| ACCEL INTRO ASTRONOMY 2: | ASTR 1040, Section 010 (4 credit hours) Spring 2020 |
| Stars & Galaxies | Tues Thur 11:00am-12:15pm in Duane G-130 + weekly recitations |
| Lecturer: | Prof. Juri TOOMRE (office: Duane G-328,
in Lab Computational Dynamics (LCD), phone (303) 492-8730) Office hours: Tues, Thur 1:00pm-2:00pm; or flexibly by appointment (phone or e-mail): jtoomre@solarz.colorado.edu |
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| Teaching Assistant: |
Max WEINER (office in Astronomy Help Room (AHR): Duane D-142)
Office hours: Thur 3:00pm-5:00pm; or by e-mail appointment: max.weiner@colorado.edu Daniel SEGA (office in AHR: Duane D-142) Office hours: Tues 3:00pm-5:00pm; or by e-mail appointment: daniel.sega@colorado.edu |
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| Course Description: | The course is concerned primarily with astronomy beyond the solar system. We start by reviewing the properties of light and atoms, and discuss how telescopes and spacecraft are used to observe astronomical objects. We turn then to the Sun as a typical star, concentrating next on other stars and their evolution, how stars are initially formed out of the interstellar matter, and what happens to stars late in their lives (white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes). We will also study the vast grouping of stars into galaxies, the properties of spiral and elliptical galaxies, and exotic objects like quasars. Cosmology and the early universe will then be considered, concluding with exobiology (life elsewhere). Methods of scientific research in astronomy will be emphasized throughout the course. We will look at deep-sky objects through telescopes, and study the skies with planetarium projectors. Course includes a significant amount of quantitative analysis invoking math and physics. There are five weekly recitation sections of 50 min each taught by Max Weiner in Duane D-318 on Tues at 3pm (sec 011) and on Wed in Duane D-142 at noon (sec 013); and by Daniel Sega on Wed at 10am (sec 015), at 11am (sec 012) and at 1pm (sec 014), all in Duane D-142. You are registered for one of these and attendance is required. | ||
| Prerequisites: | ASTR 1030 and Calculus I (or equivalent). | ||
| Textbook & Notes: | Cosmic Perspective, 9th ed, Bennett, Donahue, Schneider & Voit, 2020 (required). The course makes extensive use of additional web-based material, and of announcements, that are accessible from the course Canvas site and the primary home page at http://zeus.colorado.edu/astr1040-toomre. Copies of lecture slides serving as notes will be web-posted after each lecture at the home page. Many assignments will use the extra resources provided by (Modified) Mastering Astronomy (or MMA) tied into the textbook via the course Canvas site. You must establish a personal login to MMA using a new authentication code supplied with our special pink sheet; your login from ASTR 1030 should be recognized, but the new code is needed to allow you access to MMA. You must register with our class on MMA, using the class ID of `ASTR1040TOOMRE2020', since only then will your work on assignments there count for credit. | ||
| Clickers: | Personal "i-clickers" (radio-frequency response devices) are required for you to be able answers various questions and discussions posed in the lectures and recitations. Please register your i-clicker with the myCUinfo site if you have not already done so. | ||
| Course Timing: | The course briefly reviews Chapters 1-6, and then turns in detail to Chapters 14-23, and S2-S4 in Cosmic Perspective (9th ed), plus considerable additional material in lectures. The topics are grouped as: |
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| 1 | Perspective and Astronomy Matter and Energy, Light/Atoms, Telescopes Our Star the Sun |
Chaps 1, 2, 3 |
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| 2 | Properties of Stars, H-R Diagram, Binaries Lives of Stars (Birth, Main Seq, Red Giants) |
Chap 15 |
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| 3 | Relativity (Space/Time/Gravity), Degeneracy White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, Black Holes Our Milky Way Galaxy |
Chaps S2, S3, S4 |
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| 4 | Other Galaxies, Hubble Law Galaxy Evolution, Quasars, Active Galaxies |
Chap 20 |
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| 5 | Cosmology: Big Bang Start of Universe, Its Evolution Dark Matter, Dark Energy, Fate of Universe Life in the Universe | Chap 22 Chap 23 Chap 24 |
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| Exams & Grading: | Your final grade will be based on three in-class mid-term exams counting 45% overall (50 minutes each, closed book and closed notes, plus reminder sheet), the homework problem sets to be turned in counting 20%, and the final exam (comprehensive in content) counting 25% (2.5 hours, closed book and closed notes). All exams and the final will be based on the required readings from Cosmic Perspective and on the content of the lectures. The clicker in-class responses and discussion contributions, plus observing reports, will count for 10%. Regular attendance at both lectures and recitations is essential and required. Collaborative group work is encouraged.
Exam Dates: (all in Duane G-130) Exam 1: Thur Feb 13; Exam 2:
Thur Mar 12; Exam 3: Thur Apr 16; Final Exam (Comprehensive):
Wed May 06, 4:30pm-7:00pm.
Each in-class exam will consist of a mixture of
multiple-choice, true-false, and essay and quantitative analysis questions. You
are expected to take all three in-class exams; unexcused absences count
as an `F'. Absences will be excused only for a very good reason (such
as a verifiable illness or emergency), and only when confirmed in
writing not later than one week after the absence. There
will be no makeup exams!
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| Observatory Nights: | Eight nights are scheduled throughout the semester at Sommers-Bausch observatory so that you can work on projects centered on deep-sky objects. Dates: 1: Thur Jan 30; 2: Thur Feb 06; 3: Wed Feb 19; 4: Tues Feb 25; 5: Tues Mar 03; 6: Tues Mar 10; 7: Wed Apr 01; 8: Mon Apr 20. We will use sign up sheets for each night. |
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| Planetarium: | The class meets in Fiske Planetarium Theater on three occasions instead of in Duane G-130. Thus go directly to Fiske on Dates: 1: Thur Jan 30, 2: Thur Mar 05 and 3: Thur Apr 09. Please do not arrive late, because that will interfere with other people's adaptation to the dark. | ||
| Accessibilty: | Any student with Accessibility Requirements involving communication or exams should talk to the instructor early in semester to request and arrange suitable accommodations. | ||