Syllabus: Introduction to Astronomy (20797)

Syllabus Webpage:http://relevantscience.blogspot.com/  From January 22, to May 17, 2013 Midterm: 03/29/2013 Final: 05/10/2013 These exams are similar to weekly quizzes. Term Paper Deadline: 05/17/2013 Rubric: Class participation        20% Term Paper & Quizzes 20% Midterm                          20% Final                                20% Homework                      20% Topic for Term Paper Book Report on "The Universe Within", by Neil Shubin Apart from  five pages for this report, I expect to see a write-up from each class, i.e., I want to see your class notes. Course Topics: 1. The scale of the universe 2. The night sky and stellar observations 3. Cycles of the moon and sun 4. Archeoastronomy 5. Origins of modern astronomy; including the Copernican Revolution, Brahe, Kepler, Newton, and Einstein 6. Tools of astronomy; including light, radiation, and telescopes (ground, and space based) 7. Stellar evolution; including nebulae, and HR diagrams 8. Life and death of stars; including processes, and types, such as main sequence, variable stars, supernovae, white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes 9. Galaxies; including Hubble classification, AGN, and quasars 10. The solar system; its origin, inner planets, outer planets, asteroids, comets, KBOs 11. Cosmology; including Big Bang, Hubble equation, and current theories 12. Life in the universe Calendar: Chapter Date 1,2 1/25 3 2/1 4 2/8 5 2/15 6 2/22 7 3/1 8 3/8 9 3/15 10 3/29 11 4/5 12 4/12 13 4/19 14 4/26 15 5/3 16 5/10 17,18 5/10 Grading Criteria:  Final grade: Exams 40% ( 2 x 20% each), Homework assignments 20%, In-class work 20%, Term paper and quizzes 20%. A: (>90%) Outstanding performance in of the subject. Achievement of superior quality. B: (80-89%) Consistent performance beyond the usual requirement of the course. Achievement of high quality. C: (70-79%) Performance of a satisfactory nature; 'average' grade. D: (60-69%) Minimally acceptable performance. F: (≤60%) Achievement  at a level insufficient to demonstrate understanding of the basic elements of the course. I: Incompletes will be granted only to students in good standing under extreme circumstances. W: Instructor will only withdraw a student from this class due to disruptive conduct.  Cases of plagiarism will be given a score of 0, with possible referral to the Student Conduct Board. Expectations: Conduct yourself in all manners as an adult in a formal education environment; including assuming responsibility for your choices and actions (i.e., see make-up policy), adhering to proper classroom etiquette, and conforming to academic policies and deadlines. Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. You are prepared for each class discussion, including pre-class reading from the text. Students must obtain changes that are announced in class; it is your responsibility to seek for this new information. Ask questions, even the 'dumb' ones! Complete the assigned reading before class (remember 3 hours / credit per week!) You should consult me promptly if you are struggling or consistently receive failing grades in the class. Make Up Policy: Make-up homework and exams will be granted only if you contact me BEFORE the   due date, and may only be for valid reasons such as emergencies or severe illness and if you can provide written verification. The validity of these reasons is at the discretion of the instructor. The following are NOT valid reasons for a make-up exam: vacations, oversleeping, forgetting, car troubles (mechanical or logistical). Missing exams or assignments can seriously affect affect your grade. If you are granted a make-up exam, your grade may be reduced. Term Paper and Homework: As I told you during the first lecture, I want a write-up of what you understood in the lecture. I prefer you post it online, I recommend the Google service I am using right now. It is called Blogger, register in http://www.blogger.com . Each write-up should have an introduction, development, and conclusion. If you do not do it electronically, I am expecting a paper copy in class when we meet. The sum total of your notes will be in a term paper. Whichever way you do it, I do not want copy and paste. If I find out, that your term paper was ripped off from a classmate, or other sources, I will subtract points appropriately. You will write a mandatory five-page term paper on the book "The Universe Within", by Neil Shubin, due on the date noted on the class schedule. It is strongly recommended that you begin the paper early! A brief introductory abstract should summarize the contents to follow and the main focus of the paper is on the science content. More details will be provided in class. Class Schedule and Attendance: Be sure to do the textbook readings before the corresponding lecture so that you can ask any questions during the lecture. You are given 1 week to complete assignments, after the due date, you will lose points at 10% per day. Remember, in-class assignments cannot be made up and only ONE late assignment will be accepted for the entire course. Attendance/Classroom Policy: A passing grade is not possible without regular attendance and participation. Successful completion of in-class assignments is vital to your grade. Note that in-class assignments CANNOT BE MADE UP. At least one-half of all homework assignments must be completed or you may fail. In the event that your final grade is borderline, regular excellent class participation may make a difference. Students whose conduct disrupts the class will be asked to leave; repeated offenses will result in withdrawal from the class. Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to: 1. Apply scientific and mathematical reasoning to interpret observed phenomena. 2. Demonstrate a familiarity with the basic vocabulary and concepts in modern astronomy. 3. Describe the fundamental ideas of archeoastronomy. 4. Describe the motions of celestial bodies (moon, planets, stars) in the night sky. 5. Describe the electromagnetic spectrum, and its importance and use in astronomy. 6. Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental concepts used in modern astronomy including gravity, ground-and-space - based telescopes, and spectroscopy. 7. Describe the birth and structure of the solar system, including the Sun, the Terrestrial, and Jovian planets, the Asteroid and Kuiper Belts, and the Oort Cloud. 8. Describe the properties of and the birth, evolution, and death of stars, including types and processes. 9. Describe the properties and types of galaxies including dark matter. 10. Describe the current thoughts on dark energy, cosmology and extraterrestrial life.

Textbook: Essential Cosmic Perspective by Jeffrey Bennett, et al.