SPRING 2005
ASTR 1040: Accelerated General Astronomy II: Stars and Galaxies
Lectures Tuesday-Thursday, 11:00 A.M. - 12:15 P.M.
Recitations: Wednesdays 1:00 - 1:50 and 2:00 - 2:50 P.M.
Classroom location:
Lectures in Duane G-131
Recitations in the Sommers Bausch Observatory classroom
T. P. Snow (tsnow@casa.colorado.edu)
Office: Duane Physics, Room C-332
Phone: (303) 492-7669
Office hours:
Monday 2:30-4:00
Thursday 1:30-3:00
Quyen Hart (Quyen.Hart@Colorado.EDU)
Office: Duane Physics, Room C-327
Phone: (303) 492-6857
Office Hours:
Mondays, 1:00 - 2:30
Tuesdays, 3:30 - 5:00
Astronomy Today, 5th Edition, by Chaisson and Macmillan (Prentice Hall)
Lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus a one-hour recitation section on Wednesday, for 4 credits total. The lecture section will include required homeworks and two mid-term tests.
The url is cygnus.colorado.edu (from any campus computer, just type "cygnus"). The web site will include schedule information, a more detailed syllabus, lecture summaries (not detailed outlines!), homework and test information, and astronomy news updates.
Each student in the class must be registered for one of the two recitation sections. The weekly recitation sessions will include a variety of activities, such as review talks and Q&A sessions on material covered in lecture; lab experiments or demonstrations; nighttime observing sessions, and on-line computer-based interactive activities. There will be required assignments. Attendance and class participation at recitations is required, and participation will be a factor in grading.
Final grades will have four equal components: (1) homework assigned in lecture; (2) two one-hour tests given in the lecture class; (3) recitation work; and (4) the final exam. Each will count for 25 percent of the total grade. The final letter grades will be based on a curve, so what matters the most is how you do relative to the rest of the class.
The last day of class is April 28; the final exam will be on Saturday, April 30, from 10:30 to 1:00. Be sure to be here for the exam! There will be no excuses for early departures, even if your parents buy you an airline ticket! Other schedule details will be listed unser the Schedule button on the class web site.
Every student should be aware of the following University services and policies:
Honor Code: The University has an Honor Code which describes student and instructor responsibilities with regard to academic dishonesty such as cheating on tests or homeworks or plagiarism. While we faculty are encouraged to require every student to sign the Honor Code on every test and assignment, I am not planning to do that, with the understanding that all students in the class are aware of the Code and the consequences of violating it. Students who are found to be in violoation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions, including such things as probation, suspension, or expulsion. I am required to follow the prescribed procedures if I encounnter any academic dishonesty, which generally require that I report what I find to the Honor Council for adjudication. For more information, consult the Honor Code web site.
Disability services: If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit a letter to me from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. The Office of Disability Services determines accommodations base don documented disabilities. Contact: 303 492-8671 or the Office of Disabilities web site.
Schedule conflict with religious observances: While rare as far as I know for this semester, I am willing to accommodate any schedule conflicts that may arise due to religious observances. Please advise me as soon as possible of any foreseeable such conflicts. More information can be found on the CU's faculty policies web site .
Sexual harrassment: The CU policy on sexual harassment applies to all students, staff, and faculty. Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual attention, which can involve intimidation, threats, coercion, or promises that create an environment that is hostile or offensive. While I do not expect to encounter any problems in the classroom or the recitations, you all need to be aware that harassment can occur anywhere, even in social situations, and is prohibited, with substantial sanctions for violations. For more on CU's sexual harassment policies, go to the Office of Sexual Harrassment web site.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED*
Laws of motion, orbits** (Chapter 2)
Properties of light and spectra** (Chapters 3 and 4)
Telescopes** (Chapter 5)
An overview of stars and the galaxy (no single chapter)
The Sun (Chapter 16)
Observations of stars (Chapter 17)
Basic properties of stars (Chapter 17)
Stellar structure (not covered in the text!)
Observations of stellar evolution (Chapters 19 and 20)
Life stories of stars (Chapter 20)
Stellar remnants (Chapters 20, 21, and 22)
The Milky Way galaxy (Chapter 23)
The interstellar medium (Chapters 18 and 23)
Properties and distribution of galaxies (Chapter 25)
Active galaxies and quasars (Chapter 25)
Large scale structure and cosmology (Chapters 26 and 27)
* Note that the topical coverage listed here is NOT in the same order as the chapters in the assigned textbook. We will do a little jumping back and forth.
** These topics were also covered in the ASTR 1010 and 1030 classes, and will therefore be treated very briefly in this course.
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