Astronomy 51: Introduction to Astronomy

Fall term 2008, Instructor: Francis Wilkin

tentative Syllabus | Labs | Astronomy Interactives | APOD | Union College Observatory

There will be two midterm exams: Friday Oct 3 and Friday Oct 24 (in class)

Final exam date: Thurs, Nov 20, 2:30pm

Announcements:

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This is a lab course (with Gen Ed credit) for which you must be present at,
and perform all the labs for your section, including turning in the lab homework/report.
The lab will be conducted by Professor Wilkin.
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Note: Fall schedule weeks officially begin on a tuesday.
So weeks below go from wednesday to monday.
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Week 8:
Mon: 11/3: Possibly Quiz 5
Fri 10/31: Happy Halloween! Neutron Stars and Black Holes
Wed 10/29: Planetarium trip!!!!
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Week 7:
Mon 10/22: No lights! Class cancelled, makeup evening of Nov 13 Astrobiology lecture
Fri 10/24: Exam 2
Wed 10/22: Neutron Stars
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Week 6:
Mon 10/20: Quiz 4 on Ch 12. Begin Ch 13, White Dwarfs
Fri 10/17: Evolution of massive stars
Wed 10/15: Evolution of the Sun; CNO cycle
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Week 5:
Mon 10/13: Quiz on Ch 11; begin ch 12 - pre-main sequence and protostars
Fri 10/10: Finish Chapter 11. Study for quiz monday!
Thurs Oct 9: clear skies, lab 3 !
No lab Wednesday Oct 8
Wed 10/8: Continue ch 11 the stars, read 11.3
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Week 4:
Mon 10/6: Begin ch 11, the Stars (Read 11.1 and 11.2)
Fri 10/3: First in class exam. Covers Ch 1,4,5, part of 10,
as well as lab-related parts of chapters 2,3
Wed 10/1: Continue Ch 10 The Sun
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Week 3:
Mon 9/29:Finish Ch 4, begin ch 10 The Sun
Fri 9/26:Continue Ch 4.
Wed 9/24: Quiz 2 on Ch 5
Continue Ch 4: Newton's laws, forms of Energy, Gravitational force
Tues 9/23: Physics & Astronomy picnic, noon in grass near Steinmetz Hall
Tues 9/23: 7pm Breazzano house: science lab discussion (free snacks)
LOOKING UP: THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS) is visible several times this week.
See the heavens-above website for predictions (email link sent)
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Week 2:
Mon 9/22: Doppler shift, finish Ch 5.
See Doppler Shift interactive of Arny's web page (see above for link)
Motion, gravity, energy: begin chapter 4
Study for quiz 2 wednesday.
Fri 9/19 Atoms and electron energy levels, spectra.
Finish reading chapter 5. Quiz next monday on ch 5. (Postponed to wednesday)
Fri 9/19: 8pm-9:30 Observatory Open House, Olin 301 upstairs
Wed 9/17: Light; Read chapter 5
Week 1:
LOOKING UP: VENUS IS LOW IN THE SOUTHWEST AT ABOUT 7:30PM.
JUPITER IS VERY BRIGHT AND LOW IN THE SOUTH THROUGHOUT THE EVENING
Monday 9/15: Telescopes, continued. Light. Read Chapter 3.
Note: Chapters 2 and 3 are relevant to lab, but will not be discussed at length in lecture.
Prepare for a quiz on Wednesday (Chapter 1)
Friday 9/12 Lookback time, more on distance scales. Telescopes. Star & Planet Finders.
Homework:Read Chapter 2 and Section 5.3 (Telescopes) to prepare for next week's labs.
Practice using the Star & Planet Finder.
Wednesday 9/10: Class begins. Setting the scales, the importance of distance. Powers of ten.
Please read chapter 1 and answer questions at the end of the chapter.
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What's up in the sky now? Check Sky & Telescopehere.

Do not look at the sun with your spectroscope!!!! It does not provide protection.
If you want to know the sun's spectrum, you can simply look at blue sky,
far away from the sun, or look at the moon at night, which reflects the sun's spectrum.
Is the spectrum of blue sky continous?

Note on outdoor labs: We will be at a place that's pretty windy, so dress warm!
Bring whatever you think is enough, then grab an EXTRA sweater, you may need it!!!
Don't forget to bring your star and planet locator for outdoor labs.

Check out the spectacular Astronomy Picture of the Day!