| GENERAL ASTRONOMY: | ASTR 1120, Section 2 (3 credit hours) Spring 2005 |
| Stars and Galaxies | Mon Wed Fri 10:00-10:50am Duane G1B20 |
| Wed Jan 26; Fri Feb 25; Wed Apr 6 Fiske Planetarium |
| Lecturer: | Prof. Juri TOOMRE (office: JILA Tower A-606,
phone (303) 492-7854) Office hours: Mon, Wed 11:15am-noon, Thur 2:00-3:45pm; or flexibly by appointment (phone or e-mail): jtoomre@solarz.colorado.edu |
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| Teaching Assistant: | Ben BROWN (TA office: Duane E-122,
phone (303) 492-7851 or -5010) Office hours: Wed 1:00-3:00pm, Thur noon-2:00pm; or flexibly by appointment: bpbrown@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. There will be opportunities to look at deep-sky objects through telescopes, and to study the skies with planetarium projectors. | ||
| Prerequisites: | No formal prerequisites. ASTR 1120 and 1110 (or 1010) may be taken in either order to satisfy core curriculum requirement in natural science. We will make extensive use of simple algebra and scientific notation. | ||
| Textbook & Notes: | Cosmic Perspective, 3rd ed, Bennett, Donahue, Schneider & Voit, 2004 (required). The course makes extensive use of additional web-based material, and of announcements, that are accessible from the course home page at http://zeus.colorado.edu/astr1120-toomre. Copies of lecture slides serving as notes will be web-posted after each lecture. Many assignments will use the extra resources provided by the textbook web site at http://www.astronomyplace.com. You must establish a personal login to that site using an authentication code (can be used only once) supplied with your copy of the book (or buy one from that site if you are sharing a book). Further, register with our class on that site, using the class ID of `cm228574' , since only then will your work on assignments there count for credit. | ||
| Clickers: | Personal "clickers" (infrared response devices) are required for you to be able register your answers to various questions and discussions posed in the lectures. If you don't already have one, go to the bookstore and buy a clicker. A new one will cost you about $30, but you get a mail-in refund coupon worth $25 when buying a new copy of the textbook. You must register your clicker for our course. To do this, go to http://capa.colorado.edu/cgi-bin/RegisterAFS and follow the instructions there. | ||
| Course Timing: | The course covers Chapters 1-3, 5-7, 15-24, and S2-S4 in Cosmic Perspective, 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 16 |
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| 3 | Relativity (Space/Time/Gravity), Degeneracy White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, Black Holes Our Milky Way Galaxy |
Chaps S2, S3, S4, S5 |
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| 4 | Other Galaxies, Hubble Law Galaxy Evolution, Quasars, Active Galaxies |
Chap 20 |
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| 5 | Dark Matter, Large-Scale Structure Cosmology: Creation and Fate of Universe Extraterrestrial Life and Travel |
Chap 22 Chap 23 Chap S4 |
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| Exams & Grading: | Your final grade will be based on three in-class mid-term exams counting 45% overall (40 minutes each, closed book and closed notes), the homework problem sets to be turned in counting 20%, and the final exam (comprehensive in content) counting 25% (2 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 will count for 10%. Regular attendance at lectures is essential. Exam Dates: Exam 1: Fri Feb 11, Exam 2: Fri Mar 11, Exam 3: Fri Apr 15, Final Exam (Comprehensive): Tues May 3, 1:30pm-4:00pm. Each of the in-class exams will consist of a mixture of multiple-choice, true-false, short answer or brief essay 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! Reviewing: Review problem sets will be handed out in class (and posted on website) about one week before each in-class exam, to help organize your own thinking about the material within each grouping of topics. There will also be optional evening review sessions before each exam and before the final. Grades: We shall grade all exams on a curve, with an average class grade of 2.7 to 2.8 (out of 4.0). |
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| Observatory Nights: | Eight nights are scheduled throughout the semester at Sommers-Bausch observatory so that you may look at deep-sky objects. These sessions are by signup to avoid crowding. Daytime solar observing will be available during `solar weeks' to be announced. You will need to turn in a clear written account of the observing to receive extra credit. Dates: 1: Thur Jan 13; 2: Thur Jan 20; 3: Mon Feb 7; 4: Tues Feb 22; 5: Mon Feb 28; 6: Mon Mar 14; 7: Wed Apr 6; and 8: Thur Apr 21. |
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| Planetarium: | The class meets in Fiske Planetarium Theater on three occasions -- Wed Jan 26, Fri Feb 25 and Wed Apr 6 -- instead of in Duane G1B20. Go directly to Fiske on those days. Please do not arrive late, because that will interfere with other people's adaptation to the dark. | ||
| Individual Help: | Juri Toomre and Ben Brown are available during their office hours for discussion and individual help, and you are urged to come see us. We are happy to talk about anything concerning this course or generally about astronomy or this university. If the listed office hours present a difficulty for you, we are pleased to make other appointments with you--just phone us, use e-mail, or make arrangements before or after class. We wish to be available to discuss anything that interests you or may be puzzling you. (If you feel a bit lost, come see us promptly). Students with disabilities who may need academic accommodation should discuss options with us during the first two weeks of classes. |
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Version 10 Jan 2005