ASTRONOMY 151 CLASS 2007
(10/23/2007)
In 2007 AS 151 is being taught as a lecture with interludes of small group discussion. There will be a short closed-book quiz each week but no hour-long exams. The final exam is replaced by a short writing assignment to draw the course together for you.
The objective is to provide an overview of astronomy and astrophysics for stars and the universe--all of astronomy except the planets. Each of us gets to appreciate the universe in her or his own way. The instructor and the text tell you how astronomers typically appreciate and understand each topic, and the quiz questions will refer to the astronomers' viewpoint. But bring your own outlook to our examination of the universe we live in.
In the third year of a new experiment, we will skip the usual introductory chapters about mechanics and light as applied to astronomy. We'll briefly cover celestial coordinates, constellations and telescopes. Then we'll have introductory classs about the "Big Bang," the recently discovered "Dark Energy," and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence or "SETI". Then we'll begin studying the Sun, and the stars.
There is an important international conference on Mr. Campbell's research field, the formation of high-mass stars, in Heidelberg during the week of Sept. 10. Because of that, initial coverage of the Big Bang, Dark Energy, and SETI will be PBS NOVA documentaries shown in class. The most important points will be covered in the first quiz.
The text is Astronomy Today by Chaisson and McMillan, Fifth Edition. As we'll see when we start the chapter on the Sun, it is written from an astrophysics point of view. It is unusually well organized, well written, and well illustrated. I couldn't be sure the Sixth Edition would be ready in time, and the Fifth Edition is great. The class notes and the text are your basic sources of information for AS151.
Each week, we will cover about one chapter. You are responsible for reading each chapter, and you should study the REVIEW AND DISCUSSION, CONCEPTUAL SELF TESTS, and a few specific PROBLEMS at the end of each chapter. The style of writing in astronomy is very terse without restatement of ideas or multiple examples. Many students find it helpful to read the text before class and after class: EVERYONE should plan on reading each chapter at least twice.
AS151 Study Guides for each chapter will be posted on the web. They will show sections which we are giving special emphasis to in AS151, and any sections which we are skipping. They will do the same for the REVIEW AND DISCUSSION, CONCEPTUAL SELF TESTS, and identify the PROBLEMS to study.
The chapters covered in AS151 are 1, 5 AND 16 - 26. AS151 does not cover planets.
We will do some simple algebra and numerical calculations in the lectures. Our calculations will be student friendly, even to math phobics, and will be possible to do without a calculator.
Attendance is expected at every class. Unexcused absences are not acceptable. You are responsible for obtaining class notes from other students if you miss class.
During class, a few questions will be raised for short group discussion, and then a group will be called on to describe its conclusions. The groups will be defined by where you sit.
Tutoring is available from the instructor, but you must bring your notes from class when you come for help. In the past, students who have needed and sought help regularly outside of class have always gotten good grades!
Absences from exams will be excused on receipt of a letter explaining the legitimate cause of the absence. Excused exams will not be made up, but your exam average will be calculated from the quizzes you took. Unexcused missed quizzes will count as zero.
LABS
You may take AS151 with or without the labs.
The first lab meets on Wednesday September 19 in the Astrophysics Lab,
Keyes Room 114.
After the first
lab, the next five meet at night.
GRADING
Academic Dishonesty: Reading any part of another student's paper during a quiz regardless of whether or not material is copied onto your paper is a case of academic dishonesty and will be reported to the Department Chair and the Dean of Students following the formal Colby procedure given in the College Catalog. Academic dishonesty on an exam will also result in a minimum penalty of a zero grade for the exam, and possible dismissal from the course with an F. You will be required to sign a statement on your exam that you have neither given nor received information during the exam. You may not leave the room during a quiz or exam.
Each of the 11 quizzes during the semester counts 8.33% and the writing assigmnemt counts as a 12th quiz, also 8.33% of your grade.
For the
quizzes given during the
semester, I will replace your lowest grade with the average of it and your highest
quiz grade.
You are not in competition with each other for grades. Quiz and Final Grades will be curved or scaled only if the grade distribution is low because a quiz was harder than expected, and it will be done so all students grades can only improve due to the curve.
AS 151 CLASS SCHEDULE
(Always Tentative--updated as we go)
Precise coverage of material for each quiz will be announced at the end of the preceding class.
Sept 5 Constellations and Coordinates from Chapter 1
Sept 7
Special short lecture on how telescopes work
Sept 10 NOVA: Origins: Back to the Beginning (The Big Bang)
Sept 12 NOVA: Runaway Universe (Dark Energy)
Sept 14 NOVA: Origins: Where Are the Aliens? (The Search for Extraterrestial Intelligence)
Sept 17 Discussion of NOVA Documentaries; Begin Chapter 16
Sept 19 QUIZ on Special Lectures, Ch 1, & Ch 5, as covered
in lectures, and NOVA Documentaries; Chapter 16
Sept 21 Chapter 16
Sept 24
Chapter 16
Sept 26 Chapter 16: QUIZ
Sept 28 Chapter 16
Oct 1 Chapter 16
Oct 3 Chapter 16: QUIZ
Oct 5 Chapter 16 & 17
Oct 8 Chapter 17
Oct 10 Chapter 17: QUIZ
Oct 12 Chapter 17
Oct 15 Chapter 17
Oct 17 Chapter 17: QUIZ
Oct 19 Chapter 17
Oct 22 Fall Break
Oct 24 Chapter 18
Oct 26 Chapter 18: QUIZ
Oct 29 Chapter 19
Oct 31 Chapter 19 & 20
Nov 2 Chapter 20: QUIZ
Nov 5 Chapter 21
Nov 7 Chapter 21 & 22
Nov 9 Chapter 22: QUIZ
Nov 12 Chapter 22
Nov 14 Chapter 23
Nov 16 Chapter 23: QUIZ
Nov 19 Chapter 23 & 24
Nov 21 Thanksgiving Break
Nov 23 Thanksgiving Break
Nov 26 Chapter 24
Nov 28 Chapter 24
Nov 30 Chapter 25: QUIZ
Dec 3 Chapter 25 & 26
Dec 5 Chapter 26 & Help with Project
Dec 7 QUIZ & Help with Project
Instructor: Murray F. Campbell, Rogers Professor of Physics
318 Mudd Building
Office phone: 859-5863 or 872-3251
Home phone: 453-2676
e-mail: mfcampbe@colby.edu
Office Hours: Best by Appointment; Nominally Tues. - Fri. 3:00-4:00