Time to Get Busy How big are we?

ASTR-1010 Planetary Astronomy Day 1

ASTR-1010 – Introduction to Planetary Astronomy Instructor: Dr. J. Allyn Smith Teaching Assistant: Melissa Butner Required Texts: - 21st Century Astronomy: The Solar System, 3rd Edition By Hester, Blumenthal, Smith, Burstein, Greeley & Voss - Lecture Tutorials for Introductory Astronomy – 2 nd Edition By Prather, Slater, Adams, & Brissenden -  This must be NEW! No exceptions. – NOTE: BRING THIS TO CLASS EVERYDAY!!

Optional class ASTR 2010: Problems in Planetary Astronomy Time:Wednesday Location: SSC E118 CRN: credit hour Counts toward astronomy minor Dr. Buckner is the instructor

What we will NOT cover How to not talk about science!

This Class is rated PG13!! Due to unplanned, and/or unintentional occurrence of potentially colorful expressions or actions either during lecture or in accompanying course media it is possible that you could be offended at some time during the semester. Let me start off by apologizing right now should this come to fruition. If you ever feel that you need to make me aware of any such occurrence, please feel free to do so at your convenience outside of class so that appropriate accommodations can be made.

Goals of the course Help you develop: a basic understanding of the central ideas of planetary astronomy and what’s newa basic understanding of the central ideas of planetary astronomy and what’s new an appreciation for the role astronomy has played in shaping the consciousness of the world in the past, at present and what the future holds.an appreciation for the role astronomy has played in shaping the consciousness of the world in the past, at present and what the future holds. a real world perspective for how astronomy is connected to your daily livesa real world perspective for how astronomy is connected to your daily lives the skills and motivation to pursue life long learning and become a valuable member of the workforce and our societythe skills and motivation to pursue life long learning and become a valuable member of the workforce and our society

How to be SPECIAL (in this class)!! Cell Phone calls or Texting in class Non-class use of computers Non Participation Being disruptive or disrespectful –You will be asked to leave for these 4. Leave before class is over Come late to class - often “Lie, Cheat, and Steal” Trust me, you don’t want to be special!!!

So what is going to happen in this course? A look at the SyllabusSyllabus

Minutia Grading: Read the syllabus for details. Exams………………..35% %…A Labs………………… 25%80 – 89% …B Observations………. 10%70 – 79% …C In-class Activities…...15%60 – 69% …D Homework ………….15%< 59% …….F Scores will be posted on D2L as activities are completed. Everything (lecture and lab) will be under the lecture course since I teach them all. Midterm grades: You will get one.

In Class “Colored Card Questions” Active engagement with nearly daily group activities. The card…

Why are we Here? A) I’m really interested in Astronomy and want to consider a career in it. B) It’s a required class for my minor. C) I think it’s an easy science class. D) I want to cast horoscopes. E) I couldn’t get into underwater basket weaving.

Examples of Class Activities Reading Quizzes Daily short “essays” Think pair share questions. Lecture Tutorials BRING THIS TO CLASS EVERY DAY!! Failure to bring to class will result in paying $1 for a one-time copy or being asked to leave. ClassAction Simulations and questionsClassAction

4 X 5 Card Question Write (print) your Name LEGIBLY Your major/minor Why you’re taking ASTR-1010 Any astronomy background What you hope to get from the class ========================= You MUST bring the card to my office to turn it in, no later than Wednesday, before class time. It is to be handed to me, not put in my mail box.

SmartWorks On-line Homework: Click on 21 st Century textbook site BLUMEN849 (case sensitive) –Access comes with a new textbook. –If you bought a used text book, you must purchase a separate access package. Issues with the site: Contact the Smartworks help desk.

HOMEWORK (already) SmartWork Chapter 1: Due Tuesday Sept. 7. Get to it. This tests whether your code works or not. Chapter 1 lets you practice with the system. Homework Chapter 2: Due ?? Beginning with chapter 2, you better read the text and THINK before you blindly answer questions. Begin moon observations ASAP … you’ll need them in ~4 weeks.

Course Announcements Observing nights and Virtual Observations Labs are posted on-line. It is your responsibility to print it our prior to coming to the laboratory. Clarksville Astronomy Club meeting 7:30pm in the Sears Planetarium (E wing, this building) Read Chapter 1 & 2 by Thursday (Sept. 2)

Phases of the Moon Lab Start observations of the moon ASAP. Record the date, time, angle from the sun and amount of illumination.

Moon Phase Observation Form 1.Record how much of the moon you see by shading in the small circle 2.Record date and time 3.Record exactly what it was that you measured 4.Record the angle you measured

What if the sun is below the horizon? Measure angle of moon from western horizon (or 180° - angle of moon from eastern horizon) Record date, time and amount of illumination Go to website and look up time of sunset Sun & Moon Rise & Set Times Calculate how far the sun is below the western horizon by subtracting the sunset time from the observing time (as a decimal) and then multiplying the result by 15° Add the angle of the moon from the western horizon to the angle of the sun below the western horizon to get angle between sun and moon

What if the moon is on one side of the sky and the sun is on the other side of the sky? Measure angle of the moon from western horizon Measure angle of sun from eastern horizon Subtract the two measurements from 180 ° to get the angle from the moon to the sun. In this case the moon is west of the sun. This will work moderately well until the two are close enough to measure directly.

How do you know which way is east or west? Where’s the horizon? College Street runs east/west direction towards sunrise (east) or sunset (west) compass (car or hand held) Horizon is along your arm held straight out from your side if you are standing straight up

This is Cute

Who Am I?

How I Got Here

APSU Facilities “on Campus”

APSU “WIYN 0.9m”

CTIO Projects

Why Study Astronomy?

Concepts Scale - # 1 ClassAction SiteScale

Our Place in the Universe Stockli, Nelson, Hasler Goddard Space Flight Center/NASA Earth is a small planet…

… orbiting a medium-sized star … NASA/SOHO/ESA

… in a galaxy of 100 billion stars … NASA/ESA/ STScI/Science Photo Library/Photo Researchers

… which is one of billions of galaxies … NASA/ESA/S. Beckwith (STScI) and the HUDF Team in a universe that is 13.7 billion years old.

Compared to the universe, the Earth is less than a grain of sand on a beach