last updated 10/17/11
Fall 2011
ASTRONOMY 111
Course Syllabus
Text
Astronomy, A Physical Perspective (2/e) by Kutner, published by Cambridge U. Press, available at Water Street Books. (Make sure to check and make corrections from errata pages at: http://www.astronomyaphysicalperspective.com/APP2.corr.28Sep04.pdf). I will also distribute occasional handouts.

Lectures
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 11:20 AM - 12:35 PM in TPL 205

Planetarium Show
During the first few weeks of the term, there will be several shows given in our new planetarium. Signup sheets will be available in class. Be on time; latecomers cannot be admitted.

Orientation to Observing Facilities
Sign up in class to attend one. Sign up in class and meet on the observing deck (4th floor of TPL; take back stairs).
     Monday, Sept. 14: 8:00 PM, 8:30 PM
     Tuesday, Sept. 15: 8:00 PM, 8:30 PM
     Wednesday, Sept. 16: 8:00 PM, 8:30 PM

Indoor Labs
Indoor labs are held regardless of the weather; labs do not meet every week; see the schedule below. You have been assigned by the Registrar to a particular lab section. It is important that, unless you have an academic conflict, you attend your section. All labs are held in TPL 301.

Lab I Electromagnetic Radiation Thu. 9/15, Mon. 9/19
Lab II Spectral Classification & HR Diagrams Mon. 10/3, Thu. 10/6
Lab III Eclipsing Binaries Thu. 10/20, Mon. 10/24
Lab IV After the Supernova Thu. 11/10, Mon. 11/14
Lab V Image Processing Mon. 11/28, Thu. 12/1

Observing
The observing deck atop TPL offers a computer-controlled 24-inch telescope with CCD camera, several other telescopes, and auxiliary equipment. We hope that you will enjoy using and learning from our observing facilities. The observing program itself will be described in a separate handout.

Homework
Problem sets will be assigned about every week, and will be due in class one week later.

Exams and Grading

Hour Exams

  • Thursday, October 13, in class
  • Tuesday, November 22, in classs - Note new date!

Final Exam

  • Thursday, Dec. 15; place TBA
Makeups for hour exams or labs will be scheduled for those who request to be excused beforehand, or for those with excuses from the Infirmary. Makeup or rescheduled final exams can only be given with the prior approval of the Deans' Office.

Grades will be calculated as follows:

  • Hour Exams 20% each (x2 = 40%)
  • Homework 15%
  • Labs and Observing 20%
  • Final Exam 25%

Attendance

Though attendance will not be taken routinely, it is in your interest to attend class regularly. I reserve the right to take your attendance record into consideration when assigning the final grade.

Disabilities Statement

Students with disabilities who may need disability-related classroom accommodations for this course are encouraged to meet with me as soon as possible and to contact the Dean's Office so that the proper arrangements can be made.

Honor System

Students are strongly reminded of the honor system as described in the Student Handbook. No collaboration at all is allowed on exams. Students may work together in small groups on homework, in labs, and for observing; however, all work handed in must represent individual, not group, effort. If you are in any doubt about how the honor system applies to a particular activity in this course, please consult an instructor.

Lecture Topics

Below is a schedule of the topics to be covered. It is very important that you do the assigned reading before the class in which it will be discussed; that way you derive maximum benefit from both reading and lectures.

DATE

TOPIC

CHAPTER

Th. 9/8 Introduction & The Nature of Light 1, 2
Tu. 9/13 Radiation Laws 2
Th. 9/15 Magnitudes, Colors & Distances of Stars 2
Tu. 9/20 Atoms & Light 3
Th. 9/22 Thermodynamics & Spectra 3
Tu. 9/27 Stellar Spectra & the HR Diagram 3
Th. 9/29 NO CLASS: ROSH HASHANAH  
Tu. 10/4 Telescopes & Detectors 4
Th. 10/6 Observatories & Non-Optical Astronomy 4
Tu. 10/11 NO CLASS: FALL READING PERIOD  
Th. 10/13 FIRST HOUR EXAM material through Ch. 4
Tu. 10/18 Binary Stars: Keys to Masses & Sizes 5
Th. 10/20 The Sun 6
Tu. 10/25 Stellar Energy Generation 9
Th. 10/27 Stellar Structure: The Main Sequence 9
Tu. 11/1 The Deaths of Stars Like the Sun: Planetary Nebulae 10
Th. 11/3 White Dwarfs 10 (skip 10.2)
Tu. 11/8 The Deaths of Massive Stars; Cepheids; Supernovae 10.2, 11
Th. 11/10 Neutron Stars & Pulsars 11
Tu. 11/15 Close Binary Evolution 12
Th. 11/17 Clusters and Stellar Populations 13 (skip 13.3)
Tu. 11/22 SECOND HOUR EXAM material through Ch. 12
Th. 11/24 NO CLASS: THANKSGIVING  
Tu. 11/29 Special Relativity 7
Th. 12/1 General Relativity 8
Tu. 12/6 Black Holes 8, 12
Th. 12/8 More Black Holes 8, 12

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