ASTR 1210: Introduction to the Sky and the Solar System

Semester
Fall
Year offered
2013

This class provides are non-mathematical introduction to:  the night sky; the history of astronomy through Newton; the Solar System, including the Sun, Earth, Moon, planets, meteors and comets; the origin and evolution of the Solar System; life in the universe.; and recent results from space missions and ground-based telescopes.  It satisfies 3 credits of the General Education Science Area Requirement, or the New Curriculum Chemical, Mathematical, & Physical Universe or Science & Society Disciplines Requirement.

This is a website from the last time I taught this class, and will be updated before I teach it again.

Syllabus

Text:  The Cosmic Perspective, 6th Edition, by Bennett, Donahue, Schneider & Voit, published by Pearson Higher Education, ISBN 0-321-63360-0

Lectures:

Date Topic(s) Lecture Notes Reading HW
Wed Aug 28 Lecture 1:
Class Organization
The Mystery of Gamma-Ray Bursts
Introduction pp. xxiv-xxviii  
Fri Aug 30 Lecture 2:
It's a Big Universe
Large Numbers
Mercury Messenger
-->It's a Big Universe
Chapter 1 through 1.2  
Mon Sep 02 Lecture 3:
Tour of the Universe
Tour of the Universe Chapter 1.2 to end
Wed Sep 04 Lecture 4:
The Night Sky
The Night Sky Chapter 2 to 2.1  
Fri Sep 06 Lecture 5:
Motions in the Night Sky
Motions in the Night Sky Chapter S1 through S1.1  
Mon Sep 02 Lecture 3:
Tour of the Universe
Tour of the Universe Chapter 1.2 to end
Wed Sep 04 Lecture 4:
The Night Sky
The Night Sky Chapter 2 to 2.1  
Fri Sep 06 Lecture 5:
Motions in the Night Sky
Motions in the Night Sky Chapter S1 through S1.1  
Mon Sep 02 Lecture 3:
Tour of the Universe
Tour of the Universe Chapter 1.2 to end
Wed Sep 04 Lecture 4:
The Night Sky
The Night Sky Chapter 2 to 2.1  
Fri Sep 06 Lecture 5:
Motions in the Night Sky
Motions in the Night Sky Chapter S1 through S1.1  
Mon Sep 09 Lecture 6:
The Reason for Seasons
The Reason for Seasons Chapter 2.2
Wed Sep 11 Lecture 7:
Precession
Motions of the Moon
Precession and Motions of the Moon Chapter 2.3  
Fri Sep 13 Lecture 8:
Motions of the Moon (Cont.)
Solar Eclipses
Motions of the Moon and Eclipses Chapter 2.3  
Fri Sep 13 Lecture 8:
Motions of the Moon (Cont.)
Solar Eclipses
Motions of the Moon and Eclipses Chapter 2.3  
Mon Sep 16 Lecture 9:
Eclipses (Cont.)
Eclipses (Continued) Chapter S1.2
Wed Sep 18 Lecture 10:
The Calendar
Constellations
Archaeoastronomy
Calendar, Constellations, & Archaeoastronomy Chapter S1.3 to end  
Fri Sep 20 Lecture 11:
Ancient Greek Astronomy
Ancient Greek Astronomy Chapter 3 to 3.2  
Mon Sep 23 Lecture 12:
Motions of the Planets
Motions of the Planets Chapter 2.4 to end
Wed Sep 25 Lecture 13:
Renaissance Astronomy
Copernicus and Galileo
Renaissance Astronomy Chapter 3.3  
Fri Sep 27 Lecture 14:
Renaissance Astronomy
Brahe and Kepler
Renaissance Astronomy 2 Chapter 3.4 to end  
Mon Sep 30 Lecture 15:
Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motions
Newton's Laws of Motion and Gravity
Newton's Laws of Motion and Gravity Chapter 4 through 4.2
Wed Oct 02 Lecture 16:
Newton's Laws of Motion and Gravity 2
Newton's Laws of Motion and Gravity 2 Chapter 4.3  
Fri Oct 04 Lecture 17:
Space Travel
Satellite Orbits
Space Travel and Satellite Orbits Chapter 4.4  
Fri Oct 04 End of Lectures for Test #1      
Mon Oct 07 Lecture 18:
Tides
Tides Chapter 4.5 to end
Wed Oct 09 Test #1      
Fri Oct 11 Lecture 19:
Atoms and Light
Atoms and Light Chapter 5 to 5.3  
Mon Oct 14 Fall Break      
Wed Oct 16 Lecture 20:
Light
Light Chapter 5.4 to end
Fri Oct 18 Lecture 21:
Light & Telescopes
Light & Telescopes Chapter 6  
Mon Oct 21 Lecture 22:
Telescopes
Telescopes Chapter 14
Wed Oct 23 Lecture 23:
The Sun
The Sun Chapter 7  
Fri Oct 25 Lecture 24:
The Sun (cont.)
Solar System Overview
Sun and Solar System Overview Chapter 7  
Mon Oct 28 Lecture 25:
Solar System Overview (Cont.)
Solar System Overview (Cont.) Chapter 8
Wed Oct 30 Lecture 26:
Solar System Overview\br
Solar System Origin\br
Solar System Overview and Origin Chapters 8  
Fri Nov 01 Lecture 27:
Solar System Origin\br
Origin of Solar System Chapter 13  
Mon Nov 04 Lecture 28:
Exoplanets
Exoplanets Chapter 9.1
Wed Nov 06 Lecture 29:
Earth: Geology
Earth: Geology Chapter 9.2  
Fri Nov 08 Lecture 30:
Earth's Geology
Earth's Magnetic Field
Earth: Geology and Magnetic Field Chapter 9.6  
      End of Lectures for Test #2      
Mon Nov 11 Lecture 31:
Earth's Magnetic Field
Earth's Atmosphere
Earth's Magnetic Field & Atmosphere Chapter 9.3-9.5 No homework this week
Wed Nov 13 Test #2      
Fri Nov 15 Lecture 32:
Weather on the Earth
The Moon
Earth's Weather & The Moon Moon: Formation & Mercury --> Chapter 10.1-10.2  
Mon Nov 18 Lecture 33:
Moon: Formation
Mercury
Moon and Mercury Chapter 10.6
Wed Nov 20 Lecture 34:
Mercury
Venus
Mercury and Venus Chapters 9.3-9.5  
Fri Nov 22 Lecture 35:
Mars
Mars Chapters 10.3-10.5, 11.1  
Mon Nov 25 Lecture 36:
Jupiter
Saturn
Jupiter and Saturn Chapter 11.2-11.3
Wed Nov 27 Thanksgiving Break      
Fri Nov 29 Thanksgiving Break      
Mon Dec 02 Lecture 37:
Saturn
Outer Solar System
Saturn & Outer Solar System Chapters 12.1-12.3  
Wed Dec 04 Lecture 38:
Comets
Asteroids
Meteors
Meteorites
Comets, Asteroids, Meteor, & Meteorites Chapter 12.4  
Thu Dec 05
Last Homework Due at Midnight
Last Day for Night Labs
   
Fri Dec 06 Lecture 39:
Impacts
Impacts & Extinctions Chapter 24 (optional)  
Fri Dec 06 Final Exam Review
3-4 pm
Clark 107 (classroom)
Impacts & Extinctions -->Final Exam Review    
Wed Dec 11 Final Exam, 9 am - noon