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Course Purpose and Objectives:
The aim of Astronomy 105 is to present, in a straightforwardly descriptive and qualitative way, the spirit of scientific investigation, and to develop within the student an appreciation for the wonders of the universe. The course leads students in an examination of celestial objects relatively near the Earth: the Moon, the planetary system, and the other members of the Sun's family. Astronomy 105 utilizes Vol. 1 of the Astronomy Today text (or the first 15 chapters of the combined Vol. 1 & 2 text), which is primarily concerned with the solar system. Astronomy 106, offered in the spring, picks up at a natural division in the content and extends the subject to the stars and galaxies in the outer reaches of the universe. There are no specific prerequisites for either course, and they can be taken independently of each other if desired.
The AST 105 course relates to the following student success goals, which the college believes are the distinguishing characteristics of the Young Harris College graduate:
1. A body of knowledge requisite to earning a specific academic degree.
2. The ability to think logically, critically, and creatively.
More specifically, upon successful completion of the AST 105 course, the student will be able to know or demonstrate:
A. How and why the Sun, the Moon, and the stars appear to change their positions from night to night and from month to month.
B. How the observed motions of the planets led to our modern view of a Sun-centered solar system.
C. The nature of electromagnetic radiation and the variety of information it reveals to us about distant astronomical objects.
D. The basic design of the major types of telescopes used by astronomers as tools to study the universe.
E. The overall scale and structure of our solar system, and the importance of comparative planetology in studying it.
F. The basic properties and features of Earth and the other planets and celestial objects in our solar system.
G. The process by which planetary systems may form as a result of star formation, and how that process accounts for the overall properties of our solar system.
Required Text: Astronomy Today, 5th edition, by E. Chaisson and S. McMillan, published by Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. (Note: you need Vol. 1 for this course, but the combined text, containing Vols. 1 & 2, will also work fine.)
Grading Procedures:
Evaluation Criteria
Grading will be on the following system:
Tests (4) 40% of total
Labs 25% of total
Participation/Homework 10% of total
Final exam 25% of total
TOTAL 100%
Grading scale
Your final course grade will be determined according to the standard 10-point scale as follows:
90 – 100% = A
80 – 89% = B
70 – 79% = C
60 – 69% = D
Below 60% = F
Using the info above, you should be able to calculate how you stand in the class, and what you need to do to make your desired final grade. If you are in doubt or have concerns about where you stand at any time, please see me.
Tests
Four tests will be given, according to the following schedule. Your lowest test score will be dropped. Tests will not be comprehensive.
Test 1-- Wed. Sept. 13th
Test 2-- Wed. Oct. 4th
Test 3-- Mon. Oct. 30th
Test 4-- Mon. Nov. 20th
Labs
The labs will meet on Wednesdays, either in the afternoon from 3 - 5, or sometimes in the evening. The location of the lab will change from week to week. The afternoon labs will be in the Maxwell Building, either in the computer lab, the planetarium, or a lab classroom, depending on the topic. The evening labs will be held at the YHC Observatory located about a mile and a half from campus near the Brasstown Valley Resort. Your lowest lab grade will be dropped. (Note: we will not have lab on Aug. 23, Oct. 11, Nov. 22, or Dec. 6.)
Participation/Homework
Active participation is one of the most important elements in understanding and being successful in Astronomy 105. This means getting to class on time, and then really being there! Be prepared, look alert, take notes, ask and/or answer questions during class—all of these are evidence of active participation. Homework assignments will be given from time to time throughout the semester, and may be checked on occasion as part of this grade. Overall, your participation/ homework grade will count 10%—that’s a letter grade!—toward your overall course grade. You will begin the semester with 100 points for your participation/homework grade. Points will be deducted as follows:
Missed homework assignment = -10 points each
Instances of tardiness (after your 1st) = - 5 points each
If obvious that you are not participating = -10 points each
(for example: sleeping, working on other
assignments during class, etc.)
Final Exam
The final exam will be administered on Wednesday, Dec. 13th from 10:45AM to 1:15PM according to the published exam schedule. The exam will be comprehensive in nature. Note: Your grade on the final exam cannot become one of your dropped grades.
Make-up Policy
Tests or labs cannot be made up. If you miss one, it automatically turns into your dropped test or lab score. A word of advice: don’t pre-plan drop grades; save them in case you really need them! For example, if you skip a test or lab, and then later have to miss a second one because you are really sick, you still will not be able to make up the second one. You’ll receive a zero.
Attendance Policy:
I will regularly take attendance at the beginning of class. To be considered present, you must arrive on time and leave only after class is dismissed. You may be absent from class five times, for whatever reason. (IMPORTANT!—I make no distinction between excused and unexcused absences. In other words, an absence is an absence.) Any absences above 5 will cause you to lose 5 points each—½ a letter grade—from your overall grade in this course. As noted above, it is important to be in class and an active participant, as you can fall behind quickly. You are responsible for all material covered in class, even if not in the textbook. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to obtain notes from another student and/or see me for any handouts or assignments. Note: if you have an extreme emergency situation that will cause you to miss more than five days, see me.
Tardy Policy:
I will take attendance only once during a class period. If you arrive after the roll is called, you will be counted absent unless you come up to me after class and announce your tardiness. (Voice mails are not acceptable for this.) Tardies will have a negative impact on your participation grade for the course. (See section on “Participation/Homework” above.)
Electronic Devices:
Please turn off or otherwise silence any personal electronic devices during class. Please do not make or take cell phone calls or do text messaging during class.
Other Academic Policies:
All students are encouraged to read carefully all policies contained in the YHC Catalog and the Guide to Student Life.
AST 105 Course Outline:
Part One—Astronomy and the Universe
Chapter 1: Charting the Heavens
• Celestial Coordinate Systems
• Motions of the Earth and Moon
• Measuring Time and Distance
Chapter 2: The Copernican Revolution
• Geocentric vs. Heliocentric Models
• Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion
• Newton’s Laws
Chapter 3: Radiation
• Wave Properties
• The Electromagnetic Spectrum
• The Doppler Effect
Chapter 4: Spectroscopy
• Spectral Lines
• Emission and Absorption Spectra
• Spectral-line Analysis
Chapter 5: Telescopes
• Telescope Design and Types
• Radio Astronomy
• Space-based Astronomy
Part Two—Our Planetary System
Chapter 6: The Solar System
• Comparative Planetology
• Terrestrial vs. Jovian Planets
• Solar System Formation
Chapter 7: Earth
• Atmosphere
• Interior
• Surface
Chapter 8: The Moon and Mercury
Chapter 9: Venus
Chapter 10: Mars
Chapter 11: Jupiter
Chapter 12: Saturn
Chapter 13: Uranus, Neptune & Pluto
Chapter 14: Solar System Debris
• Asteroids
• Comets
• Meteoroids
Chapter 15: Formation of Planetary Systems
• Planet-making Models
• Extra-solar Planetary Systems
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