Astronomy 110: Introduction to Astronomy, Section 03

(Tu/Th 8:55 to 10:10, BX102)

Homepage: http:/astronomy.nmsu.edu/tharriso/ast110

Instructor: Tom Harrison

Office: Astronomy Building, room 103

Office hours: 1 pm to 3 pm Tu/Th, or by appt.

Phone: 646-3628

Email: tharriso@nmsu.edu

TAs:

Roberto Avila, Phone: 646-7724, email: ravila@nmsu.edu, Office: Astronomy 209

Allison Widhalm, Phone: 646-6399, email: widhalm@nmsu.edu, Office: Astronomy 112

Text: "The Cosmic Perspective", 3^rd Edition, Authors: Bennett, Donahue, Schneider & Voit

Objectives: To learn about the Universe, including the planets in our solar system, the types of stars in our Milky Way galaxy, the nature and structure of galaxies, and the origin and history of the Universe. We will discuss the beginnings of astronomy, including the origins and meanings of constellations, as well as the modern history of the science of astronomy. Along the way we will meet the people who contributed to our current understanding of the nature of the Universe.

Attendance: Due to the Tu/Th schedule of this class, attendance is required. If you are unable to attend because of illness or a family emergency, please contact the instructor (phone or email) before class so that allowances can be made for missed quizzes or homework assignments. If the absence is unexcused, no make-up work will be given. If a student has five or more unexcused absences, an automatic withdraw form will be issued. Note that the last date for withdrawing from class (to receive a "W") is March 16^th. The final exam is currently scheduled for Thursday, May 10, 8:00am to 10:00 am.

Student Evaluation:

Mid-Term Exam: 15%

Final Exam: 20%

Laboratory work: 25%

Unannounced quizzes: 15%

Homework exercises: 25%

In order to receive a grade of "S", the student must have a minimum of a "C" grade. Grade scale will be the normal one: 90 and Above = "A", 80 to 90 = "B", 70 to 80 = "C", 60 to 70 = "D", below 60 = "F". Students with a standing grade of 95% or better at the end of the semester will be excused from taking the final exam (this includes all tests, quizzes, homeworks and lab grades). Plagiarism will not be tolerated.

Late/Make-up Assignment policy: Late homework assignments will not be accepted without prior arrangement with the instructor. Make-up quizzes and exams will be arranged for excused absences only.

Lab Class: Note that Astronomy 110 also has a weekly laboratory session associated with the lecture section to help fortify your classroom experience, as well as to give you hands-on experience in some of the techniques of modern astronomy. There are three specific lab sections that are directly associated with this lecture class, they are Astronomy 110 03a, 03b and 03c. You MUST register for and attend one of these sections!

Program Evaluation: Students will be asked to participate in a course evaluation at the end of the semester.

What is General Education Core Curriculum?

This course has been certified as one in New Mexico State University's General Education Core Curriculum (GECC). The GECC attempts to foster intelligent inquiry, abstract logical thinking, critical analysis, and the integration and synthesis of knowledge; it strives for literacy in writing, reading, speaking and listening; it teaches mathematical structures; acquainting students with precise abstract thought about numbers and space; it encourages an understanding of science and scientific inquiry; it provides a historical consciousness, including an understanding of one's own heritage as well as respect for other peoples and cultures; it includes an examination of values and stresses te importance of a carefully considered values system; it fosters an appreciation of the arts; and general education provides the breadth necessary to have a familiarity with the various branches of human understanding.

Special note:

If you have, or believe you have, a disability that you wish to self-identify, you can do so by providing documentation to the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office located in Garcia Annex (646-6840). If you are already registered with the SSD office, and need accommodations, please provide your "Accommodation Memo" from the SSD within the first 2 weeks of class. If you have a condition which may affect your ability to exit from the premises in case of an emergency, you are encouraged to discuss this with your instructor (or SSD Coordinator). If you have general questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) call 646-3333.

Tentative Schedule:

(The instructor reserves the right to alter this schedule as he sees fit!)

January 18: Course overview and introduction. The sizes of things, scientific notation (Ch 1).

January 23: The origin of Astronomy: "Skywatching" (Ch. 3)

January 25: The motion of the Sun and Moon: Days, Months and Years (Ch. 2)

January 30: The motions of planets: the Geocentric (Ptolemaic) System (Ch. 2)

February 1: Phases of the Moon, and Lunar and Solar Eclipses (Ch. 2)

February 6: Copernicus, Kepler and Newton: Understanding planetary motion (Ch 5.)

February 8: Terrestrial planets: the Earth and Moon (Ch. 9)

February 13: Terrestrial planets: Mercury, Venus, and Mars (Ch. 10, and 11)

February 15: Jovian Planets and their moons: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune (Ch. 12)

February 20: Remnants of Rock and Ice: Pluto, Asteroids, and Comets (Ch. 13)

February 22: The Sun-the nearest star (Ch. 15)

February 27: The formation of the solar system (Ch. 9).

March 1: Atomic structure, and processes, the nature of light (Ch. 6.)

March 6: Nuclear fusion: how a star shines; and Parallax. Mid-term review (Ch. 15 and 16)

March 8: Mid-term Exam

March 13: Properties of stars: radii, masses, temperatures, the HR diagram (Ch. 16)

March 15: The lives of stars: "stellar evolution" (Ch. 17)

March 19-23: Spring Break

March 27: The Lives of High Mass stars and the formation of neutron stars and black holes. (Ch. 16 and 17)

March 29: Stellar Endproducts, Stellar groups: clusters of stars, star formation regions (Ch. 17 and 18)

April 3: Stars, the local distance scale, and the size and shape of the Milky Way (Ch. 18 and 19)

April 5: The cosmic distance scale, and the understanding of the "spiral nebulae" (Ch. 19)

April 10: Types of galaxies (Ch. 19 and 20)

April 12: The nature and formation of galaxies (Ch. 20 and 21)

April 17: Clusters of galaxies, and other large scale structure (Ch. 21)

April 19: The expanding Universe. (Ch. 22) Term Paper Due

April 24: The Big Bang model, and the origin of the Universe (Ch. 22),

April 26: The search for life in the Universe: In and beyond the solar system (Ch. 24)

May 1: Life in the Universe and interstellar space travel

May 3: Course review