Astro 10, Spring 2004
Instructor: Dr. Christopher Palma
Class Meetings: MW, 3:35 - 4:25, 121 Sparks
Course information:
Course Calendar and Reading Assignments:
- 1/12 Course Introduction
- 1/14 General Overview (Powers of 10, Scientific Method,
Constellations)
- Discovery 1-1 / Appendix 1 & 2 / Prologue P.1
- 1/19 Seasons / Phases of the Moon / Eclipses
- Prologue P.2 / Chapter 1.1
- 1/21 Gravity and Orbits
- 1/26 Electromagnetic Radiation
- 1/28 Thermal blackbody radiation and spectroscopy
- 2/2 Telescopes and Quiz topic review - No on-line notes today, since most
of class will be for the review
- Chapter 3 (skim this chapter, we will discuss in class
what will be on the quiz from chapter 3)
- 2/4 QUIZ 1 proportionality review
- 2/9 Measuring stellar properties
- Chapter 2.7 & 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4
- 2/11 Types of stars
- Chapter 10.5, 10.6, & 10.7
- 2/16 Nebulae and Star Formation
- 2/18 Star Clusters / Low-mass stellar evolution
- Chapter 11.5 & 12.1, 12.2, 12.3
- 2/23 High-mass stellar evolution & star cluster evolution
- 2/25 Stellar remnants and Quiz topic review - No on-line notes today, since
most of class will be for the review
- 3/1 QUIZ 2
- 3/3 The Milky Way Galaxy
- Chapter 14.1, 14.2, 14.3 & 14.4
- 3/15 The Galactic Center & Dark Matter in the Galaxy
- 3/17 Other Galaxies and the Hubble Classification
Scheme
- 3/22 Active Galaxies
- Chapter 15.3, 15.4, & 15.5
- 3/24 Hubble's Law
- Chapter 15.2, 16.1, & 16.2
- 3/29 Galaxy Environments & Collisions
- Discovery 15-1, Chapter 16.3, & 16.4
- 3/31 Quiz topic review - No on-line notes today, most of class will be for
the review
- 4/5 QUIZ 3
- 4/7 Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial
Intelligence
- 4/12 Solar System Overview
- 4/14 Earth/Moon System
- 4/19 Terrestrial planet comparison
- 4/21 Jovian planet comparison
- 4/26 Moons, Rings, and Pluto
- 5/6 FINAL EXAM
Course Announcements:
- All Extra Credit forms are due in class today,
4/26 by the end of class.
- For Extra Credit: Assignment sheets will be
handed out in class on 4/14 for the Taylor lecture and on 4/19 for the Sargent
lecture. YOU MUST BRING A COPY OF THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET WITH YOU TO THE LECTURE
AND HAND PART OF IT IN AT THE END. If you need a copy, the assignment for
the Taylor lecture is here and for the Sargent
lecture is here.
- For Extra Credit: You must attend EITHER of
the two following public lectures:
- Thursday Mar 18: Office hours cancelled.
Please email if you have any questions that can't wait until Monday, 3/22.
- The Final Exam Schedule has been announced.
Our exam is Thursday, May 6 10:10am - 12:00pm in room 121 Sparks
- Wednesday Feb 18: A copy of the textbook
is now on reserve at Pattee Library. It can be checked out at the Pattee Reserves
Service Desk.
- Tuesday Feb 17: Office hours cancelled.
Please email or call to set up an appointment if you would like to meet with
me before Thursday.
- Monday Feb 9: UTS emailed quiz results
this morning. If you have a question about your quiz grade,
you MUST see me before Feb 23.
- Tuesday Feb 3: All Penn State classes
are cancelled. My office hours are cancelled, also. If you have questions,
please email me, and if necessary we can arrange a phone appointment to discuss
your questions.