ASTRONOMY 110G - Section 02 - Fall 2007 - Syllabus

Instructor: Dr. Jon Holtzman

Office: Department of Astronomy, Room 202B

Office hours: By appointment, but generally available: immediately after class is a good time

Phone: 646-8181

Email: holtz@nmsu.edu

Web information: http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/holtz/a110

Class time: 11:30-12:20 Monday, Wednesday and Friday, in Biology Annex 102

Lab time: EITHER Monday 12:30-2:30 pm, Monday 2:30-4:30 pm, OR Tuesday 5:30-7:30 pm in Biology Annex 102. You MUST enroll in the lab to pass this class; you should have already registered for one of these lab sections (2A, 2B, or 2C); if not, please do so immediately. Attendance at the lab is MANDATORY.

Campus Observatory: you will need to visit the campus observatory once a month; it will be open several days each week. See attached Observatory information/objects pages; more details will be given in lab.

Teaching Assistants: Jillian Bornak, jbornak@nmsu.edu, Astronomy Room 112, phone 646-6399, office hours TBD and by appointment; Liz Klimek, eklimek@nmsu.edu, Astronomy Room 107, phone 646-4834, office hours TBD and by appointment. Both TAs have mailboxes in Astronomy Room 101.

Textbook/supplementary materials: We will be using an online database of tutorials and problems during this class. You are required to purchase access to this database. This can be done online at
www.masteringastronomy.com. When you purchase access online, you need to click on the book ``The Cosmic Perspective'', and then hit the ''Buy Now'' button; the cost is $27.00. Instructions on using the online database will be given in class/lab, but, for reference, the course ID name is ASTR110FALL07.

I cover the material in my own way, so we will not be exactly following any textbook, and consequently, purchase of a textbook is optional. However, the textbook can be a very useful supplement. If you decide to purchase a textbook, find a used one in the bookstore: any are OK, but ``The Cosmic Perspective'' is a good one that is a companion to the online exercise. Note, however, that the lecture material defines the class, not the book material. If you get a book, read it; I am happy to show anyone what sections correspond to what we are covering. I also have several textbooks that I am willing to loan out for the semester; please come see me. Class notes are available on the class web site.

Lab text: AY 110G Lab Manual, available at Kinkos for about $18. This is required. You must buy the Fall 2007 version.

Grades will be based on:

Quizzes 15%
Homework 10%
Lab reports 30%
Midterm 1 12.5%
Midterm 2 12.5%
Final 20%

There will also be a small amount of extra credit available in the labs, which the TAs will discuss. Most likely, a minimum grade of 50-60% will be required to barely pass the class.

Attendance policy: Attendance at every lecture is highly recommended. This is especially true since we will not be following a specific textbook. Attendance will be taken at each lecture using a signup sheet, and this will be used, in part, to judge interest on the part of each student. The attendance record will be consulted to determine grades for borderline cases. When you come to class, you are expected to be polite with respect to other, e.g., no cell phones or talking in class. Sitting in the back row will only be allowed if all other seats are occupied.

GENERAL INFORMATION AND REQUIREMENTS

$ \bullet$ Laboratory sections meet once a week. You must sign up for one of the Monday or Tuesday sections (2A, 2B, or 2C), and you must attend the same section for the whole semester. Registration in the lab is mandatory; you cannot pass the class if you do not pass the lab requirements. We will drop your two lowest lab grades of the semester, but no make-up labs will be provided. Late lab reports will be accepted only if you received prior approval for turning in a report late, which will be granted only for valid excuses. Specific lab policies for your section are discussed in the attached lab syllabus.

The lab reports are an important part of this class, as they constitute most of the out-of-class writing which is required. Because this course satisfies a general education requirement, writing is an essential component of the course. Consequently, each lab report is required to include a description of the problem that the lab addresses and the techniques used to solve it, and a final discussion summarizing what was learned. It is important that these parts of the labs are written clearly and in good english. Lab reports must be turned in at the beginning of the next lab section; exceptions will only be granted if the TA is approached in advance and if you have a valid excuse. You may collaborate with a partner of your choice in the lab, but every person must hand in their own individually-prepared lab report.

The first lab will meet the week of August 27.

$ \bullet$ Occasional quizzes (every two or three weeks) will be given; I plan to give 4 over the course of the semester. Quizzes will usually be based on lecture material discussed in class since the last exam or quiz. Earlier material may also be included in the quizzes, but generally this will only be done where the earlier material relates to recent material. Your final quiz score will be made up from the highest three individual quiz grades. Arrangements for make-up quizzes can be made if you had a valid excuse for missing a quiz, but these arrangements must be made with the instructor within one week of the original quiz date.

$ \bullet$ There will also be weekly homework assignments using the online database at www.masteringastronomy.com; these are intended to help your understanding and provide additional information for interested students. Only the top five homework grades will count towards the final homework score, so you do not need to do more than this if you don't want to; the more you do, however, the higher your best scores are likely to be, and the additional homework practice and review will likely help your quiz and exam performance.

There are also online tutorials at www.masteringastronomy.com; the relevant tutorials are given in the attached class schedule. These are not for credit, but are likely to help you to develop your understanding of the material.

$ \bullet$ Midterm exams will be given on 10/3 and 11/2 and will be on all the material covered up to those dates. A final exam will be given on Wednesday, 12/12 from 10:30a-12:30p which will cover the entire course, but with emphasis on the last section. These exams will include multiple choice questions, true/false questions, and short answer/problem questions. If for some reason it is impossible to make one of the exams, you must arrange a makeup plan with the instructor before the exam; no makeup exams will be given to anyone notifying me after the exam has already taken place without an exceptional excuse.

$ \bullet$ I strongly encourage oral participation in both classes and labs; this is the best way you can demonstrate your interest and your ability to formulate good questions about the material. I'm also willing to address issues in which you might have special interest. For people with borderline grades, active participation can make a difference in your final grade! What I am looking for here is a demonstration of interest and thought about the material.

$ \bullet$ If you are taking this class S/U, you mush achieve at least a C grade to receive an S.

$ \bullet$ An incomplete in this class will be given only when the student is passing the class and is precluded from successful completion of the course due to circumstances beyond his/her control. These circumstances must have developed after the last day to withdraw for the class (October 16). Appropriate circumstances include documented illness, documented death or crisis in the student's immediate family, or similar circumstances. Job related problems are not appropriate grounds for an incomplete. You must be doing passing work at the time of the request in order to be granted an incomplete.

$ \bullet$ Any student who has not taken the first midterm and missed one or more of the quizzes may be withdrawn automatically on October 15. Tuesday, October 16 is the last date that you can withdraw the class on your own initiative.

$ \bullet$ Plagiarism is a serious offense. It is your responsibility to understand what plagiarism means, to be aware that both intentional and unintentional plagiarism is prohibited, and to be aware that plagiarism extends to material found online. See http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/plagiarismforstudents.htm for more information.

$ \bullet$ Feel free to call Jerry Nevarez, Director of Institutional Equity, at 505-646-3635 with any questions you may have about NMSU's Non-Discrimination Policy and complaints of discrimination, including sexual harassment.

$ \bullet$ Feel free to call Michael Armendariz, Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities, at 505-646-6840 with any questions you may have on student issues related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All medical information will be treated confidentially.

Class / general education goals

This class satisfies the New Mexico general education requirement for a laboratory science. This requirement is designed to help student become competent in the following five areas:

The class is designed to attempt to educate in these areas through examples in astronomy. Of course, we also hope that students come away from the class with increased interest and knowledge in general astronomy!

Many of the core competencies are addressed through the laboratory section, so students are urged to spend some time and effort thinking about the labs and handing in assignments that reflect this thought.

Class outline

The class is split up into four main sections, as listed below. Some of the questions we will address in each section are also given:

  1. Introduction and Overview of the Universe. Why is astronomy interesting and relevant? What is the difference between astronomy and astrology? What are all of the different objects in the Universe, and roughly how far away are they? How do astronomers look back in time? How do astronomical objects move through space? What is the size, shape, and age of the universe?
  2. Motions in the sky: astronomy by eye. How do the Sun and stars appear to move through the sky, and why? Why do we have seasons? How does the Moon appear to move through the sky, and why does the moon have phases? What is an eclipse? How do planets appear to move through the sky, and why? How do we know that the Earth and planets revolve around the Sun? What were the historical steps that led to this knowledge?
  3. The physical basis of astronomy: gravity and light. Why do objects in the Solar System move as they do? How does gravity work? How can we use our understanding of orbits to measure masses of objects in the Universe? What are the masses of different object? What is dark matter and why do we think it is there? What is light, how is it produced, and what can it tell us about the objects that produce it? Why do we use telescopes and how do they work?
  4. The nature of astronomical objects. What is the Solar System and what are the objects that compose it? In what respect are planets similar and different to each other? What are the processes that affect the appearance of planets? How hot is it on the planets, and why? What is the greenhouse effect? How old is the Solar System? What do we know about planets around other stars? How do stars produce light? In what respects are stars similar and different to each other? What are stars made of? How do stars evolve? How old are they?

ASTRONOMY 110G - Section 02 - Fall 2007 - Approximate class schedule

This provides a rough schedule for when we will be covering the different topics. However, my philosophy is to take the time that we need to understand the different issues, and this is more important than sticking to the schedule. So this schedule is likely to be only approximate.

The assignments, except for quizzes and midterms, refer to assignments in www.masteringastronomy.com. Note that these will always be due Friday 5:00. If they are completed late, they will automatically be given reduced credit; if not completed by the following Monday, they will be give no credit at all. However, only the top five homework assignments will be counted towards your final grade; the idea of this is to encourage you to do the assignments if you want to do well; they will also likely help you with the quizzes and midterms. When you do the online assignments, take advantage of the online feedback so that you go away from the problems understanding more, whether you got them correct or not.

Week Subjects On-line tutorials Assignments
8/27-8/31 Introduction: astronomy, science. Astronomy and astrology. Overview: solar system   Introduction to MasteringAstronomy
9/5-9/7 Overview of objects in the Universe: Milky Way galaxy, galaxies. The universe: expansion, age, etc.   Solar System Overview
9/10-9/14 Distances in astronomy; powers of 10. What do we see in the sky, and motions in general. Scales of the Universe Overview of the Universe; Quiz
9/17-9/21 Rotation of Earth. Revolution of Earth and seasons. Revolution of moon, eclipses. Seasons, Phases of the Moon, Eclipses Sky and seasons
9/24-9/28 Motion of planets. History of astronomy. Kepler's laws. Orbits and Kepler's Law Moon; Quiz
10/1-10/5 Motions: definitions and Newton's laws. Law of gravity. Motion and Gravity Motion of Planets/Kepler's laws; Midterm
10/8-10/12 Orbits. Origin of angular momentum in the solar system. Rockets, weightlessness, etc. Gravity as a mass probe, gravity and dark matter. Detecting Dark Matter in Spiral Galaxies Newton's Laws/Gravity
10/15-10/19 Light: spectra and Kirchoff's laws, spectra and astronomical objects. What can we learn from light: continuous spectra. Reddening. Light and Spectroscopy Orbits/Dark matter; Quiz
10/22-10/26 Emission and absorption line spectra. Doppler shift. What can we learn from brightnesses of objects? Doppler Shift, Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram Light
10/29-11/2 The solar system: classes of planets, composition of planetary atmospheres.   Spectra/Doppler shift; Midterm 2
11/5-11/9 Earth, physical processes on planets. Moon; Mercury; Venus, greenhouse effect. Shaping Planetary Surfaces Classes of planets
11/12-11/16 Mars. Outer planets. Origin of solar system.   Terrestrial planets
11/26-11/30 Age of solar system. Extrasolar planets. The sun: nuclear reactions, energy transfer. Observations that support the solar model. Detecting Extrasolar Planets Outer planets/extrasolar planets; Quiz
12/3-12/7 The sun: evolution. Stars: evolution, observations, clusters/HR diagram Stellar Evolution The Sun

ASTRONOMY 110G - Section 02 - Fall 2007 - Lab Schedule

The same labs will be done by all of the lab sections each week. Note, however, that the order for our class and lab sections does not match those of other ASTR110 sections; this is one of the reasons why it is essential that you are registered for one of the lab sections that goes with ASTR110 Section 02, namely 2A, 2B, or 2C.

Week Date Lab# Lab Name
1 8/27 -,1 Introduction to online resources, labs, and campus observatory
3 9/10 13 Mapping the galaxy
4 9/17 14 Galaxy Morphology
5 9/24 8 Measuring distances using parallax
6 10/1 6 Kepler's laws and gravitation II.
7 10/8 7 The Orbit of Mercury
8 10/15 9 Optics
9 10/22 10 The Power of Light: Understanding spectroscopy
10 10/29 12 The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
11 11/5 3 Shaping surfaces in the solar system
12 11/12 4 Introduction to the geology of the terrestrial planets
13 11/26 2 The Surface of the Moon
14 12/3 -  

Please note that the order we do the labs in this class is not the order in which they are arranged in the lab manual. Read the correct lab for each week before you come to lab! This is because the same lab manual is used by other ASTR110 section; since different classes emphasize different things and do things in different orders, there is no single order that is applicable to all classes. For the same reason, there are some labs in the manuals that we will not do at all.

During your first lab, your TA may distribute a more detailed schedule that includes due dates for the labs and various lab projects.

ASTRONOMY 110G - Section 02 - Fall 2007 - Lab Syllabus

Lab Description

Lab is comprised of weekly indoor labs and long-term outdoor labs. The lab sections are taught and run by the TAs; if you have questions about labs or lab policies, consult with them first, but the professor has ultimate responsibility for both class and labs, so feel free to come to him/her if you have any unresolved issues.

Indoor Labs

EXERCISE (65 points): This section is completed in groups. You will work in groups of 3-5 people in the lab to answer questions from lab materials. Then each group will hand in one write-up with names of members included. It is important that the write-up are done neatly; illegible handwriting cannot (and will not) be graded.

SUMMARY: (35 points): This section is to be completed at home on an individual basis. Summaries are to be typed or well-written in black or blue ink. They should be between around 1 page typed (double spaced) or 1-2 pages hand written (double spaced).

Write-ups for both exercise and summary will be due at the beginning of the next lab meeting. Those submitted after that will be considered late.

Outdoor Labs

These are long-term projects that are worth 100-200 points, so you should take them seriously and not wait until they are due.

CAMPUS OBSERVATORY: You must take monthly observations at the campus observatory, i.e. you will need to visit the campus observatory once each month; there will be a TA present during times given below. If you go early in the month, you will likely be able to get done quicker, as there are usually less people present. Also, remember, the weather is unpredictable, so saving thing for the last few nights in a month can be dangerous!

We would like you to go to the observatory and look at several objects that the TA is showing. You should then hand in a written description of the object (color, shape, etc.); in addition, we would like you to look up one fact about each object and write it down along with your object description.

HOME OBSERVING PROJECT(s): Details will be given during lab.

Late Submission

There will be a 10 percent penalty for each day after the due date. No points will be given after a week. If you have a valid excuse (medical reasons, etc.), talk to your TA, but you have to show proof of your claim. Late submission can be handed to your TA in person or dropped in their mailbox.

Participation

As mentioned in the ASTR 110G Lab Syllabus, you are expected to attend all the lab meetings. Attendance will be taken. Note that the TWO lowest indoor lab scores will be dropped. NO outdoor lab scores will be dropped (i.e. home observing project and observatory notebook scores will not be dropped).

Grades

Labs are worth 100 points, Home observing project is worth 200 points, and the three observatory notebooks are worth a combined 200 points. Since your lowest 2 labs will be dropped that means that there is a total of:
100 x 11 labs = 1100 points
200 x 1 home observing project = 200 points
200 x 1 combined observatory notebook (September, October, & November) = 200 points
Total = 1500 points
Lab scores comprise 30% of your total grade in this course.

Miscellaneous

You are expected to read the lab manual before each lab meeting; the labs will make much more sense if you spend a bit of time getting acquainted with them beforehand. Arrive on time. Please turn off cell phones, as they are a huge distraction; if they become a problem your lab instructor may take further action.

Lab Philosophy

The labs are used as tools to aid in the understanding of the concepts explored in the lecture. These concepts are expanded upon by applying them in a practical manner in the classroom and at the campus observatory.

Requirements

You are expected to fulfill the following four general requirements:

  1. ATTEND ALL LAB MEETINGS: There will be NO make up labs. If you know ahead of time that you will miss lab, you can possibly make arrangements with your lab instructor to attend a different lab section that week. Since emergencies and illness do occur, your two lowest lab grades will be dropped.
  2. COMPLETE LAB PROJECTS: All in-class labs are due the next time your lab meets, usually the next week. Keep in mind that each of these labs is worth 100 points which includes a summary at the end that is worth 35 points. There are also outdoor labs that must be completed on your own time outside of class. These are usually long-term projects that are worth 100 or 200 points, so you should take them seriously and not wait until they are due.
  3. PREPARE FOR LAB: To be adequately prepared, you need to read over the lab before coming to class. Your lab instructor may decide to give pop quizzes at the beginning of lab to ensure that the reading is being done.
  4. PARTICIPATE: You are encouraged to ask questions at any point during the lab about anything that is related to the material being covered. Remember, you are in the class to learn about astronomy, not to just finish the labs (or so we like to think). Participating in class is not only a good way to help you learn, but it also helps others in the class.

If you stick to these guidelines, you should do fairly well in the class. If you are lacking in any of these four areas, there are two extra credit labs in the back of your lab manual that you may do, but ask before you do them. If you have questions about an upcoming lab or about one that you have completed, be sure to stop by during office hours.

ASTRONOMY 110G - Section 02 - Fall 2007 - Campus Observatory Information

Location:

The campus observatory is located on Williams Street south of Steward Street, just to the south of the parking lots and in front of (west side of) the track. It is set back from the street somewhat. Look for three dome-shaped buildings.

Requirements:

You are required to observe four objects per month to fulfill your outdoor requirement for the ASTR 110G lab.

Due Dates:

Your observatory notebooks will be due in lab during the week of:

Hours:

Final observatory hours are still TBD and will be posted in class. However, it is likely that the campus observatory will be open Monday and Thursday 8:00-9:00. The first week of observatory will be the first week in September, and the last week will be the last week of November. The observatory will not be open during Thanksgiving Break.

Weather:

Since we have optical telescopes at the campus observatory, we cannot see through clouds or rain. Therefore, if you look up in the sky and cannot see any stars, chances are the telescopes cannot see any either. In such cases, the observatory will be closed for the night. If you are unsure whether the observatory is open or not, you can either check the ASTR 110G homepage through a link at http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/astro/observatory or call the observatory recording at 646-6278. Both of these will be updated about an hour before observatory begins, and again if the observatory closes part way through the night. If you find that either of these has not been updated on time, please inform your lab instructor the next time you see him/her.






NOTE: you cannot make up any missed observations. Come to the observatory early in the month to make sure you get your observations. Unless the observatory is closed due to weather for more than 6 nights in a given month, there will be NO makeup dates!!

ASTR 110G - Section 02 - Fall 2007 - Observatory Objects

The following gives some possibilities of objects for each month; the objects actually used may vary from week to week. For star charts and additional information about objects, see
http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/tharriso/skycharts.html.

September

  1. Alberio ($ \beta$ Cygni) - Double star system in constellation Cygnus
  2. Constellation: Cygnus

October

  1. M11 - Open Star Cluster
  2. M15 - Globular Star Cluster near constellation Pegasus
  3. Constellation: Pegasus

November

  1. M57 (Ring Nebula) - Planetary Nebula in Lyra
  2. M31 - Andromeda, spiral galaxy in constellation Andromeda
  3. Constellation: Andromeda

Possible alternate objects:



Jon Holtzman 2007-08-24