Astronomy 104 is devoted to the structure and contents of the Universe. When you look into the night sky, most things you see are stars, and these stars are grouped into galaxies. In this course we will explore how these structures came into being, how stars are born, live and die, and ultimately what we understand about the universe itself. We'll learn that, amazingly, the behavior of the largest objects in the universe, and indeed the universe itself, is often governed by the behavior of the smallest objects in the universe, such as atoms and electrons.
There are two sections for this class. Both take place in Stolkin Auditorium in the Physics Building. You should know which of the two you are registered for. The meeting times are:
Section 1: Tuesday and Thursday 12:30pm - 1:50pm
Section 2: Tuesday and Thursday 2:00pm - 3:20pm
The goal of Astronomy 104 is to enable you to look at the sky with a solid understanding of our place in the Universe. Your goal should be to learn what we know about the Universe, AND how we know it. More specifically, this class is all about:
Many of the key ideas can be grasped visually, so we'll spend a fair amount of time looking at a variety of pictures and maps of the sky. Each of you will have your own Piece of Sky that you will observe throughout the semester, using a research-grade photograph of it from the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey.
We won't do complicated mathematics, but we will speak the language of numbers. Numbers carry a lot of the meaning in astronomy, so we'll learn the most meaningful ones. You will also need to use a few simple formulas, and to interpret graphs. We will use no mathematics above the high-school math that is a prerequisite for acceptance at S.U. Specifically, we'll occasionally use a little algebra but no trigonometry or calculus.
Even though this is a large class, we will be working extremely hard to make it as interactive as possible, and we will expect you to answer questions in class using the clickers. Sometimes we will ask you to come up with descriptive answers to questions and then we'll ask for volunteers to answer (if there are no volunteers we'll just choose random people). It is very important that you take part in this. Active participation in lectures will be a very effective way to learn the subject (and prepare for the exams.) For all this to work, due to the large number of students, there are a few rules that we need to have. We expect that we will show respect for each other and the time we're spending together in lectures. This means that
If for some reason you cannot keep to these rules, we won't judge you for it, but we won't allow any such behavior in the class, and would rather ask that you stay at home instead of detracting from the atmosphere of the class. We also promise not to sleep or read newspapers in class :) These rules are not intended to be a pain, but rather to make the lectures a better environment for learning about astronomy. For instance, being late to class, or leaving too early creates a disturbance for your classmates. These rules also apply to the time you spend in the labs.
The text is the same as was used in Astronomy 101 last semester,Astronomy: A Beginner's Guide to the Universe by Erich Chaisson and Steve McMillan, 5th Edition, 2007, Pearson/Benjamin Cummings (ISBN 0-13-187165-X). This text is available at the Syracuse University Bookstore for $126.00, and comes with the following additional items for free: Starry Night, Themes of the Times, the Mastering Astronomy Access Kit (required for the online homework), and a $20 rebate coupon for purchase of an Interwrite PRS "clicker" (whose purchase is also required).
In order to enhance your learning experience in class you are required to obtain an Interwrite PRS "clicker." They are available at the University Bookstore. New textbooks are accompanied by a discount coupon for the purchase of a clicker.
All of the other materials necessary for the course will be provided for you, including your Piece of Sky photograph, laboratory instruments, and supplies.
To support laboratory experiments and lecture demonstrations you have been charged a course fee of $25. This fee helps pay for (i) handouts which are distributed to you, (ii) supplies, small pieces of apparatus, and maintenance for the laboratory, (iii) supplies and apparatus for lecture exercises and demonstrations, and (iv) undergraduate students working in the demonstration laboratories.Lectures will meet in Stolkin Auditorium in the Physics Building on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and will be given by Profs. Cristian Armendariz-Picon and Richard Schnee. You are strongly encouraged to attend class. The class will give you the opportunity to test your understanding of the material and will include significant information, ideas, and lines of reasoning not covered in the text. It is your responsibility to find out what was discussed in any lecture that you miss by discussing it with other students. Modern astronomy is such a rapidly advancing field that no textbook can hope to keep pace with all of the current advances. Participation in class (as measured by your clicker use) will earn extra credit towards your final grade.
It is recommended that you complete the reading assignments before the corresponding class. Students who complete the assignments before class get more out of the lecture.
On-line homework will be due before each class. We are using the Mastering Astronomy online platform, which represents the most sophisticated on-line system for astronomy tutorials and self-study. Howework questions include links to hints, tutorials on the most important related concepts, and a reasonably smooth interface. The first homework will consist of exercises to familiarize you with the interface. The other homework will help you ensure that you are keeping up with the material in the class. You should have received a Student Access Kit to Bennett et al.'s The Essential Cosmic Perspective with your textbook. When you go to the Mastering Astronomy website, you will be asked to click on your textbook. Do not worry that your texbook is not shown; you can click on any of the 3 books shown to join our course. The MasteringAstronomy course ID for this course is SUASTRONOMY104. Also, make sure to register your SU student ID code when you are prompted (so that you wil receive credit for completing the homework). If you bought your textbook without the Mastering Astronomy Student Access Kit, you will need to purchase the Access Kit online (for $27) here.
Laboratory sections meet in room B129E in the basement of the Physics Building. Many important course activities will take place in the laboratories. During each regular meeting you will carry out an observation or experiment,as well as a focused discussion on questions of interpretation of scientific evidence. These activities have been planned so that they engage many of the key ideas of the course. Labs take place in room B129-E (in the Physics Building Basement).
Attending your weekly laboratory meeting is crucial. This is the time you will be most actively engaged in learning the course material, so it is probably the most valuable two hours you will spend on astronomy each week. Also, you will be working in a team of three students, and your fellow students will be counting on your contribution. Assignments are handed in jointly by your team at the end of each lab. The general rule in this lab is that make-up labs are not allowed, and since labs make up an appreciable amount of the final grade you should understand that you are making an important decision that may very well affect your grade if you miss a lab meeting. Also, lab assignments will not be accepted late by the TAs.
Grades will be calculated based on your scores on various course activities, in the following proportions:
It is important that you keep track of your grades (especially in the labs) throughout the semester. You will be able to access your up-to-date grades using Blackboard. Your final course grade will be determined from your total score at the end of the semester, and you will receive extra credit for class participation (clicker use). The grade limits will not be stricter than the following: 60% for a C-, 80% for a B-, and 90% for an A-. More detailed breakdowns will be determined at the end of the semester, after the final exam, and not before. We stress that you are not in competition with your classmates; we will be very happy if everyone learns the material well enough to earn an A.
The three mid-term exams will be held during regular lecture times. The best 2 out of the 3 exams will count for each student, so your worst midterm will be dropped and not contribute to your final grade. There will be no make-up exams offered for the midterms. If you have to miss a midterm for any reason at all, that will be the one you drop, and the other two will be the ones that count for you.
The final examination will be compulsory and count for every student. No make-up finals will be offered. The final exam will be given on Tuesday, May 6, from 8:00 to 10:00 am, with locations TBA, as listed on the course calendar
The Syracuse University Academic Integrity Policy holds students accountable for the integrity of the work they submit. Students should be familiar with the Policy and know that it is their responsibility to learn about instructor and general academic expectations with regard to proper citation of sources in written work. The policy also governs the integrity of work submitted in exams and assignments as well as the veracity of signatures on attendance sheets and other verifications of participation in class activities. Serious sanctions can result from academic dishonesty of any sort.
For more information and the complete policy, see http://academicintegrity.syr.edu
Stars, Galaxies and the Universe is a course in which you will be doing astronomical observations as well as some hands on experiments and measurements. You can use this course to satisfy the requirement of the liberal arts core for one "laboratory course."
Astronomy 101 is not a prerequisite; AST 101 and AST 104 can be taken independently or together in either order. Astronomy 101 alumni will, of course, know some valuable things that will help them to see this course's material in a broader perspective.
Students who may need academic accommodations due to a disability are encouraged to discuss their needs with the instructor at the beginning of the semester. In order to obtain authorized accommodations, students should be registered with the Office of Disability Services (ODS), 804 University Avenue, Room 309, 315-443-4498 and have an updated accommodation letter for the instructor. Accommodations and related support services such as exam administration are not provided retroactively and must be requested in advance.
For more information about services and policy, see Office of Disability Services
Syracuse University
Office of Disability Services
804 University Avenue Room 309
Syracuse, New York 13244-2330
Phone: Voice: (315) 443-4498
TOO: (315) 443-1371
E-Mail: odssched@syr.edu
Essentially ALL administrative information about this course is contained on this web site. Since we only have a finite amount of time, and want to spend that time answering questions about the course content - astronomy - with students, it will be our policy not to respond to emails requesting administrative information that is on this site. This rule is designed to give you the maximum amount of access to the instructor to ask questions about astronomy.
The web address is: http://physics.syr.edu/courses/AST104_intranet/AST104.08Spring/index.html