ASTRONOMY 101

Astronomy 101, Fall 2011

COURSE OUTLINE AND SYLLABUS

Reading: Please do all assigned reading before the class in which it will be discussed; that way, you derive maximum benefit from reading and lectures. Check

http://www.williams.edu/astronomy/ for the syllabus and

http://astronomy.brookscole.com/cosmos3 & http://tinyurl.com/3xt2ttl for the textbook's aids.

Prof. Pasachoff's chapter-by-chapter podcasts are at feed://drm.williams.edu/cdm4/pcpod/feeder.php?id=COSMOS

date topic reading

R 9/8 Introduction Cosmos Ch 1

T 9/13 Light and the Spectrum Cosmos Ch 2

R 9/15 Observatories Cosmos Ch 3

T 9/20 Space Telescopes Cosmos Ch 3

R 9/22 Observing the Sky Cosmos Ch 4

T 9/27 History of Astronomy through Tycho Cosmos Ch 5

R 9/29 History of Astronomy through Newton Cosmos Ch 5

T 10/4 Stars and their Spectra (Dr. Souza) Cosmos Ch 11

R 10/6 First Hour Exam (through Ch 5)

T 10/11 Fall reading period; no class

R 10/13 The Quiet and Active Sun Cosmos Ch 10

T 10/18 The Sun from Eclipses and Satellites Cosmos Ch 10

R 10/20 Stars and their Spectra; H-R Diagrams Cosmos Ch 11

T 10/25 Double and Variable Stars; Clusters Cosmos Ch 11

R 10/27 Stellar Energy Cosmos Ch 12

T 11/1 Solar Neutrinos Cosmos Ch 12

R 11/3 Red Giants and White Dwarfs Cosmos Ch 13

T 11/8 Planetary Nebulae Cosmos Ch 13

R 11/10 Death of Stars Like the Sun Cosmos Ch 13

T 11/15 Neutrino Experiment; Supernovae Cosmos Ch 13

R 11/17 Pulsars Cosmos Ch 13

T 11/22 Second Hour Exam

R 11/24 Thanksgiving; no class

T 11/29 film: 400 Years of the Telescope www.400years.org (review assigned)

R 12/1 Black Holes Cosmos Ch 14

T 12/6 Black Holes inside and outside our Galaxy Cosmos Ch 14

R 12/8 The Transit of Venus: Last One Until 2117

December 10—13, Saturday through Tuesday, Reading Period

Final Exam to be self scheduled during Wednesday-Monday, December 14-19