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LECTURE 1, AUGUST 24, 2010

ASTR 1O1, SECTION 3INSTRUCTOR, JACK BRANDT

jcbrandt@unm.edu

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SYLLABUS-1• ASTRONOMY 101, SECTION 3, FALL 2010• • INSTRUCTOR: ADJUNCT PROFESSOR JOHN C. (JACK) BRANDT• • CLASS TIME: TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, 11:00 AM to 12:15 PM• • LOCATION: REGENER HALL, ROOM 103• • OFFICE HOURS: MOST FRIDAYS, 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM. Regular Office Hours will be held in the Lobby of the Physics &

Astronomy (Panda) Building, NE corner of Lomas and Yale. Extra office hours will be held the day before a test (same times as above) and no office hours will be held the Friday after a test. Individual office hours are by appointment.

• • PHONE: 7-2673• • E-MAIL: jcbrandt@unm.edu• • HOME PAGE: http://panda.unm.edu/Courses/Brandt/Astro101Fa10/• • OFFICE: ROOM 1136, Panda Building• • TEACHING ASSISTANT: TBD

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SYLLABUS-2• TEXT: ASTRONOMY: A Beginner’s Guide to the Universe, by Chaisson & McMillan, Sixth Edition (2010). We

will also be using the Mastering Astronomy tutorial (access code sold with the text). In addition, we will be using iClickers.

• • iCLICKERS: Students will need to register their iClickers at http://www.iclicker.com/registration/ following

the instructions provided and using your BANNER ID as your “Student ID.” The student is responsible for maintenance and use of the iClickers. In case of problems, contact the Panda Department Web Master, Cathy Webster, Panda Room 107 or webster@unm.edu.

• • HOMEWORK: This will be assigned and will be completed on-line by using the Mastering Astronomy web

pages. Be sure to use your BANNER ID as your “login name.” Due dates will be approximately one week after assignment at a specific time. No credit is given for late homework. In case of difficulties, go to 247Pearsoned.com .

• • COURSE ID: MABRANDT34853

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SYLLABUS-3• BACKGROUND: Introduction to Astronomy is, in fact, an introduction to and a guided tour of the universe.

Many people are curious and have basic questions about the universe that are prompted by looking at the sky on a dark night or noting the changing phases of the moon. Through the centuries, basic questions and the scientific method have produced our current worldview. Our era is one of frequent discoveries about the universe and these are part of our continuing quest to refine our knowledge of the universe and our place in it. This course should help students appreciate new discoveries as they occur.

• • The course approach is descriptive and non-mathematical. There are no prerequisites. The goal is to

communicate basic ideas and concepts. Still, some arithmetic is needed. With some effort and an open mind, the student should grasp the material and, frankly, enjoy the process of discovery.

• • The lectures will be presented in PowerPoint and posted on the course website. Also, there will be

occasional demonstrations. General questions of clarification are welcome during the lectures. More specific questions should be taken up after class.

• • Some of the topics to be covered are: the historical development of our ideas about the solar system (e.g.,

the sun, the moon, planets, satellites, rings, comets, Kuiper belt objects, and asteroids); the threat to Earth posed by Near-Earth objects; the origin of the solar system; the life cycle of stars; the origin of the chemical elements; the Milky Way Galaxy; galaxies; the origin of the universe (= the Big Bang); our current view of the large-scale structure of the universe, including the Hubble expansion, dark energy, and dark matter; the conditions for the origin of life; and the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe. The basic tools of astronomy and physics used to study the universe are also covered.

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SYLLABUS-4• CLASS SCHEDULE• • DATE TOPIC TEXT READING• • 1. Aug. 24 Intro & Syllabus, Scientific Pages 18-21• Method + Tour of the Universe•

• 2. Aug. 26 Mastering Astronomy Intro Chap. 0, Appendix 1• (C. Nossiter); Scientific Method• (Again!), Foundations of Astronomy• • 3. Aug. 31 Foundations of Astronomy (cont.) Chap. 0, Chap. 1.1• • 4. Sept. 2 Orbits of Planets Chap. 1(remainder)• • 5. Sept. 7 Radiation and the EM spectrum Chap. 2.1-2.4• • 6. Sep. 9 Atoms & Spectroscopy Chap. 2.5-2.8• • 7. Sep. 14 Telescopes [Test Review] Chap. 3•

• 8. Sep. 16 Test No. 1•

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SYLLABUS-5• 9. Sep. 21 [Test] Intro to the Solar System Chap. 4.1, 4.3• • 10. Sep. 23The Earth & the Moon Chap. 5• • 11. Sep. 28Mercury, Venus, & Mars Chap. 6• • 12. Sep. 30The Jovian Planets Chap. 7• • 13. Oct. 5 Moons & Rings Chap. 8, except 8.5• • 14. Oct. 7 Comets & Related Objects Pages 100, 110-114, • Chap. 8.5• • 15. Oct. 12Asteroids & Meteoroids [Test Review] Pages 105-110, 114-118• • NO class Oct. 14-Fall Break• • 16. Oct. 19Test No. 2

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SYLLABUS-6• 17. Oct. 21The Sun Chap. 9• • 18. Oct. 26[Test] The Stars Chap. 10• • 19. Oct. 28Interstellar Medium & Star Formation Chap. 11• • 20. Nov. 2 Stellar Evolution Chap. 12.1-12.4, Chap. 12.6-12.7• • 21. Nov. 4 Stellar Death & Explosions, Neutron Stars Page 332-333,

Chap. 12.5, 13.1-13.4• • 22. Nov. 9 Black Holes [Test Review] Chap. 13.5-13.8• • 23. Nov. 11 Test No. 3

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SYLLABUS-7• 24. Nov. 16 [Test] The Milky Way Galaxy Chap. 14• • 25. Nov. 18 Galaxies Chap. 15• • 26. Nov. 23 The Cosmos & Dark Matter Chap. 16• • NO class Nov. 25-Thanksgiving Break• • 27. Nov. 30 Cosmology: The Big Bang & the Chap. 17.1-17.3• Expansion of the Universe• • 28. Dec. 2 Cosmology: Cosmic Acceleration Chap. 17.4-17.5• And Dark Energy• • 29. Dec. 7 Cosmology: Inflation, Large-Scale Chap. 17.6-17.8• Structure Formation, and the • Formation of Nuclei & Atoms• • 30. Dec. 9 Life in the Universe + Powers of 10 Chap. 18, 4.4• Movie [Test Review]• • 31. Test No. 4 given per the UNM schedule during the week of Dec. 13-18.

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SYLLABUS-8• GRADING: There will be four tests as indicated on the schedule. Your total test grade will be based on the

three best test grades. THUS, THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS. Note that this policy applies to the total test grade for the course and NOT the grade given in the case of a Withdrawal that requires a Withdrawn/Passing (WP) or Withdrawn/Failing (WF) assessment. In addition to the tests, part of the course grade is based on class participation via the use of iClickers (credit is given for participation and not whether the answer is correct or not) and timely completion of the homework assignments via Mastering Astronomy. The total course grade consists of test grades (60%), class participation via iClicker responses (20%), and completed homework assignments (20%). Grading will be on a curve.

• • TESTS: These are multiple-choice with questions in a text handout and an answer sheet (machine graded).

Both the answer sheet AND the test handout MUST be handed in to receive a grade for the test. Your BANNER ID must be bubbled in as “Identification Number” on your answer sheet. Remember that the answer on the answer sheet is your official response. Be sure to bring two No. 2 pencils to each test.

• • GRADEBOOK: Mastering Astronomy will be used as our Gradebook and everything related to an

individual’s course grade will be posted there. FOR THIS TO WORK, YOUR BANNER ID MUST BE USED AS NOTED ABOVE WHEN REGISTERING YOUR iCLICKER and AND FOR MASTERING ASTRONOMY!!!

• • GENERAL: Disruptive behavior including eating, drinking, or use of any communication device is unfair to

the rest of the class. Please don’t engage in this type of activity. • •

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THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

• FACTS OR OBSERVATIONS

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THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

• FACTS OR OBSERVATIONS• ORGANIZING IDEAS OR THEORY

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THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

• FACTS OR OBSERVATIONS• ORGANIZING IDEAS OR THEORY• PREDICTIONS AND TESTING

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CLICKER Q: SCIENTIFIC METHODScientific understanding is established by:

A. The Encyclopedia BritannicaB. Pundits of television

C. Testing and verificationD. Relying on pure thought

E. A respected authority

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