Astronomy 105: Solar System Astronomy

Professor: Leslie Brown
Office: 210 Olin Science Center
Mail box: 5361
Phone: 439-2345
e-mail:lfbro@conncoll.edu

Office Hours: T, Th 3:45-5:30 pm

Required Books & Supplies: Universe: The Solar System by R. Freedman and W. Kaufmann, the Astronomy 105 lab manual, star wheel, flashlight

Class Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-3:45 pm in Olin 111. See the course syllabus for lecture topics and text assignments.

Lab Times:
Section 1 - Tuesday 7:00 to 10:00 pm; Alternate/Rain day on Thursday.

See the lab syllabus for lab dates and exercises.

Astronomy 105 Home Page: Click here.

Course Goals: The primary aim of this course is to introduce the non-scientist to the science of astronomy, and to acquiant the science student with astronomical vocabulary, concepts, and observational techniques. Solar System Astronomy is a course for students wishing to learn about some of the fundamental concepts involved in modern astronomy and astrophysics, and how these concepts are used to study our solar system. In this course you will learn about what kinds of objects inhabit our solar system, and about our current understanding of these objects. We will look at the planets, and the Sun, more closely, to ascertain each object's unique properties and commonly shared attributes. Questions we will explore include: How do we discover facts about our Sun, Earth and planets? What physical laws apply to the behavior of these bodies? What tools are used to study these celestial objects? How do we put all these facts and laws into a consistent, testable picture, or model, of the solar system and the objects it contains?

Through doing presentations and writing paperss about scientific matters, I hope that you will come to understand what constitues a scientific argument, and hwo to write about, and present, a scientific question.

Modern astronomy relies heavily on mathematics, and so in order to come to an appreciation of how astronomy is done, and how astronomers make discoveries, we will be using simple, high-school algebra, trigonometry, and geometry to form and couch some of our discussions on the physical laws governing the universe. This basic math will allow us to see directly where the sizes, distances and other quoted facts about the planets and Sun come from.

The aim of the laboratory for this course is twofold. First the lab is used to teach you how to use the primary tool of astronomical discovery: the telescope. We will cover the pros and cons of various types of telescopes, and a telescope's essential features. After becoming comfortable with 1) using a 'scope, 2) the basic layout of the sky, and 3) the commonly used stellar coordinate system, you will go on to observe and study many interesting celestial objects (the Sun, moon, and planets, galaxies, clusters of stars, star-forming regions). The hope is that after this lab, you would, if you so wished, be able to intelligently purchase a telescope, move around the night sky knowing the constellations, and be comfortable using a telescope to find and observe a whole host of celestial phenomena.

The second goal of the astronomy lab is to give you some hands-on experience with a number of the physical concepts introduced in the class. Working with these ideas and applying them, you will gain a deeper insight into how physical laws are used to extend our knowledge in the field of astronomy.

The ``unstated'' goal of astronomy is, of course, to have fun and to learn new stuff. The study of astronomy is fun just because it is so other-worldly, fast-paced, and exciting. New discoveries happen weekly (check the web!), the universe is populated with things beyond your intuition and daily experience, and so astronomy brings you face-to-face with a world of wonder. I hope that you will find this to be true, and merge the enjoyment of learning this new field with the power of scientific inquiry. In the end, you should leave this course with the ability to read and understand popular articles and books on astronomy, and know how, and where, to look so that you can educate yourself about astronomical subjects in the future (no professor needed!).

It is recommended that you look at the following magazines for general articles on astronomy and observing tips and hints: Sky and Telescope, Astronomy, and Science News (in the library), as well as the science section of your local paper (the Monday Boston Globe and the Tuesday New York Times both have large sections devoted to scientific and medical topics). And, like you didn't already know, there are zillions of astronomy sites covering every concievable topic on the web. Check out the Astronomy web links page. All these publications will give you a broader perspective on the subject of astronomy, and will point out contemporary issues of interest and debate.

Course Details: You need to read the text assignments before the lecture. Doing so will improve your comprehension of the material, and allow you to intelligently participate in the class discussions. It really does helps to be exposed to the material more than once, especially if you are having trouble understanding the subject.

Chapter Problems and Quizzes: The are assigned problems from each chapter are listed in the Chapter Review Questions handout that you received. You do not have to hand in these problems, but you should do them all. There are quizzes given at the end of most chapters. The chapter quiz questions are taken the assigned homework problems (some numbers may be changed, but otherwise the questions will be the same) for that chapter. You may drop your (1) lowest quiz grade at the end of the term. Quizzes that cover 2 cahpters (2 questions) are counted as 2 separate quiz grades. Solutions to the assigned chapter review problems are on reserve in the Shain library (ask at the front desk).

Exams: You are expected to be present for all exams and quizzes unless you have an excused absence. There will be no makeup exams or quizzes given for unexcused absences. To be permitted to take a makeup exam or quiz, you need to provide me with a note from your dean, or the college infirmary (you can give them permission to talk to me about your illness over the phone). If you miss an exam or quiz, you get a zero for it.

Papers and Oral Presentations: There are 2 papers and 2 oral presentations that you must do as part of this class. Each written scientific paper must be at least 2 single-spaced pages (12pt type max, 11pt better) plus a reference page and a title page. For each question that you research and point of view that you take, you and a team of 4 other students will present a group oral report to the class, and if you are not ``on stage'', you will be graded on the questions that you ask and the the points you make about the topic being debated, Detailed instructions will be handed out in class, and we will start signing up for different debate questions in October.

You will be expected to know how to use the web to pick up the latest class assignments, research astronomy questions, and search for new information. If this ia all foriegn to you, come and see me (or your lab instructor) right away to get some one-on-one help.

Late work: Assignments and lab writeups are to be turned in on the scheduled due dates. Most lab wrteups are due at the end of that lab. The due date for other assignments will be announced when the assignment is handed out. All work that is turned in after the assigned time will lose 10% for each day after the deadline that it is turned.

Lab Details: There are two lab sections, both of which meet either in the Olin Observatory on the roof of the Olin Science Center (outside labs) or in Olin 204 or 216 (inside labs). Section 2 regularly meets Monday at 7:00 pm with an the alternate rain date of Wednesday. Section 1 regularly meets on Tuesday at 7:00 pm with a alternate rain date of Thursday. You must keep both the regular lab night and the alternate lab night free! This is to accommodate the uncertain New England weather and the need to observe the stars and planets. Each lab section only meets once per week. You will be working in groups at the telescopes and so show up on time!

Your laboratory grade is based on your attendance and on your lab writeups. The requirements for lab and for your lab reports are stated in the beginning of your lab manual. Do not miss lab! In general it is difficult to schedule outside makeup labs, both because of weather and the unavailability of many celestial objects except at certain times of year. If you miss lab, then before you may schedule a makeup lab, you will need to present a medical excuse or a note from your dean to your lab instructor. Otherwise you will receive a zero for that lab.

The lab schedule in Astronomy 105 may vary depending on the weather. The tentative lab schedule is given on the Astronomy 105 lab syllabus . The Introduction to your lab manual outlines what is expected of you for lab work, and what stuff you must bring to lab each week.

As much as we all hate to believe it, the weather will soon get chilly at night. For observing labs, you will be standing outside on a windy roof for a couple of hours, and it can get real cold even in September. So be prepared, and dress appropriately! That means, DRESS WARM!!! Bring extra layers of clothes so that you can adjust for warmth.

Finally, I am always happy to see you, either just to talk about astronomy or to discuss specific problems you may have with the material. Please feel free to stop by the office or to make an appointment. I'm looking forward to meeting each of you, and I hope that you will take advantage of office hours and discussion sections to come by and talk about the stars and planets.

Last edited 02Aug2002 by L. F. Brown.