence; Star Death
Week 13: November 19, 21 (HOLIDAY: November 23)
Topics: The Milky Way; Black Holes
THANKSGIVING RECESS: NOVEMBER 22 - 25
Week 14: November 26, 28, 30
Topics: Galaxies; The Big Bang; The History of the Universe
Week 15: December 3, 5, 7
Topics: The End of the Universe; Are We Alone in the Universe?
FINAL EXAM:
Monday December 10, 2007 at 10:30 AM in PA 216.
Registering for Online Assignments
TO BE ABLE TO DO THE ASSIGNMENTS, you need to be registered with the
Mastering Astronomy website (www.masteringastronomy.com).
- If you bought your
textbook new, a "Student Access Kit" in a paperboard folder will come with
your book. In that case, follow the included directions for "Registering in
MasteringAstronomy".
- If you bought a used textbook, you will need
to purchase online access. Go to www.masteringastronomy.com, choose the class
textbook ("The Essential Cosmic Perspective", 4th edition) from the list, and
click "Buy Now" to purchase access with a credit card.
In both cases, you will need to enter the Course ID
("ASTR101F07SANDQUIST"), and your Red ID number for the "Student ID".
Registering your Clicker
TO BE ABLE TO DO THE READING QUIZZES, you need to register your clicker
online first. The directions can be found at clicker.sdsu.edu/student_start.html.
- DON'T THROW OUT ANYTHING IN THE CLICKER BOX UNTIL YOU HAVE REGISTERED
THE CLICKER. You need the enrollment/registration code from the box!
- REGISTER YOUR CLICKER THROUGH BLACKBOARD. If you do it following the
CPSOnline instructions, it will not work properly in class. Follow the
directions for Blackboard registration.
If you have problems registering the clicker, look at the information on
"Where do I get technical support for registering and using my clicker?"
at the bottom of the clicker.sdsu.edu/student_start.html
website.