Astronomy 100: Perspectives in Astronomy

Lecture 2, Fall 2008

Syllabus

Subject to change: watch for announcements on the class web page. Please report any errors to the instructor.

Instructor: J. B. Kaler
208 Astronomy Bldg.
Phone: 333-9382.
email: kaler@astro.uiuc.edu
Kaler home page: http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/
Department of Astronomy home page: http://www.astro.uiuc.edu
Class page: http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/astr100.html
Skylights: http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/skylights.html

Teaching Assistant: Nachiketa Chakraborty
132 Astronomy Bldg.
Phone: 244-5469
email: nchakra3@astro.uiuc.edu
Text: Kaler, Discovering the Essential Universe, 3rd ed., Neil F. Commins, W. H. Freeman, New York, 2006.

Office hours

Instructor: Generally available M-F 1-4 PM; Tu-Th 9-12 AM.

Assistant hours: Monday 4-5 PM, Thursday 2:30-3:30 PM.

Course Requirements

Reading of text and web assignments, weekly homeworks, three activities (see below), two hour exams, and a comprehensive final.

Exams: Hour exams: Wednesday, October 1, and Wednesday, November 12.
Final Exam: Thursday, December 18, 8-10 AM (2 hours).

Reading: The course structure will closely follow the order of the text; readings and topic lists will be assigned as we proceed.

Activities (explained below):

1. A session at Staerkel Planetarium at Parkland College;
2. One nighttime observing session at the Observatory on the Quad;
3. An observing session to view the Sun;
Each project will require a require a report, also explained below.

Grading

The final grade will be weighted as follows:

Homework (20%)
Activities (30%)
Hour exams (25%)
Final (25%)

Letter grades will be assigned as follows: 85-100% A, 75-84% B, 60- 74% C, 50-59% D, less than 50% F. Average numerical grades will be rounded to the nearest whole number (that is, 84.5 becomes 85 and an A, 84.4 becomes 84 and a B). Plus-minus grading will not be used.

Homework

Multiple-choice homeworks will be assigned on the class Web page each Wednesday except for the weeks in which we have hour exams. All homeworks will be due in class the following Wednesday (except for exam weeks and the last week of class, when they will be due the following Monday), at which time the answers will be posted on the Web page. The exception is the last homework, which will be ungraded, and will be for practice only. Scantron forms will be passed out in class. The lowest of the 11 assigned homeworks will be dropped, that is, only your top 10 will count.

Activities

The three activities are meant to be enjoyable learning experiences (and, I hope, fun). All involve some kind of observing and an appreciation the sky.

1. Planetarium session. You are to attend ONE planetarium session, which will be held at Staerkel Planetarium at Parkland College (on Bradley Avenue in Champaign). Sessions will start at 7 PM. Please sign up for a show on the Planetarium Session page. A charge of $3.00 must be paid at the planetarium upon entrance. A map and bus schedule are available on the web page. Seating is limited, so GO EARLY. A FULL-PAGE (minimum) report, which is to include ONE DRAWING (of whatever you wish) and a well-written single-spaced (standard font and margin) descriptive paragraph of at least half a page is to be handed in within a week after the show. The grade will be based on accuracy, neatness, writing quality, and originality.

2. Nighttime observing. You are to go to ONE nighttime observing session at the Observatory on the Quad at times given on the Night Session Observing page. There are three stations to attend: the large telescope in the dome, one with smaller telescopes in back of the Observatory, and a constellation session that will also be held in back. Observing should take half an hour to an hour to complete. Use the entrance opposite Smith Music Hall. Sessions will be held ONLY IF THE SKY IS CLEAR and will be canceled if the sky clouds up or if the temperature is below 20 degrees F. Sessions are unheated, so dress warmly. If we have a sufficient number of clear nights, we will not schedule rain dates, so GO AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. A full-page report, which must include a drawing of ONE object observed and a well-written single-spaced descriptive paragraph of a least half a page is to be handed in a within a week after your session. Grading criteria will be the same as for the planetarium session.

3. Solar observing. Daytime sessions to view the Sun will be held at the Observatory at times given on the Solar Observing Session page. It will take you about 30 minutes to examine the Sun and to hear a presentation from the TA on duty. A full page report, which must include a drawing of the Sun and a well written single-spaced descriptive paragraph of at least half a page, is to be handed in a within a week after your session. Grading criteria will be the same as for the planetarium session.

The three reports constitute 30 percent of your grade; take them seriously, remembering that "A" stands for "excellent." Minimal work will result in a minimal grade. The reports must be typed and readable. Pages torn from a notebook will not be accepted. Please STAPLE multiple pages.

Exams

The hour exams will each consist of 50 multiple choice questions.

Final exam: The two-hour final exam will be comprehensive and will consist of 100 multiple choice questions. It must be taken at the stated time unless a makeup is required by University regulation.

Class Procedures

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: Your grade depends on knowing the following

The course will be administered through the class web page. You are responsible for knowing what is there. Be sure to check it frequently for announcements and reading assignments. Announcements will be placed at the top of the page.

Reading: It is important that you read the assignment before the subject is covered in class so that you can get the most out of the lecture. All reading assignments, along with lists of important topics, will be posted on the class Web page.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the copying of the work of others to present as your own. It is unacceptable. You may not use the work of anyone else, in whole or in part, for your reports, whether found in books, magazines, or on the web. Reports that copy the work of others, even in part, will receive a grade of zero. Your work and reports must be in your own words and may also not repeat the work of others in the class.

Final words: There is no substitute for coming to class. The lecture will instruct, will clear up misconceptions, and I hope amuse. Ask questions before, during, or after class, or in office hours. We are here to help. The homeworks are meant to guide you in learning and in helping with the exams; take them seriously. You alone are responsible for handing in work. Check the class web page at regular intervals for announcements, readings, and homeworks. Learn a lot, have fun, and take something away with you.