last updated 11/15/17
Text
Astronomy, A Physical Perspective (2/e) by Kutner, published by Cambridge U. Press, available at Water Street Books. (Make sure to check and make corrections from errata pages at: http://www.astronomyaphysicalperspective.com/APP2.corr.28Sep04.pdf). I will also occasionally assign readings available on Glow.
In addition, an online open-source, up-to-date text that I highly recommend as supplemental reading is available here. You can read it online or download the whole (large) text.
Lectures
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 11:20 AM – 12:35 PM in TPL 203
Orientation to Observing Facilities
Sign up in class to attend one. Sign up on the sheets posted outside TPL 203 and meet on the observing deck (4th floor of TPL; take back stairs).
Monday, Sept. 11: 8:00 PM, 8:30 PM
Tuesday, Sept. 12: 8:00 PM, 8:30 PM
Wednesday, Sept. 13: 8:00 PM, 8:30 PM
Indoor Labs
Indoor labs are held regardless of the weather; labs do not meet every week; see the schedule below. You have been assigned by the Registrar to a particular lab section. It is usually possible to switch sections. If you wish to do so, please contact Dr. Souza. All labs are held in TPL 301.
| Lab I | Electromagnetic Radiation | Thu. 9/14, Mon. 9/18 |
| Lab II | Spectral Classification & the HR Diagram | Thu. 9/28, Mon. 10/2 |
| Lab III | Image Processing – RESCHEDULED | Mon. 11/6, Thu. 11/9 |
| Lab IV | Binary Stars | NEW DATES: Thu. 10/26, Mon. 10/30 |
| Lab V | Virtual Sky CANCELLED | |
| Lab VI | After the Supernova | Mon. 11/27, Thu. 11/30 |
Observing
The observing deck atop TPL offers a computer-controlled 24-inch telescope with CCD camera, several other telescopes, and auxiliary equipment. We hope that you will enjoy using and learning from our observing facilities. The observing program itself will be described in a separate handout.
Homework
Problem sets will be assigned roughly every week, and will be due in class approximately one week later. Assignments will be accepted (with a grade penalty) up to one day late; after that no assignments will be accepted for credit.
Workload
In addition to class time, students should expect to spend a minimum of 10 hours per week on this course. This includes time spent on reading, homework, labs, and observing projects.
Exams and Grading
Hour Exam
• Thursday, October 5, in class
The second hour exam has been cancelled; there will be a regular class lecture instead, to minimize missed material.
Final Exam
• Friday, December 15, 9:30 AM; 114 TPL
Makeups for hour exams or labs will be scheduled for those who request to be excused beforehand, or for those with excuses from the Infirmary. Makeup or rescheduled final exams can only be given with the prior approval of the Deans’ Office.
Grades
will be calculated as follows (this has been updated from what was on the original syllabus):
• Hour Exam: 30%
• Homework: 20%
• Labs and Observing: 20%
• Final Exam: 30%
Attendance
Though attendance will not be taken routinely, it is in your interest to attend class regularly. I reserve the right to take your attendance record into consideration when assigning the final grade.
Disabilities Statement
Students with disabilities of any kind who may need disability-related classroom accommodations for this course are encouraged to contact G. L. Wallace, Director of Accessible Education at 597-4978. Also, students experiencing mental or physical health challenges that are significantly affecting their academic work are encouraged to contact me and to speak with a dean. The deans can be reached at 597-4171.
Honor System
Students are strongly reminded of the honor system as described in the Student Handbook. No collaboration at all is allowed on exams. All observing work handed in must be exclusively your own. In labs, students will work in small groups, but each student must turn in his or her own lab write-up. If you are in any doubt about how the honor system applies to a particular activity in this course, please consult an instructor.
Lecture Topics
Below is a schedule of the topics to be covered. It is very important that you do the assigned reading before the class in which it will be discussed; that way you’re prepared for the lecture and can bring up any issues or difficulties with the material. This syllabus has been updated and is the operative schedule.
| DATE | TOPIC | CHAPTER |
| Th. 9/7 | Introduction | 1, 2 |
| Tu. 9/12 | The Nature of Light; Radiation Laws | 2 |
| Th. 9/14 | Magnitudes, Colors & Distances of Stars | 2 |
| Tu. 9/19 | Atoms & Light | 2, 3 |
| Th. 9/21 | NO CLASS: ROSH HASHANA | |
| Tu. 9/26 | Thermodynamics & Spectra; The Doppler Effect | 3, 5.2 |
| Th. 9/28 | Stellar Spectra & the HR Diagram I. | 3 |
| Tu. 10/3 | Stellar Spectra & the HR Diagram II. | 3 |
| Th. 10/5 | FIRST HOUR EXAM | material through Ch. 3 |
| Tu. 10/10 | NO CLASS: FALL READING PERIOD | |
| Th. 10/12 | Telescopes & Observatories: PowerPoint on GLOW | 4 |
| Tu. 10/24 | Binary Stars: Keys to Masses & Sizes | 5 |
| Th. 10/19 | The Sun: PowerPoint on GLOW | 6 |
| Th. 10/26 | Stellar Energy Generation; Stellar Structure | 9 |
| Tu. 10/31 | Star Formation | 9; 15.1-5 (ADVANCED) |
| Th. 11/2 | The Deaths of Stars Like the Sun: Planetary Nebulae | 10 |
| Tu. 11/7 | White Dwarfs | 10 (skip 10.2) |
| Th. 11/9 | The Deaths of Massive Stars I. | 10.2, 11 |
| Tu. 11/14 | The Deaths of Massive Stars II. |
10.2, 11 |
| Th. 11/16 | Neutron Stars & Pulsars | 11 |
| Tu. 11/21 | Special Relativity | 7 |
| Th. 11/23 | NO CLASS: THANKSGIVING | |
| Tu. 11/28 | General Relativity | 8 |
| Th. 11/30 | Black Holes: The Basics | 8, 12 |
| Tu. 12/5 | More on Black Holes; Compact Binaries | 8, 12 |
| Th. 12/7 | Observations of Black Holes |
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