ASTR 1020 – Introductory Astronomy 2
Spring 2008
Lectures in Duane G1B20
MWF 10:00 am – 10:50 pm
Professor
Department of Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences
Office: Duane D-311
Office Hours: MWF 11:00 am –
Noon or by appointment
Office Phone: 303-735-0963
E-mail: jack.burns@cu.edu
Web page: http://solo.colorado.edu/~jaburns
Graduate Teaching Assistant: Jason
Henning
Office: Duane E-122
Office Hours: T 4–5 pm and Th 3-4 pm or by appointment
Office Phone: 303-492-5010
E-mail: jason.henning@colorado.edu
Learning Assistants:
· Elin Deeb (deebj@colorado.edu – M 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm recitations.
· Robert Snider (robert.snider@colorado.edu) – M
1:00 pm and 2:00 pm recitations.
·
Tahlia De Maio (tahlia.demaio@colorado.edu) – T 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm recitations.
· Andrew Najarian (andrew.najarian@colorado.edu) –
T 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm recitations.
Required
Texts: The Cosmic Perspective (4th Edition), 2007 by J. Bennett, M.
Donahue, N. Schneider, M. Voit; and Astronomy Media Workbook (5th
Edition), 2007 by Michael C. LoPresto.
Course Description: Introduces principles of modern astronomy for
nonscience majors, summarizing our present knowledge about the Sun, stars,
birth and death of stars, neutron stars, black holes, galaxies, quasars, and
the organization and origins of the universe. Offers nighttime observation
sessions at Sommers-Bausch Observatory and class sessions at the Fiske
Planetarium. Approved for arts and
sciences core curriculum: natural science.
Course Prerequisites: ASTR 1010 or Astr 1110.
Course Objectives:
· Develop a sense of awe and appreciation for modern
astronomy, including such topics as the origin of the universe, the formation
and evolution of the Sun and other stars, the nature of space and time, and the
search for extrasolar planets in the Galaxy.
· Develop an understanding of the scientific method and
practice in its use. The following skills are important in this class and very
useful outside of class:
o
Critical
thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving skills.
o
Emphasis on
predicting/testing nature of science.
o
Group
communication skills.
· Absorb a moderately comprehensive introduction to
modern astronomy and science so you can put into context discoveries that you
might hear or read about later.
· Develop experience with quantitative reasoning and
estimation.
· Gain practice in the evaluation of real data so you
can understand measurement error and how to decide if data is trustworthy or
not.
Strategies for Reaching the
Objectives:
· Come
to class!! If you enroll in this course, plan on
attending every meeting of the class. If
you miss a class, you will lose points.
· Read the assigned text chapters or web pages
before class.
· Take the homework assignments in Mastering Astronomy and class discussion
seriously – they represent an important part of your grade. Also, exam questions will be closely related
to the homework, reading assignments, class clicker questions, and class
discussion.
· Discuss the class and homework with other
students, and then turn in your
own work. Testing your ideas against others is an
important way to learn.
· Take advantage of office hours and
recitation sessions to ask questions.
Class Web page: http://solo.colorado.edu/jaburns/Astr1020Sp08/index.html
E-mail: I will be
sharing information regularly with you via your CU E-mail account. It is important that you check your E-mail
several times each week to receive these important communications. This is the official CU communication method
between the instructor and the class.
Homework Using MasteringAstronomy
There
will be regular assignments using the on-line tutorial and exercises program MasteringAstronomy. You will need both an access code (free with
purchase of new textbook or purchased on-line) and a class ID that I will
E-mail to you. Detailed information on
registering for MasteringAstronomy
can be found by clicking
here. The website for MasteringAstronomy is http://www.masteringastronomy.com
(select our textbook: The Cosmic
Perspective, 4e).
Please
use your CULearn user ID (in LOWER case letters) in registering for MasteringAstronomy.. This is the
~8 character name with which you log in to CULearn, CUConnect, library
computers, etc.
Homeworks
will consist of a combination of tutorials, multiple-choice questions, and a
few quantitative questions. Homeworks
must be completed by the date indicated at 10:00 am (class time) to receive
full credit; however, even after the assignment is due, you can still complete
the homework any time and receive up to 50% credit.
Clickers and Clicker Questions
Each
student will have a wireless student response system (“iclicker”). You must bring your
clicker to each class! About 2-3
times each class, you will be asked questions designed to get you to think
carefully about some of the concepts that we are discussing in class. Often, you will be asked to talk with your
neighbors before answering, so you can help each other to figure out the
correct answer. Use of the clickers:
· Improves your grades (everyone’s grades!). When you discuss and debate with others, your
knowledge improves.
· Gives YOU immediate feedback on what you do and do not
understand.
· Tells your instructor what the class doesn’t
understand.
· Greatly improves class participation.
We
will sometimes start class with a clicker question based on the assigned
reading. So, do your reading before class!
You are entitled to 5 “free clicker”
days where your lowest clicker scores will be dropped. If
you are sick for a day, have a family emergency, or your clicker stops working,
this should cover you. You can miss up
to 5 classes without it hurting you.
You
will need to register your clicker to get credit for your answers. Instructions on registration of your iClicker
are simple. Just go to CUConnect,
to your courses tab, and enter your clicker ID where it says to register
clickers. Please do this as soon as you
purchase your clicker.
Buy extra batteries for your clicker now!
Recitation Sections
Besides
the three 50-minute lectures, there is one 50-minute recitation session that
you must attend each week. The
recitation is taught by one of our Learning Assistants (LAs) and will have only
about 20 students per section. During
the recitation, there will be a clicker quiz based upon material from the
previous week, review of important concepts, and a Laboratory Exercise. You are encouraged to bring your questions
and be prepared to discuss topics with the class and the LA. If you have a laptop, please bring it to Recitation.
Class PowerPoint Lecture Notes
Class
PowerPoint presentations will be placed on the Astr 1020 website AFTER each
lecture. The format will be PDF with 6
slides per page and in black & white so you can easily print out the notes. A link to each PowerPoint presentation can be
found in the last segment of this syllabus under the date of the lecture.
Exams: There will be
3 in-class mid-term exams and a Final exam during the semester. These exams will consist of multiple choice
and short answer questions. The lowest
of the three mid-term exams will be dropped.
As a result, no make-up exams will be given.
The
Exams will be closed book. However,
students may bring one sheet of paper (front and back) with notes for each
exam.
Individual
Attendance:
Daily class attendance is expected and is an
individual responsibility. Graded
clicker questions will be given each class and will count for 5% of your
grade. The 5 lowest score clicker
question days will be dropped in calculating this part of your grade.
Fiske
Planetarium
We will conduct five classes this semester at the
Fiske Planetarium (near
Sommers
Bausch Observatory
There will be several optional, extra credit,
opportunities to observe the sky at the campus observatory during the
semester. These sessions will be
designed specifically for our Astr 1020 class.
In addition, the Sommers Bausch Observatory is open every Friday night
at 8:00 pm for public viewings. Details
can be found at http://cosmos.colorado.edu/sbo/.
Religious Observances:
Campus policy regarding religious observances requires
that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who,
because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams,
assignments or required attendance. In
this class, please contact me in advance of the religious observation to make
arrangements. See details at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html.
Sexual Harassment:
The
Classroom Behavior:
Students and faculty each have responsibility for
maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to such
behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Faculty have the professional responsibility
to treat all students with understanding, dignity and respect, to guide
classroom discussion and to set reasonable limits on the manner in which they
and their students express opinions.
Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with
respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture,
religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender variance, and
nationalities. See policies at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html
and at http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code.
Academic
Integrity:
All students
of the
When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting,
or collaboration, consult with me.
Disability
Services:
If
you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a
letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be
addressed. Disability Services
determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact:
303-492-8671, Willard 322, and www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices. Disability Services’ letters for students
with disabilities indicate legally mandated reasonable accommodations. The syllabus statements and answers to
Frequently Asked Questions can be found at www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices.
Grading : Your final grade will be based upon
·
5% on “clicker
questions” asked in class. Clicker
questions will be graded 1 point for any answer and 2
points for the correct answer.
Often, you will be encouraged to discuss the answer with your neighbors
in class before you give it. The main
purpose of these questions is to help you understand what you know and don’t
know, and learn more. And, at least sometimes,
have fun! It has been shown that the use
of clickers raises grades. Your 5 lowest
Clicker score days will be dropped.
·
20% for your
recitation section grade (clicker quizzes and lab exercises).
·
20% on homework
consisting of online tutorials in MasteringAstronomy.
·
30% for mid-term
exams (total of 3 midterms will be given but the lowest will be dropped).
·
25% on the
comprehensive final exam.
·
Up to 3% extra
credit will be available for short class presentations on “Astronomy in the
News”, attendance at observatory or planetarium events, and attendance of special
campus lectures.
Planned Class Schedule (updated
weekly!):
Week 1 – January 14-18, Our Place in the
Universe
· January 14 (click here to get class notes): Welcome to Astr 1020; Course Overview
· January 16: The Scale and History of the Universe
o
· January 18: A Brief Tour & History of the
Universe
o
· MasteringAstronomy
Homework for Week 1:
o
Register
and log-in to Mastering Astronomy (see above for details).
o
Intro to Mastering Astronomy (complete by January 21)
Week 2 – January 21-25, Gravity, Matter, and Light
· January 21:
No class, Martin Luther King, Jr.
· January 23: A Review of Energy & Gravity
o
· January 25: A Review of Light
o
· MasteringAstronomy Homework
for Week 2:
o
Scales of the Universe (complete by January 28)
Week 3 – January 28 – February 1, Light
and Our Sun
· January 28: Review of Light and Matter
o
· January 30: A Close Look at the Sun
o
· February 1: How the Sun Generates Its Energy
o
· MasteringAstronomy Homework
for Week 3:
o
Light and Spectroscopy (due February 4th)
Week 4 – February 4-8, The Sun and Other
Stars
· February 4: Solar Weather & Solar
Hazards (guest lecture by Prof.
o
· February 6: Stellar Brightness and Luminosity
o
· February 8: Distances to Stars – Parallax
o
· MasteringAstronomy Homework
for Week 4:
o
The Sun (due February 11th )
Week 5 – February 11-15, City of Stars
& Stellar Masses
· February 11: Stellar Temperatures
o
· February 13: Binary Stars & Stellar Masses
o
· February 15: Meet at Fiske Planetarium for “City
of
· MasteringAstronomy Homework
for Week 5:
o
The Properties of Stars (due February 18)
Week 6 – February 18-22, HR
Diagram
· February 18: The Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) Diagram
o
· February
20, Exam 1. Answer key here!
· February 22: Stellar Evolution & the HR
Diagram
o
· MasteringAstronomy Homework
for Week 6:
o
The HR Diagram (due February 25)
Week 7 – February 25-29, The
Birth and Lives of Stars
· February 25: Star Birth
o
· February 27: Stellar Evolution
o
· February 29: Supernovae
o
· MasteringAstronomy Homework
for Week 7:
o
Stellar Evolution (due March 3)
Week 8 – March 3-7, Star
Death
· March 3: White Dwarfs
o
· March 5: Neutron Stars and Pulsars
o
· March 7:
Meet at Fiske Planetarium for show on “Dr. Einstein’s Universe”
o
· MasteringAstronomy Homework
for Week 8:
o
Star Death (due March 10)
Week 9 – March 10-14, The
Milky Way Galaxy
· March 10: Anatomy of the Milky Way
o
· March 12: Stellar Motions and Dark Matter in the
Milky Way
o
· March
14: Exam 2 Answer key here!
· MasteringAstronomy Homework
for Week 9:
o
The Milky Way (due Wednesday, March 19)
Week 10 – March 17-21,
Galaxies
· March 17: Spiral Arms & the Galactic Center
o
· March 19: Galaxy Types, Galaxy Clusters, &
Measuring Galaxy Distances
o
· March 21:
Meet at Fiske Planetarium for show on “Hubble’s Expanding Universe”
o
Week 11 – March 24-28,
Spring Break!
Week 12 – March 31 – April
4, Hubble’s Law and Galaxy Evolution
· March 31: Hubble’s Law and Redshifts
o
· April 2: Cosmological Expansion and the Formation
of Galaxies
o
· April 4: Active Galaxies and Quasars
o
· MasteringAstronomy Homework
for Week 12:
o
Galaxies and Hubble’s Law (due April 7)
Week 13 – April 7-11, Dark
Matter
· April 7: Evidence for Dark Matter
o
· April 9: Gravitational Lenses and Large Scale
Structures
o
· April 11:
Meet at Fiske Planetarium for show “Dark Matter & Cosmological
Structure Formation”
o
· MasteringAstronomy Homework
for Week 13:
o
Dark Matter (due April 14)
Week 14 – April 14-18, The
Fate of the Universe
· April 14: Dark Matter and the Fate of the
Universe
o
· April
16: Exam
3. Answer
key here!
· April 18: Dark Energy
o
Week 15 – April 21-25, The
Big Bang & Cosmology
· April 21: The First Few Moments of Creation
o
· April 23: The Cosmic Microwave Background
o
· April 25: Evidence for the Big Bang and Inflation
o
· MasteringAstronomy Homework
for Weeks 15 & 16:
o
The Fate of the Universe (due April 30)
Week 16 – April 28 – May 2,
Lunar Telescopes, Exoplanets & Wrap-up
· April 28: Meet at Fiske Planetarium for show
“Back to the Moon, Back to the Future”
· April 30: New Worlds Observer (guest lecture by Phil Oakley)
o
· MasteringAstronomy Homework
for Weeks 15 & 16:
o
The Fate of the Universe (due April 30)
· May 2: Review for Final Exam. Answer key here!
Final Exam: Monday,
May 5 from 4:30 to 7:00 pm in Duane G1B20.