| Date |
Lecture/Event |
Reading |
Links |
Comments |
| Jan 15 - Tue |
1. Introduction & Size Scales of the Universe |
1-4 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
Description of the course and presentation of relative sizes of
distances in the Universe. |
| Jan 17 - Thu |
2. Motions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun |
4-16, 20 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
How the Earth's motion is reflected on the sky, phases of the
Moon, and Solar and Lunar eclipses. I suggest you download and
play around with the Sky Charts III planetarium software. |
| Jan 22 - Tue |
Homework #1
due at 9:00am |
| 3. Planetary Motions: From Aristotle & Ptolemy to Copernicus
& Galileo |
26-28 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
Explaining the irregular motions (e.g., retrograde) of the planets
with geocentric and heliocentric models; the introduction of the
telescope to astronomy. |
| Telescopes Project open
observing starts tonight |
| Jan 24 - Thu |
4. Gravity |
35-39 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
From Kepler's laws to the first physical explanation for the
motions of the planets: Newton's Laws of Motion and Gravity. |
| Jan 29 - Tue |
Homework #2 due at
9:00am |
| 5. Fundamentals of Light and Atoms |
44-64 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
The basic properties of light, our primary means of studying the
universe. Blackbody (thermal) emission compared to line
emission. |
| Jan 31 - Thu |
6. Telescopes |
71-93 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
You don't need to carefully read the entire chapter - skimming
will do. |
| Feb 4 - Mon |
Spectroscopy Project
starts tonight |
| Feb 5 - Tue |
Homework #3 due at 9:00am |
| 7. Denizens of the Solar System |
96-102, 116-125 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
We now are ready to start exploring the Universe beyond our home
planet. We begin with a tour of the planets, comets, and
asteroids. |
| Feb 7 - Thu |
8. Formation of the Solar System, Atmospheres, and
Tides |
135-143, 165, 184, 198-200, 226-230 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
We will examine the formation of the Solar System, including how
and why the atmospheres of the planets differ, and what explains
tides and rings. |
| Feb 12 - Tue |
Catch Up Lecture + Exam Review |
|
Review Questions
(pdf),
Formulas
(pdf) |
Exam questions will be derived from the Review questions. The
formula sheets will be included with your exam. |
| Spectroscopy Project
ends tonight |
| Feb 13 - Wed |
Homework #4 due at 9:00am |
| Feb 14 - Thu |
EXAM #1 |
|
curve,
key |
In-class exam consisting of 60 multiple-choice questions. Bring #2
pencils. |
| Telescopes Project open
observing ends tonight |
| Feb 19 - Tue |
9. The Sun as a Star |
103-115, 240-261 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
|
| Spectroscopy Project
last night tonight |
| Feb 21 - Thu |
10. The Basic Properties of Stars |
264-284 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
We'll discuss how the distances, luminosities, and temperatures of
stars are measured, and their mass and size scales. |
| Feb 26 - Tue |
11. Star Formation |
290-313 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
There's a lot here - fine to skim. |
| Feb 27 - Weds |
Homework #5 due at
9:00am |
| Feb 28 - Thu |
12. Evolution of Low-Mass Stars |
318-327 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
In the previous lecture, we learned about the birth of stars. Now
we'll explore the life and death of stars like our Sun and less
massive. |
| Mar 4 - Tue |
13. Evolution of High-Mass Stars |
328-335 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
Same theme as the previoue lecture, but now for more massive
stars. |
| Mar 5 - Weds |
Homework #6 due at
9:00am |
| Mar 6 - Thu |
14. Binary Stars & Black Holes |
326-327, 355-369 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
When stars are born in binary systems, strange things can
happen... including the production of bright black holes. We'll
discuss how Einstein's theories of relativity predict the
existence of black holes |
| Mar 10-14 |
Spring Break |
| Mar 18 - Tue | >
15. Cosmic Explosions |
n/a |
slides
(pdf) |
A review of the various types of cosmic explosions, including two
recently discovered varieties: the long and short gamma-ray
bursts. |
| Mar 20 - Thu |
16. Introducing the Milky Way Galaxy |
335-339, 376-396 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
The stars above us in the night sky are only the nearest,
brightest members of the much larger collection of stars, gas, and
dust that is the Milky Way. |
| Mar 21 - Fri |
Homework #7 due at
9:00am |
| Mar 25 - Tue |
Catch Up Lecture + Exam Review |
|
Study Guide,
Formulas
(pdf) |
Exam questions will be derived from the Review questions. The
formula sheets will be included with your exam. |
| Mar 27 - Thu |
EXAM #2 |
|
Exam #2 curve,
Overall curve,
Key |
In-class exam consisting of 60 multiple choice questions. Bring #2
pencils.
|
| Apr 1 - Tue |
17. Galaxy Classification & Active Galaxies |
402-408, 414-427 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
We will introduce the other types of galaxies in the
Universe - both normal and "active" - and look at them in
comparison to the Milky Way. |
| Apr 3 - Thu |
18. Galaxy Clusters & Dark Matter |
432-434, 448-451 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
Galaxy clusters are the largest gravitationally-bound objects in
the Universe. As such they provided the first hint that most of
what is out there, we don't see: the Dark Matter. |
| Apr 4 - Fri |
Homework #8 due at
9:00am |
| Apr 8 - Tue |
19. Galaxy Formation & Structure in the Universe |
379, 384-385, 408-414, 437-440, 445-448 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
We discuss how galaxies form and evolve, and how they are
distributed in space, on the largest scales. |
| Apr 10 - Thu |
20. The Origin of the Universe |
456-460 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
We introduce the "Big Bang" model of the Universe, its
observational tests, and several important refinements. |
| Apr 11 - Fri |
Homework #9 due at
9:00am |
| Apr 15 - Tue |
21. The History and Fate of the Universe |
460-479 |
slides
(pdf),
notes |
We discuss what is known about the origins and destiny of the
Universe as a whole. |
| Apr 17 - Thu |
Telescopes Project Final
Deadline |
| 22. Life in the Universe |
484-494 |
slides
(pdf) |
Now that we understand the Universe at large, we move on to a
discussion of life's place in the cosmos. |
| Apr 18 - Fri |
Homework #10 due at
9:00am |
| Apr 22 - Tue |
Catch Up Lecture + Exam Review |
|
Study Guide,
Formulas
(pdf) |
Exam questions will be derived from the Review questions. The
formula sheets will be included with your exam. |
| Apr 24 - Thu |
EXAM #3 |
|
Key,
Exam curve,
Overall curve |
In-class exam consisting of 60 multiple choice questions. Bring #2
pencils.
|
| Apr 29 - Tue |
23. Alien Worlds... Alien Life? |
484-494 |
slides
(pdf) |
We discuss how astronomers go about discovering planets around
distant stars, and consider the prospects for "contact" with alien
civilizations. |
| May 1 - Thu |
Review for Final Exam |
|
Study Guide
Formulas
(pdf) |
The Final Exam will cover all material in the course. Exam
questions will be derived from the Review questions. The
formula sheets will be included with your exam. |
| May 2 - Fri |
Homework #11 due at
9:00am |
| May 5, 6:50pm |
FINAL EXAM in 112 Kern |
|
Key,
Exam curve,
Overall Course Curve |
May 5, 6:50pm to 8:40pm, 112 Kern. 90 multiple choice questions -
bring #2 pencils. |
