Course Purpose and Objectives:
The aim of Astronomy 106 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. Astronomy 106 utilizes Vol. 2 of the Astronomy Today text (or Chaps. 16 and following in the combined text containing Vols. 1 & 2) to lead students in an examination of stellar and galactic astronomy. The course begins with the nearest star, the Sun, and then extends outward to the stars and galaxies in the outer reaches of the universe. Astronomy 105, which is offered in the fall, is primarily concerned with the solar system. There are no specific prerequisites for either course, and they can be taken independently of each other if desired.

The AST 106 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 106 course, the student will be able to know or demonstrate:
A. The overall properties of the Sun and the process by which energy is produced in its interior.
B. How an H-R diagram is constructed and why it is so useful in identifying stellar properties.
C. The sequence of events leading to the formation of stars like the Sun.
D. The outline of events in the life and death of stars, and how stellar mass plays a decisive role.
E. The overall structure of our Milky Way galaxy, and how it compares to other galactic types.
F. The large-scale structure of galaxies in the observable universe, and how Hubble’s Law is used to derive distances to the most remote objects.
G. The leading models describing the origin and fate of the universe, and the observational evidence shaping their development.

Required Text: Astronomy Today, 5th edition, by E. Chaisson and S. McMillan, published by Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. (Note: you need Vol. 2 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-- Mon. January 29th
Test 2-- Mon. February 19th
Test 3-- Wed. March 21st
Test 4-- Mon. April 16th

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 Jan. 10, Mar. 7 or 14, or Apr. 25.)

Participation/Homework:
Active participation is one of the most important elements in understanding and being successful in Astronomy 106. 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 = -15 points each
Instances of tardiness (after your 1st) = -10 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 Thurs. May 3rd 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 just for the heck of it, 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, without penalty. (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 missed 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 106 Course Outline:
Part One—Stars & Stellar Evolution

Chapter 16: The Sun
• The Solar Interior
• The Solar Atmosphere
• The Active Sun

Chapter 17: Red Giants & White Dwarfs
• Luminosity & Brightness
• Stellar Temperature & Size
• The H-R Diagram

Chapter 18: The Interstellar Medium
• Nebulae & Dust Clouds
• Interstellar Molecules

Chapter 19: Star Formation
• Stars Like the Sun
• Stars of Other Masses

Chapter 20: Stellar Evolution
• Sun-like Stars
• Low-mass Stars
• High-mass Stars

Chapter 21: Stellar Explosions
• Novae & Supernovae
• Formation of Elements

Chapter 22: Neutron Stars & Black Holes
• Strange States of Matter
• Einstein’s Theories of Relativity

Part Two—Galaxies & Cosmology

Chapter 23: The Milky Way Galaxy
• Measuring the Milky Way
• Galactic Structure

Chapter 24: Normal & Active Galaxies
• Hubble’s Law
• Active Galactic Nuclei

Chapter 25: Galaxies & Dark Matter
• Large-scale Cosmic Structure
• Dark Matter
• Galaxy Formation & Evolution
• Black Holes & Active Galactic Nuclei

Chapter 26: Cosmology
• The Expanding Universe
• The Fate of the Cosmos

Chapter 27: The Early Universe
• Back to the Big Bang
• The Formation of Nuclei & Atoms
• The Inflationary Universe

Chapter 28: Life in the Universe
• Life in the Solar System
• The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence