1. Astronomy Section 3

2. Astronomy 1001: Exploring the Universe Section 3, Fall semester 2016
Section 3, Fall semester 2016
Prof. Roberta M. Humphreys, McNamara Suite 160, Office 146-1, tel
Lectures: 2:30 – 3:45 am Mon., Wed. West Bank Skyway 20.
Office hours: by appointment
-- I will usually be in class at least 5 minutes before lecture and can stay afterwards for
several minutes. These are good times to take care of most questions.
For routine questions about course material and labs, please ask a TA first (see below).
Warning: Don’t rely on for important or urgent
questions. The inflow rate has become far too large.
TA office hours, Hours will be posted on the doors outside lab rooms.

3. 1. Labs are quite separate from the lectures.
Textbook: Recommended Book – Discovering the Essential Universe by Neil Comins.
Any recently published introductory astronomy text however will be satisfactory. I recommend
used and paperback copies for the best price.
Note that exams are based on my lectures. So attend class and take notes. The textbook is useful for studying and review.
Web page for Ast
Book for the lab exercises: Astronomy 1001/1011H Laboratory Manual , a local
production available in the university bookstore.
Concerning the lab part of this course:
  Labs are quite separate from the lectures.
2. Get a copy of the Astronomy H Laboratory Manual , at the
university bookstore. Since this book is a local production, other stores won’t have it.
  Important: Part of the lab course is an “observational project” concerning the Moon.
Read about it and start observing the Moon as soon as possible! If you fall behind
in this project, there honestly is no way to catch up.
(Note that the Moon is FULL on Sept 17 and will be visible in the east at sunset. )
4. A schedule for lab activities is appended to this syllabus.

4. Grading: Officially we use the following recipe for final scores and grades.
First mid-semester exam … pts.16%
Second exam … %
Final exam … %
12 labs … %
Observational project … %
However, in effect the exams are even more important than these score-numbers indicate, for a statistical reason that will be mentioned in class.
Grading will be based on a “modified curve”. Anyone earning 90% or better will earn an A- or higher. 50% is required to pass (D or better) and 60% for a C- or better. If you’re taking the course S/N, then a grade of ‘S’ will mean “C- or better (60%).
Note: Furthermore, to get a passing grade you must earn 50% of the lab points (120/240) and 50% of the Obs. project points (70/140) and take all 3 exams.
Exam dates: Dates for the two mid-semester exams have not been finalized yet but they will most likely be Oct 19 but could be the week after, when I have finished the solar system and the week of Nov 21, when I have finished lecturing on stars. The correct dates will be announced in class at least a week in advance. In each case the rooms used for the exam will be announced in class.
The final will be given ; Mon. Dec 19, 1:30 – 3:30 pm, room TBD

5. Academic standards: The CLA and CSE scholastic conduct and classroom procedures will be followed. You are responsible for knowing these, see the university website. Students are welcome to work together, exchange ideas, etc. But for the Observational Project you must do your own measurements and calculations.
Exam procedures: Room assignments for the exams will be announced beforehand in class, Bring two pencils and a photo ID to each exam! Exams may include multiple-choice, short- answer, and essay questions. If you miss an exam, see the professor.
All makeups are given on the same day. Date, time and place to be determined. Exam scores will be posted by your course and ID# on the web. If you feel there’s a mistake on the multiple-choice part of an exam, please see the secretary in the astronomy department office, Fraser Questions about essay questions should be directed to the professor.
Environmental theme: This course satisfies the “environmental theme” specified on the university website. It introduces students to a wide range of topics, including physical principles and not just astronomy. One goal is to show the Earth in a broad context with a unique perspective on our home planet and its environment in the universe. In this course we’ll see how science views and interprets the physical world around us.

6. Ast 1001 Section 1 Professor Humphreys
Outline of Lectures
powerpoints will be posted at
Week Dates Topic(s) Text
Sept 12, Introduction Ch 1
Historical Perspective Ch. 2
Sept 19, Appearance of the Night Sky, Motions of Ch.1, 2
the Earth and Moon
Sept 26, Light, optics and telescopes Ch. 3 pg 50-78
Formation of Solar System, Extrasolar planets Ch.4, 5
Friday Sept pm Moon Obs. Due (3 obs
Oct 3, Terrestrial planets Ch. 6
Oct 10, Jovian Planets and their satellites Ch. 7
Minor and dwarf planets, comets, meteors Ch. 8
Oct 17, Role of Impacts Ch. 8
First Exam Oct 19 ??

7. Friday Oct 21 5pm Moon Obs. Due (6 new, 9 total)
Oct 24, The atom and spectroscopy Ch. 3, pg 79-92
The Sun as a Star Ch. 9
Oct 31, Nov Properties of the stars Ch. 10
Nov 7, Star formation, Stellar Evolution Ch. 11
  Nov 14, Star Death - white dwarfs, supernovae, Ch. 12
neutron stars, black holes
Second exam week of Nov 21
  Nov 21, Second Exam ?, Milky Way Ch. 13
Wed. Nov 23 Moon Project 15 obs. + Final Report due 5 pm
Nov 28, Normal Galaxies Ch. 13
Dec 5, Galaxies and the distance – redshift relation Ch. 13
Dec 12, Origin, evolution, and fate of the Universe Ch 14
Life in the Universe Ch. 15
  FINAL EXAM Sect 3 Mon Dec 19, 1:30 – 3:30 pm, room TBD

8. Lab Schedule for Ast 1001 Fall 2015 :
Week 1 – Sept 6-9
No Labs
Week 2 – Sept 12-16
Lab A
Observing the Moon
Week 3 – Sept 19-23
Lab B
Astronomical Distances
(Sept 23 Moon Project part 1 due)
Week 4 – Sept 26-30
Lab C
Kepler's Laws
Week 5 – Oct 3-7
Lab D
Telescopes
Week 6 – Oct 10-14
Lab E
Impacts from Space
Week 7 – Oct 17-21
Lab F
Extraterrestrial Life
(Oct 21 Moon Project part 2 due)
Week 8 – Oct 24-28
Lab G
Energy Flows
Week 9 – Oct 31-Nov4
Lab H
Atomic Spectroscopy
Week 10 – Nov 7-11
Lab I
HR-Diagram
Week 11 – Nov 14-18
Lab J
History of Matter
Week 12 – Nov 21-25
Thanksgiving
(Nov 23 Final Moon Project Due)
Week 13– Nov 28-Dec 2
Lab K
Expansion of the Universe
Week 14 – Dec 5-9
Lab L
Dark Matter
Week 15 – Dec 12

9. Astronomy -- the study of the stars
The Sun and solar system

10. The Stars -- their birth and death

11. Galaxies and the Universe

12. In Astronomy we are concerned with origins and endings ---
Your concepts of space and time will be altered.
Time = Ages
Earth, Sun and Solar System x 109 yrs
Solar Lifetime x 109 yrs
Age of Galaxy (oldest stars) ~ 12 x 109 yrs
Age of Universe (expansion age) ~ 13 x 109 yrs
Space = Distances
Earth – Moon ,400 km ( 240,000 mi)
Earth – Sun x 106 km ( 93 million miles)
Solar System (to Pluto) x 109 km (3.7 billion miles)
Nearest Star light years ( ~ 41 x 1012 km )
Center of Galaxy ,000 light years ( 256 x 1015 km)
Andromeda Galaxy x 106 light yrs ( 22 x 1018 km )