May 12:
- The final version of the Final Exam Study
Guide. There only very minor differences compared to last week's version.
However, there are practice questions now at the end of the study
guide.
- Some of you may be interested in the following course, taught next
spring: Astr 310: Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
(Note: the dates and times are no longer correct on this poster).
This course builds upon what you've learned in Astronomy 101 and
satisfies upper division GE science requirements.
For details about this course, check out the course Web page and look
under "syllabus":
Astronomy 310.
Feel free to check out student comments about the course too.
May 9:
- Fill in "Test Form A" and "Exam # 003" on your ParSCORE Enrollment form,
and carefully fill in your Red-ID (the last column should be blank).
- Do not use a crumpled/folded/wrinkled scantron form!
Get a crisp ParScore Enrollment form, and fill it out before the exam.
If your scantron form is folded/bent and can't be read by the
ParScore machine, you may lose credit on the exam!!
So go ahead and spend 25 cents - it could mean the difference between
a good grade or a lousy grade in the course!
- Bring your Red ID, and don't forget to sign and return the exam.
There may be multiple versions of the exam, so make sure you put your
scantron form and exam in the correct pile on the desk in the front of
the classroom.
- Course grades should be available via the SDSU WebPortal/Webline
by the end of next week. Please fill out the on-line course evaluation.
May 06:
- Here are the PowerPoint slides in .pdf format for the lecture on
exoplanets.
** FINAL EXAM: Monday, 1pm in the usual classroom. **
- PLEASE fill out your scantron form information carefully! Don't throw
away valuable points on the final exam!
As we take our finals, the stress levels can be high. If you, or
a friend, are feeling way over-stressed, maybe talking with a counselor
can help:
SDSU Counseling Services
May 02:
- Begin to prepare a 1-page set of notes for the final exam.
- Here is a short video on how astronomers discover extrasolar
planets. In particular, the bit about the Doppler effect is
quite good: NBC Learn
Science Behind the News: Extrasolar Planets
- The final version of the StudyGuide will be posted soon after
the last class (probably on Tuesday night).
May 1:
- The final is comprehensive and will cover all parts of the course,
but is weighed on the new material since Exam #2.
- For the final exam, you must sign and return your copy of the exam.
You can write on the exam as much as you wish, but you must not keep
the exam. If a student does not return their exam, they earn no credit
on the final exam. There may be several different versions of the final
exam. You can use a calculator.
- Here is a PRELIMINARY final exam study
guide. Much of is from a previous semester, but it will be very
similar to the final version that will be posted later. You can use it
to get a head start.
Apr 29:
- Note the correction in the homework: Ch 14 #35, not #34.
- There are 21 questions in all for Written HW #3.
- Solutions to HW #3 will be posted soon after class. Therefore, no late
assignments can be accepted.
Apr 27:
Please note: Special Astronomy Help Room hours for finals
(May 9-15):
Wed, May 09: 10-11 AM, 6-8 PM
Thu, May 10: 10-11 AM
Fri, May 11: 10-11 AM
Mon, May 14: 6-8 PM
Tue, May 15: 10-11 AM, 6-7 PM
Apr 22:
To help you focus on the most important material in the last few
chapters, here are some notes:
- brief summary notes on galaxies.
- Brief summary notes cosmology.
- More detailed notes Hubble's Law and
the Big Bang.
IMPORTANT: These notes are incomplete and are not a substitute for
attending class.
Just like the notes on the Sun and Stars, these notes are designed to
help you stay focused and on pace with the lectures. Really, you should
be ahead of the lectures, so that you are reviewing the material, not
trying to learn it in the lectures.
The notes don't work if you are behind in your homework and are trying to
catch up. So to prevent misuse and abuse of the notes (better not to
have them than to misuse them), they won't be on the class website
after we cover the material in class.
Apr 16:
** We are definitely having class on Wednesday. **
We have a guest lecturer, Mr. Windmiller, who will give the lecture on
Wednesday. The topic will be about galaxies and the Milky Way.
This is an important topic, so please read those chapters first in the
textbook.
Hint: It is possible that on the final exam, you will see one of the
diagrams shown in class on Wednesday. So be sure you know the
diagrams that Mr. Windmiller will show. (They are in the textbook, so
you don't have to re-draw everything.)
Apr 07:
- If you have any trouble with the material in the textbook, or doing the
homework, go to the Astronomy Help Room or see me during office hours.
- To determine your coure grade, simple average all the grades you have
earned so far. The homework counts as much as one of the exams. Please
be careful, and please be sure to put in enough care and effort. The
homework is designed to help raise your grades. You can get tutoring
assistance with all the questions.
- To help you focus on the most important material in the chapters on
stars (uncluding the Sun) here are some notes in .pdf format.
These are incomplete and do not include all the material we cover in
class, and are much less comprehensive than the textbook. They are simply
a subset of the notes to help focus on what is most important. They are
definitely not a substitute for attending class or studying the
textbook.
NOTE: THESE WILL BE POSTED ONLY UNTIL THE TOPIC IS COVERED IN CLASS,
THEN THEY WILL GO AWAY. PRINT THEM OUT AND BRING THEM TO CLASS SO YOU
CAN ADD TO THEM.
- Subset of notes on The Sun.
- Subset of notes on Stars
April 2:
Welcome back! Hope you had a great spring break.
- Venus will be near the Pleiades star cluster in Mon Apr 2-3rd. Try
to see this famous open star cluster.
- For the Homework #2, the reason that I asked the 65 km/s question is
because I wanted you to understand how fast meteorites can travel
when the hit the Earth or Moon's surface. When stated as 70 km/s it doesn't
sound that fast, does it? But converting to miles per hour, we see that
150,000-160,000 mph is really, really fast!! Compare this to a "speeding
bullet": a fast bullet (rifle) goes "only" about 2000 mph, 75 times slower
than a meteor! The Space Shuttle goes an amazing 17,500 mph, but this is
almost 9x slower than a fast meteorite. To be clear, meteoroids and NEO
asteroid and comets can be going much slower than 70 km/s with respect to
the Earth, but their top speed can be as high as 70 km/s! That's why they
carry such a punch - their velocity gives them huge energy.
- Note: A large number of students (8) lost a point or more on the exam
because they did not fill out their scantron form correctly. Please please
please be more careful!
- Note: As with the exams, there will be questions on the final exam taken
specifically from the websites you have been asked to examine for
homework.
- Exam #2 class average was a respectable 36.1/50 (including the 3 bonus
points). The numerical score-to-grade conversion (i.e. the curve) for
Exam 2 is:
A=42-50; B=37-41; C=29-36; D=23-28
Mar 20:
- The final study guide is essentialy the same as the draft version. The
only clarifications are: no calculators allowed; Chapter 10 will not be on
the exam.
Here is the link to
Study Guide for Exam #2 again.
Mar 19:
- Answers to Homework #2
Because the answers are posted, I cannot accept late homework.
Mar 18:
- EXAM #2 on Wed Mar 21
You will need the big pink "ParSCORE Enrollment" form
for the multiple choice exam.
Be sure to fill out your ParSCORE form correctly! If you have mistakes,
you will lose points on your exam (1 point per error).
Common errors
include:
. + not making the pencil marks dark enough
. + putting an extra zero in front of your Red ID
. + putting a blank in front of your Red ID (leave the last column
empty)
. + filling in wrong digits on your Red ID
. + filling in two answers bubbles because of sloppiness
. + not erasing an answer fully
Mar 11:
Jupiter and Venus are closest together on March 13, only 3 degrees apart.
Notice how Jupiter moves past Venus and becomes closer to the horizon over
the next 3 days.
Mar 7:
+ Suggestion: please watch the video "Infrared: More Than Your Eyes Can See"
from the Spitzer Space Telescope team. It is very helpful in understanding
several concepts in this course. If you have any questions, please ask.
+ Homework Reminders:
- - You must explain what you are doing and show all work. Just
writing the answer or a few lines of arithmetic is worth no credit.
- - Homework must be typed, except for the equations, which should be
very neat and legible if handwritten. If the work is excessively sloppy,
no credit will be given.
- - Homework is due at the start of class. Do not hand in
homework once the lecture begins. Wait until the lecture is over.
+ Exam #2 is scheduled for Wednesday March 21. It will cover Chapters 4-9,
with parts of Ch 10. Emphasis will be on Chapters 6-8, but we will see
Wien's Law, the Doppler effect, Kepler's 3rd Law, luminosity, etc., again
from Chapters 4 and 5.
+ DRAFT Studyguide for Exam #2 (this is a
preliminary and will be updated).
+ If you are presenting a poster or talk at the Student Research Symposium
this Friday & Saturday, please let me know.
Mar 5:
+ Venus and Jupiter remain visible in the far western sky just after
sunset.
On Wednesday Mar 7th, the full Moon will be close to the planet Mars.
Mars is visble in the east about an hour or two after sunset.
Here is a nifty
"Jupiter's Moons Javascript Utility" from Sky & Telescope magazine
to tell you what the relative positions of the Galilean satellites
are, in case you want to see how the four moons change positions from
night to night. (If you do the extra credit assignment, be sure to
use this tool to show that you really have photographed the moons, and
aren't being fooled by a shakey camera.
+ Office hours need to be cut short on Monday Mar 5th; I need to get to a
special meeting at 4pm.
Feb 27:
- Continue to observe the sky for the entire semester, particularly the
Moon, the bright stars in Orion, the star Sirius, Venus and Jupiter,
and over in the east, the planet Mars.
- Extra Credit: Take a photo of the Galilean moons of Jupiter. You need
a good digital camera with something like 12-20x zoom, and a tripod or
something to steady the camera.
Feb 26:
Eight(!) students lost 1 or more points on their exam because they did not
fill out their scantron forms correctly! Please be more careful.
Common errors include:
. + error in Red ID (missing or extra digits; wrong columns)
. + filling in two answers bubbles (bad erasing or sloppiness)
. + not filling in the "TEST FORM A" bubble
. + not filling in "EXAM # 001"
Please don't throw away points! Just a few points can make a difference.
- Here are the Exam 1 results: Average grade = 29.6 / 50. The
score-to-grade conversion for Exam #1 is:
A=41-50 B=35-40 C=27-34 D=20-26
The +/- sub-grades are just the high and low ends of the ranges, e.g.
a C+ grade requires a score of 32-33, a C- grade is a 27-28.
- Reminder: You may earn an extra point or two if you report any
major errors in the class web pages or the textbook. (Speling misteaks
do'nt kount),
Feb 19:
- Observe the Sky: Another lunar cycle has started. Notice the change of
the Moon as it goes from crescent to full phase over the next 2 weeks.
- The waxing crescent Moon will be close to Venus on Sat Feb 25, and
close to Jupiter on the 26th.
- Fill out your ParScore scantron form carefully. In the past, some students
have lost up to 8 points!! That is more than a full letter grade -
all because they didn't fill our their Red ID and other info correctly.
Please don't let it happen to you. Fill out this info before coming to
class.
Feb 15:
- Average Written HW #1 score: (2.3/4.0) or just above a C+.
I'd like this to be much higher (as I'm sure many of you do too!).
The major contributor to the lower-than desired grades was that many folks
omitted the observation questions. The next most important factor was
to not fully explain the Halley's comet methodology.
Just writing down a formula is NOT a full explanation. Why
write down Kepler's 3rd law instead of Wien's law, or Newton's law of
gravity, or Stefan-Boltzmann's law? What do the symbols mean? What are the
units? A formula is just a shorthand mathematical notation for a concept.
The concept is the important part; so explain it in full next time.
- The number of points a question is worth is related to the amount of
effort needed to answer that question. Multiple choice questions were
worth 1 point each (12 total), and the Halley's comet problem was worth 4
points, and so the texbook questions were worth 15 point in total. The
observation questions were worth 15 points, so the total was 30
points. If you skipped the observation questions, then there's no way
to get above 50% on the homework.
-
EXAM #1 on Wednesday Feb 22
You will need the big pink "ParSCORE Enrollment" form
for the multiple choice exam.
Be sure to fill out your ParSCORE form correctly! If you have mistakes,
you will lose points on your exam (1 point per error). Common errors
include:
. + putting an extra zero in front of your Red ID
. + putting a blank in front of your Red ID (leave the last column
empty)
. + filling in wrong digits on your Red ID.
. + filling in two answers bubbles because of sloppiness
. + not erasing an answer fully
- For homework, fill out your ParSCORE form.
- Please note that Prof. Welsh will not have office hours Wednesday Feb 22;
I will be grading your exam at the ParSCORE scantron machine.
- About the next generation of telescopes: A San Diego Union Tribune
news story from Feb 2009:
Time To Zoom In On
The Universe.
Feb 8:
- If the weather clears up, try to see the waning gibbous moon rising
in the east about an hour or so after sunset. On Feb 9, the Moon
will be close to the planet Mars.
- Try to answer all the multiple choice questions at the end of each
chapter. If you have any trouble, come to the Astronomy Help Room or
office hours.
Feb 6:
- The first exam will cover all the class notes, and all the homework
assignments (including any web pages you were asked to read and the
"Observe the Sky" assignments). In the textbook, you are responsible for
knowing chapters 1-5.
- I strongly suggest you do all the multiple choice questions in Ch 5 as
pratice. Questions 42, 44, and 45 are particularly important.
Feb 5:
- Reminder: This is the last week for planetarium shows.
- I will post a study guide for Exam #1 late this week; the exam is on
Wednesday Feb 22. We will use the big pink "ParSCORE Enrollment" form for
all exams.
- If you have any trouble with the course, please ask or go to the Astronomy
Help Room! We want you to do well - let us help you.
- Please put enough effort into the homework - it counts as much as the
each exam! You should spend a minimum of several hours on the homework
(3-5 hours). There are only 3 or 4 assignments all semester - please don't
lose any chances of getting an A or B grade in the course by not putting
enough time into doing the homework. It isn't hard, but it isn't easy either.
Remember that proper English is important.
Feb 1:
- Are you a good note taker? Interested in helping out a fellow student,
and maybe earning some extra credit too? Send me an email and let's talk
about such an opportunity.
- Please try to attend a planetarium show. The last planetarium show is
on Fri Feb 10th. When you sign in for the planetarium show, be sure your
name is legible and also state that you are in Dr. Welsh's Astr 101
section.
- If you are having any difficulty with the observational homework
questions, or if you just want more information, please make use
of the links under the "What's Visible in the Heavens tonight?" section of
the main class web page. You'll find up-to-date material and much better
quality star charts than what is given in the textbook.
Even better, use the planetarium software that comes with the
textbook.
- Note: In high school, students spend ~35 hours a week in school and only
a few hours a week studying on their own. In college, students are in
class for about 15 hr/week and complete their education on their
own time. They are much more responsible for their own learning.
College students should spend 2 additional hours per unit per
week for every hour that they spend in class. For 15 units, that means an
additional 30 hours a week outside of class. This is what is recommended,
and this is what many professors are expecting. If you do this, you are
very much more likely to earn excellent grades.
- Opportunity for extra credit:
Using the link on the class website, run the Java applet (by R. Scharein)
on the phases of the inner planets in the Ptolemic vs Copernican system.
Print out the webpage (or do a screen capture) showing the orbits, then
attach (staple) this to your homework assignment. That's all you need to
do!
Jan 30:
- Please don't forget to attend a planetarium show.
- The planetarium software that comes with the textbook can be a very
useful resource. Give it a try. If you don't have it, then there are
several good planetarium software packages you can find on the
web for free.
- If you are having trouble finding the constellations and/or stars, then
maybe this guide from Sky & Telescope magazine will help. It is a
10-page guide to getting started in observing the heavens, in .pdf format.
It includes a Moon map and star charts for different times of the year, as
seen from the Northern hemisphere.
Sky & Telescope: Getting Started (.pdf);
See the web page
Getting Started in Astronomy PDFs for more info.
Copyright 2003 Sky Publishing Corp.
- When using star charts, remember that they are only valid for certain
dates and times. Don't just assume the Jan-March chart is correct for
all hours of the night. Check the times at the bottom of the chart
too see the time that the chart is accurate for.
Jan 24:
Solar storm continues! Solar flares and coronal mass ejections
are causing excellent aurora displays. See the
spaceweather.com website.
The storms are generally harmless to us because of the protective
atmosphere and Earth's magnetic field, but it could potentially damage
some high-altitude satellites.
(And some other strange events could occur, like an SDSU Astronomer
talking about solar storms on
Fox 5 TV News (www.fox5sandiego.com at 10 pm tonight...)
Jan 22:
- Planetarium Shows
To help Astr 101 students with celestial sphere concepts, the Astronomy
Department is offering a series of 45-minute planetarium shows:
Tuesday, January 31 : 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Wednesday, February 1 : 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Thursday, February 2 : 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Friday, February 3 : 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM AND 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Monday, February 6 : 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday, February 7 : 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday, February 8 : 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Thursday, February 9 : 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday, February 10 : 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM AND 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Sign-up sheets will be posted on the planetarium door on Monday
afternoon (Jan 23th).
Because there is a strict limit to the number of students that can fit
into the planetarium, you must sign up for the show ahead of time
and reserve a seat. A role call may be taken to confirm attendance.
The planetarium is in the Physics and Astronomy building, room PA-209
(second floor, at the rounded corner at the south-west end of the
building; entrance near the windows).
Do NOT attempt to enter the planetarium if the door is closed! It would
ruin the show and everyone's night vision adaptation. Do not be late.
Jan 21:
I will have to cut office hours short on Wed Jan 25; ooffice hours end
at 3:55 pm.
Jan 19:
- Here are notes on the metric (SI) system
and some reference temperatures, lengths, and velocities (in .pdf
format).
- When looking at the sky, here's an easy way to determine which
direction is approximately south. Notice where the Sun sets. Then
extend your right arm out from your side toward the direction where the
Sun set. You'll then be facing southward, roughly. Your right side will
be oriented towards the west, and your left side towards the east; behind
you will be north.
- When trying to observe Orion, here's a check to be sure
you're looking at the right stars: Using Orion's belt as a guide,
follow the 3 stars toward the southeast (to the left if you're facing
south) to the very bright star Sirius. Sirius (the "dog star"
in the constellation Canis Major) is the brightest star in the sky.
Orion should be close to the meridian around 9 pm.
Hints for doing well on the homework:
(i) Be sure to answer the right question! This is a very common mistake.
(ii) Read the question: it often says show all work. You can
earn no credit if you just write down the answer.
(iii) You don't learn anything by looking up the answer in the back of the
book (or on the web).
(iv) Go the Astronomy Help room if you are unsure about something.
The purpose of the homework is to help you learn the material. It is not
so get some grade. If you just copy the answer out of the book you defeat
the purpose, and you cheat yourself out of an education.
Finally, don't forget that the homework counts as a substantial part of
your final grade. Please put effort into earning a good score on the
homework.
SAFETY ISSUES
The CSU takes the issue of classroom and campus safety very seriously.
To find information about San Diego State University's emergency
preparedness plan and opportunities for training on many aspects of the
classroom/workplace see:
SDSU Emergency Preparedness.
SDSU Campus Safety
Be aware of your surroundings.
If you see something suspicious, report it!
If you have an emergency, call 911 from any phone on campus.
Other incidents, call Campus Dispatch at 4-1911.
In the evening, call Campus Escort if you would like an escort
to your vehicle or campus dorm.
Classroom Safety
If there is an emergency, stay calm, and follow the procedure
in the flip book.
Follow the Evacuation Route if you need to evacuate.
``Shelter in place'' is usually called when a person that is carrying a
weapon on campus has become violent and has injured others, or is
threatening to injure others. If directed to shelter in place:
1. Stay inside the building or find a safe place.
2. If you are in a room with a door, make sure the door is closed.
3. Due to the varying age of campus buildings, doors may lock manually,
remotely or not at all. If applicable and time permits, lock doors.
4. If you are in a room with a window, make sure the window is closed.
5. Remain where you are until further direction from emergency personnel.
Note that during any emergency, students should not use their cell
phones. The lines of communication are critical to keep open for
emergency information. Only Staff and Faculty should keep
their cell phones on, and only receive calls if the situation
calls for it. Nota Bene
This most recent major update of the page was on 2012 Feb 1.
