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ASTR 122 |
Sections AD1-AD7 |
Spring 2006 |
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Instructor
(AD7): |
Prof.
Leslie Looney |
Email: |
lwly@yillinois.yedu |
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Office: |
218
Astronomy |
Phone:
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244-3615 |
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Office Hours: |
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TA
(AD 1,3,5): |
Jana
Bilikova |
Email: |
jbiliko2y@yastroy.illinoisy.edu |
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Office: |
128
Astronomy |
Phone: |
333-9343 |
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Office Hours: |
W
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TA
(AD 2,4,6): |
Brett
Hayes |
Email: |
bphayes2y@yastroy.illinois. yedu |
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Office: |
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Phone: |
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Office Hours: |
M
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You
have chosen a great time to take this course. Astronomy is right now in a golden
age, with an explosion of new images and data about the Solar System, the
Galaxy, and indeed the whole Universe coming from many new ground-based and
space-based telescopes. Our scientific view of the big
picture— the nature of the physical
universe— underwent a revolution in
the 20th century, and further discoveries are on the horizon. In this course,
we will get an understanding of the big astronomical picture through the
development of a qualitative
and quantitative understanding of the structure and evolution of the
Universe. From the night sky to the
earliest instants of the Big Bang, we will apply basic physical principles on
grand scales to outline the major aspects of modern astrophysics, describe some of the fundamental
mysteries that remain unsolved, and imply how the flood of new data will help
to solve them. Indeed, we will find astrophysics to be a great symphony
that interweaves the Universe.
My goals for a graduate of this course are that they understand our
current scientific view of the Universe, conceptualize the Universe, propose
what the future may hold for the field, make informed decisions about science
policies, and hold any “discovery” to a personal scientific
standard of proof. To realize this
goal, the student should develop
a broad conceptual synthesis— to “get under the hood" of the
Universe and see how the cosmic machinery works. This will require a mathematical description
of the Universe; thus, the lectures and assignments will feature a strong
quantitative component. Indeed, we will find that a quantitative analysis is
often essential to address qualitative questions, the results of which can lead
to revolutions in our view of the universe.
This course satisfies the Quantitative Reasoning II requirement.
|
Requirement |
Percentage of Grade |
Points |
|
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Class Participation Exercises (will drop
some) |
|
10% |
100 |
|
Homework Assignments (best 10 out of 11) |
10 x 3% each |
30% |
300 |
|
Night Observing Report |
|
5% |
50 |
|
One Hour Exam |
|
20% |
200 |
|
Final Exam |
|
35% |
350 |
|
Total |
|
100% |
1000 |
The following table shows the approximate grading scale in this course.
|
Grade |
Approximate
Range |
|
A |
90-100% |
|
B |
80-89% |
|
C |
70-79% |
|
D |
60-69% |
|
F |
< 60% |
Final course grades
will follow these guidelines. Plusses and minuses will be used.
The
ranges are approximate in that I may have to adjust them if, for example, I
give an exam that is a little too hard. In any case, I will not increase the
minimum cutoffs for each letter grade.
Universe: Stars & Galaxies, 7th Edition, Roger Freedman & William
Kaufmann III, W.H. Freeman & Co., 2004.
This book includes a CDROM and a website that contain
a wealth of additional information. Additional resources include lecture notes
and integrated exercises and flashcards that can help you master the material.
You are expected to attend lectures and discussion sections. I will cover material here that will not always be in the text, and the lecture material will be included on the exam. Discussion sections will be a time to further discuss topics in more detail, ask questions about the homework, and review for exams. Class time is the most valuable for you if you come prepared, having done the reading and ready to actively engage the material. To encourage your engagement, the lectures and discussion sections will often be punctuated by opportunities for your feedback, in the form of asking questions, "voting" on the possible outcomes of observations or demonstrations, or brainstorming answers to open-ended questions. To reward your participation in these activities, you will occasionally be asked to write down and hand in your response.
These participation surveys are not
"quizzes" in the usual sense, in that you are not required to get all
answers right. Rather, to get full credit you simply must offer a scientifically
reasonable response. The point of this is that the survey is always an
opportunity to gain points as long as you are actively engaged, even if you are
still a little confused. Indeed, the most difficult and potentially confusing
subjects are precisely those that most require you participation!
Although the number of these is not set, often they come
upon me in a whim, we will usually have 8-15 of these
a semester and 1-3 of them are dropped.
This usually means that you can miss 1-3
surveys without penalty.
There will be 11 homework assignments
given throughout the course. These are meant to sharpen your thinking on the
material covered in lecture, to develop physical intuition and quantitative
skills, and to help prepare you for the exams. Homework is due on Friday night
of the week that it is due. Check the
schedule online for specifics
(
http://eeyore.astro.illinois.edu/~lwl/classes/astro122/spring06/schedule.html).
Homework
counts for 30% of the final grade! Your best 10 homework grades will be counted. However, you are responsible for all of the
material covered on all 11 homework assignments. Thus, it is to your advantage to do all 11 of
the assignments, and hand them in on time.
Homework is due at
the announced time (normally Friday evening for Compass assignments) listed on
the assignment (posted to http://eeyore.astro.illinois.edu/~lwl/classes/astro122/spring06/hw.html) , after which the answers will be made available. No
late homework will be accepted.
Nighttime Observing
Evening
observing sessions will be held for several weeks at the Campus Observatory.
You are required to go to one session at any of the several dates that will be
posted online
(
http://www.astro.illinois.edu/classes/obs.shtml). At the session
there will be 4 stations that you can visit in any order. You may come any time
during a session, but expect to stay a full hour. That means that you must leave enough time
for the entire process. Do not come the
last 10 mins of the session and expect to
finish. Don’t forget that the
sessions are outside, so dress warmly. The weather is unpredictable, so go
early in the semester.
Exams
will be a single one-hour midterm exam and a comprehensive final exam. The exams will consist of short answers
and essay questions. Dates are as
follows.
Academic honesty is essential to this course and the University. Any instance of academic dishonesty (including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, falsification of data, and alteration of grade) will be documented in the student's academic file. In addition, the particular exam, homework, or report will be given a zero.
Guidelines for collaborative work: Discussing course material
with your classmates is in general a good idea, but each student is expected to
do his or her own work. On homework, you may discuss the questions and issues
behind them, but you are responsible for your own answers. In writing observing
and planetarium reports, you may discuss with classmates during the activity,
but again, you are must give your own answers in your own words. Finally, on
exams your work and your answers must of course be your own.
For further info, see
http://www2.illinois.edu/admin_manual/code/rule_33.html.
To insure that disability-related concerns are properly
addressed from the beginning, students with disabilities who require reasonable
accommodations to participate in this class are asked to see the instructor as
soon as possible.
Note
that the lecture material may vary, but assignments are fixed. Remember to check the webpage for the most up
to date schedule.
http://eeyore.astro.illinois.edu/~lwl/classes/astro122/spring06/schedule.html