SYLLABUS

Course Information

Note: This is a web-enhanced course, mixing in-class and out-of-class "meetings"

Course Title: Astronomy 004 – Introduction To Astronomy
Course Instructor: Randy L. Phelps, Ph.D.
Office: Sequoia 438
Office Phone: 916-278-6268
Website: www.csus.edu/indiv/p/phelpsr
Email: phelps@csus.edu (BY FAR THE BEST WAY TO CONTACT ME)
Course Meeting: Section 4: Tuesdays, Thursdays 10:30pm – 11:45pm
Class Meeting Location: MND 1015
Office Hours By Appointment Only: 
                                                           

Catalog Description:  Description and explanations of astronomical phenomena and measurements. Structure and evolution of planetary and stellar systems. Occasional observation periods. 3 units.

Learning Objectives:  According to University policy, the "learning objectives" of the course must be listed on the syllabus.  According to those guidelines, a successful student in this course should, when it is over:

• Be familiar with and able to give simple explanations for basic astronomical phenomena that are visible with the naked eye;
• Understand how telescopes work and how to characterize their powers;
• Be familiar with our Solar System's structure and its content of planets, moons, asteroids and comets;
• Know and be able to discuss the main properties of stars, clusters and galaxies;
• Recognize the fundamental questions in cosmology and have an idea of how they are being answered;
• Appreciate the historical development of astronomical knowledge;
• Understand the features of careful thought, testing of ideas against observation, and quantitative approach that characterize good science

Broader Course Goals: In a broader sense, the objective of Astronomy 004 is to understand how scientific techniques are applied to learn about the objects within our Solar System, our Galaxy, and the Universe as a whole. The Universe is a large place to cover in only one semester, so the focus of the course will be on topics that illustrate the universal aspects of natural laws and how we came to our current, and evolving, understanding of the Universe. Detailed coverage of all areas of astronomy is impossible in the short time we have. The course should, however, provide you with fundamental knowledge that will allow you to investigate further those aspects of astronomy that interest you the most.

Prerequisites: One year of high school geometry or instructor permission.  Also, a willingness to confront simple mathematics, which is after all, the language of science. Additionally, access to the World Wide Web is required as this course will make extensive use of the Internet.

Course Schedule

                                                                   Required Material
From the CSUS Bookstore:
     1. Astronomy 4 Night Observing Exercises (by me!)

 
The following can be found in the CSUS Bookstore:
     2. The Stars: A New Way To See Them, 1976, by H.A. Rey, Houghton Mifflin, ISBN 0395248302, order ASP BO 217 ($11.95)
     3. Star Wheel

                                                                             Recommended Text Book
The following can be found in the CSUS Bookstore, or from www.amazon.com
     1. Horizons: Exploring The  Universe 2000 (10^th edition), Michael A. Seeds, Wadsworth Publishing (Belmont, CA), ISBN 0-495-11358-1.  Chapters for each lecture are listed in the course outline.

Related WWW sites will be mentioned throughout the course.
Other books of interest/use will be mentioned throughout the course.

Grades

30% Exams: Four exams will be given during the course of the semester. The lowest exam score will be dropped, making each exam worth 10% of your grade.  No makeup exams will be given, so if you miss one, it will count as your dropped exam.

30% Final Exam: A cumulative final exam will be given at the end of the semester.

30% Night Observations: A semester long series of night observations/labs, discussed in depth below, will contribute 30% of your final grade. 20% of this total will be in the form of quizzes, given throughout the semester, about the night observing.  Note that while I do not require attendance in class, failure to attend will result in a low quiz score total, and a poor final grade!  Another 20% of this total will result from a set of questions, to be passed out toward the end of the semester. 

10% Quizes Over the Material: Occasional quizes will be given over the material.  The quizes, which count 10% toward your final grade, are intended to ensure that you are keeping up with the coursework.

Total: 100%

The final grade will be based on the total number of points, weighted as listed above.  I will not assign letter grades to individual components (e.g., exams, etc.).  You can estimate your current grade based on the scale for the final grades.  The final grades will be based on the following scale:

5% Night Lab Attendance: A public lecture will be held on the Sacramento State campus during the semester.  Attendance at this event will count as extra credit.   Details will be announced at a later date.

NO OTHER FORM OF EXTRA CREDIT WILL BE POSSIBLE!

Night Observations/Labs/Exercises

Among the most important single components of your grade will be the night observations/labs/exercises. Astronomy is an observational science, and to gain a true appreciation of how early "astronomers" excelled at astronomical observations requires that you make an effort to learn firsthand about their skills. Simple observations did, and still can, lead to powerful insight into the workings of the world around you. Additionally, these exercises will help you to "connect" with the night sky – something that most people do not do in today’s fast-paced world. These exercises, therefore, will account for 30% of your final grade.

These exercises are in lieu of homework assignments, which usually take 2-3 hours of week outside of class.

Notes

1) My lectures only loosely follow your (recommended) textbook, and the material discussed in class may or may not be in your textbook. The textbook is there as a reference, but my lectures are your primary source of information - after all, why pay University tuition if a single textbook is going to be your sole source of information? A few notes: 1) It is essential that you attend class regularly. Otherwise your grade will suffer. 2) Copies of lecture notes, in electronic versions, will be available on the Web. 3) I am here to help you understand astronomy. The burden of the work, however, is on you. This means that it is up to you to keep up with the lectures, and be aware of University deadlines and requirements. 4) My purpose for being at CSUS is to educate. I am, however, expected to continue a vigorous research program in astrophysics. This means that I am not always available in my office. Email will always be the best means to contact me. I am happy to arrange for times to meet with you, outside of thos listed above. If we work together, we can all benefit from this arrangement. I will continue my research, while you will have the benefit of an instructor who is up-to-date on current discoveries. If you are interested, an astrophysics research project (e.g., an AS 199 independent study) is also a possibility!