Astro 10 Mon & Wed
The reading assignments
under a given class day should be read BEFORE that class day. This is because
you’ll want to be up to speed as you listen to my lecture, and feel more entitled
to ask questions on things that aren’t clear. It’s a mistake to tell yourself
“well, I don’t get it, but I’ll figure it out later when I study for the exam”.
BIG mistake -
take advantage of having a real live astronomer who can clear things up for
you in real time! Disclaimer: I will promise to stick to
this schedule as closely as possible, and to announce ahead of time my best
guess as to whether we'll be ready for a given quiz on the announced date.
BUT, it's possible we might have to move a quiz or two if we get ahead/behind.
Mon Feb 5: Course overview
Chapter 0 - Science and Clear Thinking handout
Wed Feb 7: Ch
0 - Science and Clear Thinking
Mon Feb 12: Units 1-10: overview of our place in the cosmos
Wed Feb 14: Units 10-12: motions of the
earth, seasons, phases of the moon, eclipses
Mon Feb 19: Washington’s Birthday - holiday
Wed Feb 21: Planetarium session (Rm 706) for another perspective on units 10-12: Earth and
sky
Mon Feb 26: Units 10-12: Early science;
Aristarchus, Ptolemy, Copernicus
Wed Feb 28: Units 11,12: Kepler's
3 laws
Units 12-19:
Galileo and
Quiz #1 on units 1-12: Science, Earth motions,
early astronomy
Mon Mar 5: Units 21-25: Light and electromagnetic
waves
Wed Mar
7:
Units 23,24: Spectra, emission vs. absorption
Mon Mar 12: Units 32-42: Formation of solar
systems, discovering solar systems around other stars
Quiz
#2 on 12-25: gravity, light, spectra, relativity
Wed Mar 14: Units 32-42: Structure of the
inner planets, structure of the outer planets and moons
Mon Mar 19: "MegaDisasters - Asteroid Apocalypse"
video + video quiz
Wed Mar 21: Units 41,42,47,48: Comets, asteroids,
mass extinctions
Units
49-51: The sun, structure
Mon Mar 26: Units 49-51: The sun, nuclear
fusion
Quiz #3 on parts of units 32-48; solar system
Last day for CR/NC option
Wed Mar 28: Units 52, 54-58: Stars; properties,
measuring methods
Mon Apr 9: Units 52, 54-58: Stars; properties,
HR Diagram
Units
60, 69: Stellar birth
Wed Apr 11: Units 59-64: Stars; low, medium
mass star evolution
Quiz
#4 on units 49-58; the sun, stellar properties
Mon Apr 16: Units 64-68: Evolution and death
of medium and high mass stars, supernovae, the stellar
graveyard
Wed Apr 18: "Death of a Star" video
+ video quiz
Mon Apr 23: Units 70-73: Our galaxy - the
Milky Way
Quiz
#5 on units 59-69; Stellar evolution
Wed Apr 25: Units 70-73: The Milky Way Galaxy
Units
74,75: Galaxies
Mon Apr 30: Units 74-77: Galaxies, the distance
ladder
Wed May 2: Galaxy collisions video clip
(no video quiz)
Units 75-77: Galaxy evolution, quasars and active galaxies
Last
day to withdraw from course with a "W"
Mon May 7: Units 76,78,79: Dark matter and large scale structure
Wed May 9: Units 79-82: Beginning of Time;
evidence
Mon May 14: Units 79-82: The cosmic microwave
background, cosmological models
Wed May 16: Units 79-82: Dark energy; Einstein’s
cosmological constant
Mon May 21: Units 79-82: Inflation and the
origin of the universe(s)
Wed May 23: Units 79-82: Cosmology and implications
for life in the universe.
"E.T.
phone home E.T. phone home E.T. phone home…"!
Fri Jun 1: 8-10am: Quiz #7 on ch 23,24; cosmology & life in the universe, followed by
Final
Exam. Note!