ASTR 1 (Section 3) Spring Term 1996
MWF 1pm-2pm DRL Room A-7
Instructor: Steven T. Myers
Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy
Office: DRL 2N3C
Phone: 898-5942
email: myers@dept.physics.upenn.edu
http://dept.physics.upenn.edu/~myers/
Office Hours: Mon 3pm-4pm, Thu 2pm-3pm, also by appointment
Teaching Assistant: David Mestre
Office: DRL 4N27
Phone: 898-5995
email: dmestre@goodricke.astro.upenn.edu
Teaching Assistant Hours: Wed 3pm-6pm (Room 4N27)
Textbook: Michael A. Seeds, "Horizons: Exploring the Universe", (Wadsworth Publishing Co.) 1995 Edition (available at the bookstore).
The ASTR001 course is designed for students who are not majoring in the physical sciences (physics or astrophysics, chemistry, geology) or in engineering. There are no prerequisites for this course (math or physics).
My goal in this course is to introduce the subject of astronomy, placing in perspective modern astronomical thought, theories, discoveries, mysteries, and current trends in science. I plan to emphasize current results from new instruments and experiments such as the Hubble Space Telescope, the Keck Telescope, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, and numerous other research programs. I will set aside significant blocks of time during the lectures to tell you about results from current astronomical research, my own and that of other astronomers both at Penn and elsewhere. Astronomy is a vibrant field of study, and I think you will agree that we are living in a golden age of scientific discovery.
There is a large amount of subject matter to cover in a single semester, so the pace will be fast, and we will be unable to go into great depth on any single topic. My prime goal in this course is to help the student build up a solid intutitive picture of our Universe, and our place in it. We will use the tools of mathematics to turn our model of the Universe into quantative predictions and solutions to problems that will come up during the course. We will also investigate the numerous interconnections between astronomy and other sciences (geology, chemistry, biology, and of course physics and mathematics). We will also attempt to wrestle with some of the philosophical questions that will arise during our explorations. Because it covers such a wide range of subject matter --- after all, we are talking about the entire Universe --- astronomy is an excellent subject to study as an introduction to modern science.
We will be covering nearly all of the topics (and chapters) in the textbook, though I will be emphasizing some topics more and some less than what is done in the book. As mentioned earlier, I will also present some new material from my own and other "breaking" research.
Look over the textbook, read this syllabus, take a peek at the World Wide Web page I have set up for this course, and listen to a lecture. Decide if this course is for you. I hope you decide that it is! I think it will be alot of fun.
The week by week schedule for the reading, homework sets, and exams is now available as the OnLine Schedule. A paper version was handed out in class, and is available from me.
There will be two midterms and a final exam. There will also be homework assignments (weekly) which will mostly consist of short problem sets. There is also the requirement of attending one of the observing sessions during the semester (see below).
The various exams and assignments will count toward the final grade in the course in the following proportions:
First midterm 20%
Second midterm 25%
Final exam 30%
Homework 20%
Observatory 5%
In fairness to the other students, a missed exam will receive an automatic score of zero unless you are excused for a valid reason beyond your control (for example, illness).
There will also be opportunities for extra-credit activities, such as extra observing, computer labs, and research reports. I will give you more information on these as the term progresses. The amount of credit for these projects will range from the equivalent of 5% to 30% of the grade depending upon the chosen activity. These will have to be approved by and negotiated with me.
The Student Observatory on the roof of DRL houses two instruments: an 8-inch refractor, and a 13-inch reflector. The observatory will be open two nights a week, Mondays and Thursdays 8pm-9pm EST (9pm-10pm when Daylight Savings Time takes effect), when the weather permits. Before coming to the DRL for an observing session, call the observatory hotline (898-5994) no earlier than one half hour before opening time --- you will hear a recorded message telling you whether the sky is sufficiently clear for observing.
You are required to attend one of these sessions during the term (for 5% of the grade), though you may attend more than one if you wish (you will not receive further credit, one per customer!). You are free to choose which particular day to attend, though it is recommended that you fulfill your obligation as early as possible. There are not many good clear nights during the term!
The student observatory can be reached from the 4th floor of DRL, via the stairs near room 4W2 in the Math wing (sign marked "exit"). It is outside, so dress accordingly.
We are also scheduling nighttime field trips to Penn's Flower and Cook Observatory, located in Malvern, PA approximately 20 miles west of campus. This observatory, which is used as a research instrument by faculty at Penn, houses a 28-inch reflector and a unique 15-inch horizontal refractor, and is equipped with the latest CCD instrumentation. There will be several of these trips scheduled throughout the term, and about a dozen students can be accomodated on each trip. Attendance on one of these excursion will satisfy the course observing requirement.
There are no prerequisites for this course. We will be using some moderate mathematics (up to elementary algebra for equation solving, NO CALCULUS) to solve problems and do calculations. If you are having problems with the math, see me or the TA. To cover astronomy we will use some physics concepts, though once again there is no physics prerequisite. I will try and explain the physics as we encounter it - in fact, astronomy is a very good introduction to physics (without the inclined planes and pulleys)!
You will need to have a calculator (with scientific notation, powers y^x, 10^x, and logarithms log x) for homework and exams.
Many of the concepts we will be dealing with are non-intuitive, or just plain difficult. It will often take repeated exposure to these ideas before you feel comfortable with them. I had this experience as an undergraduate in physics, and it often took several encounters with the material (usually in different courses) before I felt that I understood what was going on. Please, stick with it. DON'T worry if you dont at first understand everything I say in the lecture. DO feel free to ask questions during or after class, or of the TA's, and of your fellow students. I emphasize the importance of reading the textbook because it offers you the chance to encounter the same material in two different ways (my lecture and the text). I will make an effort to approach the most important topics in multiple ways in the lectures.
Different people use different thought processes to try and understand the same material. Some people are better at memorization of fact, some at mathematics and the use of equations, some at visualization. This is even true of scientists. If you are having problems with the material, please talk to me (or the TA, or your fellow classmates). Science is not just a collection of facts, it is a way of thought and a way of organizing knowledge into something more. It is easy to teach you a bunch of facts (for example, the distance to the moon, the size of Jupiter), but it is much harder to help you learn a way to think about the Universe. There are different valid approaches to the subject, and we can try and help you find the way that is best for you.
As I said earlier, be sure to keep up on the reading assignments from the textbook. There is a large amount of material to cover in a single semester, so the pace will be fast. Much of the concepts we will be learning will seem to be non-intuitive at first --- our goal will be to build up a basic astronomical intuition. It is important therefore to use the texts, lectures and the assigned problems to build and reinforce what have learned.
I will be assigning weekly problems, mostly from the book. The goal of these assignments is to reinforce the ideas learned during the week, and to demonstrate the quantitative nature of astronomy. Besides contributing 20% of the final grade, these problems are very important tools for learning astronomy. Be sure to do these. I will be assigning only a very modest number of problems, so you will have time to think about each one.
In addition to the weekly problems, I will give a daily discussion question that you will be asked to think about in between lectures. I cannot stress strongly enough the importance of thinking about the ideas and questions raised in this course --- the mind is the most important tool in astronomy, not the telescope! The more you think about the subjects that are brought up in the text and lectures, the faster that you will become comfortable with the scientific method and the concepts of modern astronomy, and the easier a time you will have learning the subject matter.
Keep an eye on the World Wide Web page I have set up for this course
http://dept.physics.upenn.edu/~myers/astr001.htmlor follow the link from my own home page). I will be posting course related information and links to astronomical resources and images on the internet. I will also try and maintain an up-to-date online "interactive" set of course notes, built from my own lecture notes. Be warned, however, these are no subsititute for the textbook or your own notes taken during lectures. By necessity, I will heavily summarize the material when writing the WWW notes, and will focus on aspects of the material not in the textbook.
Feel free to ask me or our TA any questions you may have about the course. We are here to help you learn! If you cannot come by during our office hours, you can call or e-mail me and make an appointment. You can also try and drop by my office, though I cannot guarantee that I will be in or available. Be sure to refer any questions about grading or the course mechanics to me, not the TA.
Also feel free to communicate to me your suggestions and criticisms of this course. This is the first (but not the last) time I have taught this course, and I will try and make it the best learning experience that I can. I value your opinions, and after all, you will know best what is working and what is not! While you are learning astronomy, I will be learning to teach astronomy. We all have our work cut out for us.
Relax and enjoy this course!
This is an exciting time for astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Pennsylvania, as we have just embarked upon a program of building up a new program. I am the first of the new faculty to arrive at Penn under this initiative; two other new faculty members have been hired and will arrive in the Fall of 1996. We are also planning on hiring up to four more astronomers and astrophysicists, and are working establish a Center for Astrophysics at Penn. In addition to building a world-class research and graduate study program, we are also committed to revitalising the undergraduate teaching of astronomy. As the first of the new astrophysics faculty, I am especially keen to launch the educational program of the new Penn group with this course, and I will be developing new course materials, demonstrations, and learning aids as the term moves forward. You should feel that you are an important part of an exciting new endeavor!
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Steven T. Myers - Last revised 22Feb96