Astronomy 105G:

Lab Section M03: Tuesdays 2:30 - 4:30 pm
Lab Section M04: Tuesdays 4:30 - 6:30 pm

Lab Instructor: Jacqueline McCleary
Office: Astronomy 109
Contact Information: 646-5816, mccleary [at] nmsu.edu
Office Hours: Monday 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm (or by appointment)

Hello all! My name is Jacqueline, and I'm the lab instructor for sections M03 and M04 of your astronomy class. Our labs meet Tuesdays from 2:30 to 4:30 pm and from 4:30 to 6:30 in WH302. A schedule of the labs for this semester appears below, and the lab manual may be found here.

Our labs have the following structure: I start with a brief lecture on the week's experiment. We progress to the experiment: you and your group follow instructions and fill out the "group work" section of the lab. Your group turns in the "group work" portion of the lab with everyone's name on it. You work on your take-home portion ALONE after lab (depending on the lab, these may be either typed summaries or more workbook-style questions). You turn in your take-home portion to me the next week. Easy!

My office is in the Astronomy Building, just across the parking lot from your classroom in the Biology Annex. Got questions about lab or class? Come visit me!

Because it's best for all of us if you see this up front, here are my laboratory policies:

  • Attendance at all labs is MANDATORY. No make-up labs may be scheduled. I'll be taking attendance, and you even get some credit for it, so show up!
  • Late labs WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
  • Non-typed lab summaries WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
  • If you know in advance that you will be missing a lab, talk to me beforehand
  • Our lab meets at 2:30 pm. Not 2:35 pm, not 2:45 pm, but 2:30 pm. Please bear this in mind as you plan your day.
  • Read the manual on the week's lab BEFORE we meet. Seriously. I reserve the right to administer quizzes at the beginning of class.
  • A scientific calculator is a good idea. Your cellphone's piddly little one will probably not be enough.
  • You'll be working in groups during the lab, so please make sure everyone's name is on the group work you turn in to me after lab.
  • UNITS: do not write a number down in your lab without writing down the appropriate units as well. Seriously.
  • Your take-home questions are due one week after the experiment. Contact me in advance if you know that you will have issues turning them in on time. Please do your own work on these! On the topic...
  • PLAGIARISM: just say no! Copying someone's work without giving due credit is cheating. Not only will plagiarism garner you (and whoever you may have copied from) a zero on the lab, I will very happily refer you to Dr. McAteer and you may be subject to disciplinary action by the University. Do your own work!

    Schedule

    Week
    		 Lab Name
    Week of...
    1
    		 Experiment # 1: Tools for Success
    01/17
    6
    		 Experiment # 8: Density (Exp. # 1 due)
    01/24
    11
    		 Experiment # 7: Scale Model of the Solar System (Exp. # 7 due)
    01/31
    11
    		 Experiment # 3: Phases of the Moon (Exp. # 7 due)
    02/07
    2
    		 Experiment # 2: The Origin of the Seasons (Exp. # 3 due)
    02/14
    4
    		 Experiment # 6: The Orbit of Mercury (Exp. # 2 due)
    02/21
    5
    		 Experiment # 5: Kepler's Laws (Exp. # 6 due)
    02/28
    8
    		 Experiment # 9: Estimating Earth's Density (Exp. # 5 due)
    03/07
    7
    		 Experiment # 12: Surface of the Moon (Exp. # 9 due)
    03/14
    14
    		 No Lab; Have a Good Spring Break!
    03/21
    9
    		 Experiment # 15: Surface Water on Mars (Exp. #12 due)
    03/28
    10
    		 Experiment # 16: Heat Loss from Io (Exp. # 16 due)
    04/04
    12
    		 Experiment # 17: Building a Comet (Exp. #16 due)
    04/11
    13
    		 Experiment # 19: The Sun (Exp. # 17 due)
    04/18
    15
    		 Review for Final Exam (Exp. # 19 due)
    04/25

    Pre-Lab Lectures
    (ppt links to a Powerpoint 2008 version of the lecture, pdf is a pdf version)

    Tools for Success: ppt pdf
    Density: pdf
    (no Scale Model of the Solar System lecture)
    Phases of the Moon: ppt pdf
    The Origin of the Seasons: ppt pdf
    The Orbit of Mercury: ppt
    Estimating Earth's Density: ppt pdf
    The Surface of the Moon: ppt
    Surface Water Flow Features on Mars: ppt
    Heat Loss from Io: ppt
    Building a Comet: ppt

    Discover the Cosmos! See the Astronomy Picture of the Day!

    Interesting Links

    For Lab 1: Powers of Ten
    For Labs 2 and 3: Comparing Masses of Planets
    For Surface Water Flow Features on Mars: Liquid water found on Mars!!!
    For "Building a Comet" Lab: Stardust finds building block of life in comet Wild 2

    Because it's cool: Sixty Symbols