Syllabus
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(At left: the Pleiades star cluster. The brightest stars in this photo are visible as a naked eye constellation. The blue stars are much hotter than the Sun, similar to the way the hottest part of a candle flame is the blue part.)
Instructor: Dr. Craig Tyler, tyler_c@fortlewis.edu. Please contact me by email, but not by phone. You can also visit me during my office hours.
Final Exam: Wednesday 16 December, 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm, in our usual lecture classroom.
Objective: to convey to you a general understanding of the contents of your universe, how these objects work, how we know about them, and how you fit into this big picture.
Non-objective: This is not a course about horoscopes (astrology, except when we discuss why astrology is not science) or about stories associated with the constellations (mythology). Many students at colleges across the country sign up for astronomy because they think it will be easy (they are usually wrong). The content of this course is really more like astrophysics, and it may involve some standard scientific skills, like graphing and numerical estimation.
Topics (weeks correspond to our 14-week semester):
- Solar System (~1 week; ch 1 plus local astronomy notes) - The scientific method, the origin of seasons on Earth, phases of the Moon, eclipses, and a slide show of the solar system.
- Toolkit for Understanding Light (~1 week; ch 2) - Electromagnetic spectrum, spectroscopy, parallax, doppler shift, and Galileo.
- The Astronomical Distance Ladder (~1 week; ch 3) - Using photons, flux, and luminosity to figure out the distances to objects in the universe.
- Gravity and Galaxies (~1 week; ch 4) - Kepler's and Newton's laws, orbits, galactic structure and motion, and dark matter.
- Cosmic clues (~1 week; ch 5) - Some curious measurements of the universe.
- General Relativity and Black Holes (~1 week; ch 6) - Einstein's theory of space and time, gravitational lensing, black holes, and quasars.
- General Relativity and the Universe (~1 week; ch 7) - The expansion, the cosmological redshift, and dark energy.
- Photons and Electrons (~1 week; ch 8) - Light and spectroscopy revisited, scattering, and the cosmic microwave background.
- The Lives and Deaths of Stars (~2 weeks; ch 9) - Nuclear energy, nuclear power in stars, stellar evolution and death, red giants and white dwarfs, neutron stars, supernovae, neutrinos, and nucleosynthesis.
- The Big Bang (~2 weeks; chs 10, 11, and part of 12) - The big bang theory, more on dark matter and dark energy, and the history, density, and destiny of the universe.
- Life and Consciousness (~1 week; chs 13 and 14) - The origin and evolution of life on Earth, the possibility of life elsewhere, the anthropic principle, Ptolemy and Copernicus, and what it all means.
Readings and assignments: The "readings and assignments" link at the top left of this web page will list all readings and assignments. It is your responsibility to keep up. Readings are usually listed by chapter; you will have to figure out which sections to read when in order to prepare for reading quizzes. Readings always include in-chapter exercises (you should read and at least think about them), and some reading assignments may indicate that they also include end-of-chapter further exploration questions. Reading quizzes may ask about these; you can think of this as a homework score. Crossword puzzle assignments require you to photocopy the puzzle from the book and turn in the completed photocopy to get credit. (You must write on the photocopy - not photocopy the page with writing already there - to get credit.)
Class format: You are responsible for material covered in class, even if you are not there for any reason; you can usually catch up from the book. I will try to make the class sessions worth your while, so that most of the learning can take place during class hours. Every day (or nearly every day) we will have a short, graded reading quiz, starting in week 2. Reading quizzes will be completed electronically using PRS hardware (see below).
Grading: Your grades will break down approximately as follows:
Scantron exams: The quizzes and exams will be machine-graded. You are required to bring your own scantron form to each of the three exams; I will not have any extras available for you. You can buy scantrons from the bookstore, very cheap. Fill out the scantron forms carefully; I absolutely will not change your score due to a machine grading error. Use only red scantron forms, not brown.
- Two midterm exams combined 35%
- Final exam: 25%
- Reading quizzes combined: 25%
- Crossword puzzles combined: 15%
There are several important notes about grading:
- I will count your lowest three reading quiz grades as extra credit. No reading quizzes can be made up for any reason.
- I will probably curve the final grades. This procedure will always raise grades, and never lower them.
- Crossword puzzles are pass-fail. If you complete the whole thing then you will get credit. If you miss more than three words, then you get zero credit. However, to get credit, you must photocopy the puzzle and turn in the photocopy with your answers (and your name) written on it. I will not accept anything else. Also, I will not return your crossword puzzles. Finally, any crossword puzzles that are not explicitly assigned may be turned in for a small amount of extra credit.
- I may change the percent grade weightings for the class (above), but I won't change them by much. I also reserve the right to change the weightings for an individual student if I feel that circumstances warrant it (such changes could be substantial).
- You may withdraw from the course (with a grade of "W") at any time up to and including one week after the first midterm exam. Thereafter you are committed to a grade of A through F. I will not allow pass/fail grading, and I will only allow incompletes in utterly unavoidable circumstances
Personal Response System (PRS): You are responsible to buy a PRS transmitter from the bookstore, and provide me with its transmitter ID number. We will use these every day in class. In addition, you will use your PRS transmitter for all quizzes to send your answers. It is your responsibility to buy, bring, and maintain your transmitter every day. I will not have extra batteries available if yours die, for example, and if you forget your transmitter on a quiz day, you will get a zero for that day's quiz.
Textbook: Duncan and Tyler, Your Cosmic Context.
Academic (dis)honesty: Any incidents of cheating on quizzes or exams will result in being reported to the office of academic affairs, and getting an F for the course.
Accessibility: Students with disabilities have equal access and equal opportunity in this course. If you require reasonable accommodations to fully participate in course activities or meet course requirements, you must register with Disability Services, 280 Noble Hall, 247-7459. If you qualify for services, bring your letter of accommodation to me as soon as possible.
Also, see the syllabus addendum for more information about this course.