FALL 2006
ASTRONOMY 111
Line Number:
Class Web Page: http://starrfield111.asu.edu
INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY I:
Discovering the Solar System
INSTRUCTOR: Regents’ Professor Sumner Starrfield, Ph.D.
OFFICE: PSF 250
LECTURES: MWF 9:40 to 10:30 IN ROOM PSH-153
OFFICE HOURS: MWF 10:40- 11:30 IN PSF 250 (AND BY APPOINTMENT <-- PREFERRED)
(THE DOOR WILL BE CLOSED-PLEASE KNOCK!)
TELEPHONE: 965-3561 OR 965-7569 (Please --> DO NOT CALL ME AT HOME!)
E-MAIL: starrfield@asu.edu (I answer E-MAIL so use this method to contact me)
http://clasdean.la.asu.edu/news/nova.htm
http://skyandtelescope.com/news/article_1147_1.asp
TEXTBOOK: FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY: Michael A. Seeds
NINTH EDITION-2007. Thomson Brooks-Cole Publishing.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is an introductory survey of modern astronomy and our understanding of the Sun, Planets, and astronomical tools necessary to understand the properties of the Solar System. It is designed for both non-science and science students. The only pre-requisite is a knowledge of basic high school arithmetic and algebra. We cover about half of the textbook this semester, the other half is covered in AST 112. AST 111 and AST 112 are designed to be separate courses and it is possible to take one without the other. We will follow the outline of the textbook rather closely but outside reading is encouraged. Note that the text has many good discussion and review questions and you are encouraged to study them since I may use some of them for exam questions. In addition, articles and notes in Scientific American, Sky and Telescope, Astronomy, ... often provide interesting and fruitful supplements to our text. They are available in the Noble Library. You will be responsible for all the assigned reading, even if the material is not covered in class.
I will hand-out a set of math and science questions. These questions are given to you to indicate if you have the skills necessary to work the problems given in class. If you cannot do many of the questions in this handout, I strongly suggest that you see me before continuing with the class. The answer key will be posted on a bulletin board on the second floor of this building. You will receive 2 exam points for turning it in with your name on it.
HONORS CREDIT:
If you are in the Honors College, I encourage you to take this class for Honors Credit as a Afootnote 18" class. I will expect additional work. You must see me if you are interested in doing this so we can agree on what will be necessary to obtain this credit.
EXAMS:
There will be three (3) one hour exams during the semester each worth 50 points (50 questions worth one point apiece). Absence from an exam will result in a score of zero. I drop the lowest score among the three one hour exams so that there will be no make-up exam. I cover material during the class that is not in the textbook. I will, therefore, examine you on material that is not in the textbook. If this concerns you, I remind you that there is an attendance requirement for all classes at ASU. I do not take roll and satisfy the requirement by this method.
The final exam is a two (2) hour exam and will be given on Monday December 12, 2005 from 7:40am to 9:20am. Everyone must take the final. Do NOT make airline reservations for any time before our final exam - there will be no early finals. The final exam is divided into two parts: one part covering the last quarter of the course and a second comprehensive part covering the entire course; it will be worth a total of 100 points.
All the exams are machine scored, multiple choice and are open book and open notes. You must bring a picture ID to each exam and be prepared to show it upon demand.
EXERCISES:
From time to time during the semester, I will hand out one page sheets with questions that require short answers. Most of them will involve going to the URL for an astronomy site (such as Astronomy Picture of the Day: see below) and answering the questions that I have posed. Each sheet will be worth 2 Exam points and I expect to hand out about 10 of these --more or less. I may also use some of the questions on these sheets as questions on the exams. They will be due the next class period and the questions must be answered on the sheets that I have handed out. No copies and no late sheets will be accepted. These are not Extra credit but a required part of the course.
FINAL GRADE
I will make up the grades by totaling the number of exam plus exercise points accumulated during the semester. I will construct a curve based on the person with the largest number of points. I cannot tell how many points will be necessary for a particular letter grade but would guess that about 170 are necessary for an A, about 150 for a B, and about 120 for a C. These numbers are only approximate.
COMMON COURTESY:
A few A common courtesy rules apply to this class.
(1) Show up on time.
(2) Please do not leave class early and rustle papers in preparation for leaving before class is dismissed.
(3) Try to stay awake - putting your head down on the desk and going to sleep is very distracting.
(4) Don't read newspapers in class - I can see you and it is rude.
(5) Turn off your Cell Phones and Pagers!
THE WWW ASTRONOMY LINK OF LINKS: Brought to you by Sky and Telescope Magazine;
http://skyandtelescope.com/resources/internet/ (From here you can go just about anywhere)
Also look at the Astronomy Picture of the Day: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
Schedule of Chapters (rough order - subject to change by announcement in class):
Week Chapters Subject Matter
1 Appendix A and 1 Units, Astronomical Data and the Scale of the Cosmos
2 2 The Night Sky
3 3 and 4 Cycles of the Moon and Origin of Modern Astronomy
4 5 Newton and Gravity
5 and 6 6 and 7 Light and Telescopes and Starlight and Atoms
7 19 Origin of the Solar System
8 20 The Earth
9 21 The Moon and Mercury
10 8 The Sun as a Star
11 22 Venus and Mars
12 23 Jupiter and Saturn
13 24 Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Sedna, ...
14 25 Meteorites, Asteroids, Comets
15 26 Life on Other Worlds (maybe)