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Discover the Universe
AST 1002
Section 0427 – Spring 2015
Instructor:
Office:
Telephone:
E-Mail:
Class Website:
Lecture Time:
Location:
Office Hours:
Fred Hamann
Bryant Space Science Center, Room 211-A
352-294-1867
fhamann@ufl.edu
http://www.astro.ufl.edu/~hamann/AST1002.html
MWF Period 5 (10:40am – 11:30am)
Turlington, Room L007
After class, or by appointment
Required Text & Online Registration:
• Astronomy: A Beginner’s Guide to the Universe, 7th Edition (6th is okay), Chaisson &
McMillan, Addison-Wesley, San Francisco
• Mastering Astronomy (www.masteringastronomy.com)
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites: None
Credits: 3
Course Content:
This course offers a broad overview of modern astronomy. We will examine how
observation, experimentation and exploration have led to our present day understanding of
the Earth environment and the Universe we live in. Although this is essentially a nonmathematical science course, a very basic knowledge of mathematics is required. Our goal
is to help you gain a physical understanding and an appreciation of the cosmos and more
generally of the scientific method and how scientific discoveries impact society. Along the
way, we will use and practice critical thinking skills and learn how to formulate empirically
testable hypotheses. (P)
The topics we will cover include:
• Motions of the sky
• A historical development of our understanding of the solar system: An example of
the scientific method
• Light and telescopes
• The properties of the planets within our solar system
• The nature and lives of stars
• The search for extraterrestrial life
• The nature of our Milky Way Galaxy
• Properties of other galaxies
• The origin and fate of the Universe
General Education:
AST 1002, Discover the Universe, is a GenEd physical science (P) course. As the list of
topics above demonstrates, the course covers not only the Universe and the bodies in it -planets, moons, stars, galaxies, etc. -- but also how we know about those things, making
use of our understanding of the underlying physics of orbits and radiation. The course will
focus on major scientific developments in astronomy & astrophysics and their impacts on
society and the environment. A minimum grade of ‘C’ is required general education credit.
Course and Gen Ed Student Learning Objectives & Outcomes:
• To provide students with a broad overview of modern astronomy. This will be
accomplished through lectures and weekly reading assignments. Students will be
able to define common astronomical terms and explain basic concepts and theories
for a range of astrophysical phenomena.
• To teach students the scientific process and how we can understand the Universe
using basic physical laws derived on Earth. This will be accomplished through
lectures and in-class discussions as well as homework assignments. Students will
gain an understanding of how the scientific method is applied to the field of
astronomy.
• To review the major scientific developments in astronomy and summarize their
impacts on society and our environment such as recognizing our place in the
Universe, comparing energy sources, and how atmospheric effects of planets
influence climate change. Students will be able to critically evaluate the difference
between good science and bad science. Evaluations will be based on in-class
discussions, exams and observing project.
• To teach scientific reasoning. Scientific reasoning is the use of logic, observations,
and critical thinking to interpret the world around you. This will be accomplished
through in-class discussions, homework assignments and the observing project.
Students will formulate empirically-testable hypotheses derived from the study of
physical processes and phenomena and apply logical reasoning skills through
scientific criticism and argument. These skills will serve you well in your daily
lives regardless of what career you pursue.
• To improve scientific literacy. Literacy in the basic concepts and terminology of
science is necessary if you wish to follow science stories in the news or make
informed decisions (such as voting) on issues that pertain to science. This will be
accomplished through in-class discussions about current news topics in astronomy
and as part of the observing project.
• To help students learn to communicate scientific ideas clearly and effectively using
oral, written or graphic forms. This will be done through in-class discussions (oral)
and as the written component of the observing project.
Course & Grading Information:
The lectures will follow the textbook fairly closely. Each lecture will begin with a reminder
of where we are in the text and what chapters/sections we will cover next. However, you
are responsible only for material covered in lecture. Attend lectures and use the lecture
notes to understand what topics are important and what you will be expected to know for
the exams. See also https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/regulations/info/grades.aspx for
general UF grading policies. Your grade for the course will be based on the following:
In class exams – (2 exams – 20% each)
Cumulative Final Exam
Observing Project
Homework
Extra Credit (Optional)
Grading Scale:
Letter
% Points
Grade
A
> 90
A87 – 89
B+
84 – 86
B
80 – 83
GPA
4.0
3.67
3.33
3.0
Letter
Grade
BC+
C
C-
40 %
20 %
20 %
20 %
4%
% Points
GPA
77 – 79
74 – 76
70 – 73
67 – 69
2.67
2.33
2.0
1.67
Letter
Grade
D+
D
DE
% Points
GPA
64 – 66
60 – 63
56 – 59
< 55
1.33
1.0
0.67
0
Examinations (60% of grade):
Two in-class exams will be given during the semester (20% each). The dates of these
exams are Friday, 13 February 2015 and, Friday, 20 March 2015. The final exam (also 20%
of grade) will be given during final exam week, Wednesday, 29 April 2015 (3:00–5:00
pm). These exams will test the student’s content knowledge, but will emphasize concepts
instead of facts and applying critical thinking skills. The final exam is cumulative, covering
material from the entire semester. The second exam will cover only material since the first
exam (from 13 February to 20 March).
Observing Project (20%):
One of the most enjoyable aspects of astronomy is actually observing the sky either with
the eyes, binoculars or a telescope. Students are expected to attend one observing session at
the campus observatory. Detailed instructions and a form for completing the project are
provided on the course web page. Each student will have 4 opportunities to go to the
Campus Teaching Observatory (3 Fridays and 1 Tuesday) if the weather is good
(directions to the observatory and times will be provided in lecture and on the class web
site). The specific dates to attend the observatory and the deadline to turn in the project
depend on the beginning letter of your last name. You must complete the observing form
(downloaded from the class web site) describing in detail the objects that you observe
through the telescopes and explaining their astronomical significance. Part of this
assignment involves online research to find information about the objects you observed,
plus critical thinking to describe ways you might design an experiment or use other
telescopes to learn more about the objects. It is important that you obtain a special token for
each visit from the staff at the observatory and attach it to your form. Remember to put
your name on your form. The observatory will be closed if there is bad weather, so do
not wait until the due date!
Homeworks (20%):
Homework assignments will be used during the semester to facilitate and reinforce your
understanding of the course material, and encourage critical thinking. There will be 6
graded homeworks given throughout the semester. You will have at least one week to
complete each assignment. I will announce the start dates and due dates in lecture and on
our course home page. The assignments will be available only through the Mastering
Astronomy webpage. See below.
Mastering Astronomy: You must obtain an access code to use the online tools called
Mastering Astronomy (www.masteringastronomy.com) provided by the textbook
publisher. This is essential to do the homeworks. Access codes can be obtained in one of
the following ways: (1) purchase the textbook with Mastering Astronomy, (2) purchase of
an e-book version of the text with Mastering Astronomy, (3) purchase a stand alone
Mastering Astronomy code without the book. To obtain an access code online, go to the
link above, click on “Students” in the Register box, and follow the instructions to purchase
a code. (Note: check if financial aid will cover these methods.)
Once you have an access code, use it to register on the Mastering Astronomy web site.
Once registered, enroll in our class page using the ID: HAMANN38581. You will find the
“active” homeworks there, with due dates given on the calendar. The Mastering Astronomy
pages also contain other resources that can help you in this class, e.g., in the Study Area.
Extra Credit (optional): Extra Credit will be available to earn up to 4% added to your
final class grade. There are two possibilities: 1) Complete an additional Mastering
Astronomy homework with a grade or B or better (>80%) to receive the full 4% extra
credit. Lower scores will earn no credit at all. This homework will be available after the
second exam, with a 3-week completion period. It will be more “cumulative” than the other
homeworks, covering topics from most of the course. Or 2) attend an astronomy-oriented
planetarium show (not a music or laser show!) at the Kika Silva Pla Planetarium at Santa
Fe College (www.sfcollege.edu/planetarium). To get credit you must turn in your ticket
stub from the show and a brief but substantive written paragraph (150-200 words)
describing what you learned and found most interesting from the show. You can do this
any time. There are shows throughout the week; please see the link to the planetarium’s
website on our course webpage.
Attendance, Class Participation and Conduct Policy:
• Attendance at lectures is expected.
• Students should arrive on time and not get ready to leave until the lecture is
finished.
• Reading assignments will be given approximately once each week. These will
consist of reading pages/chapters from the textbook. Students should read material
that will be covered by the lecture the following week.
• In order to stimulate critical thinking and gauge how well you understand the
material, questions based on the lectures, reading assignments and
projects/homework will be posed in class. Students should participate in the lecture
by answering these questions and also by asking your own questions.
• Use of mobile phones and computers (for purposes other than note-taking) are
prohibited during lectures
Make-up Policy:
Students are expected to complete all requirements by the specified due dates. If a student
misses an exam or an assignment due to an excused absence as specified in the
undergraduate catalog and provides the instructor with timely notification, they will be
allowed a reasonable time to make up the missed work. The format of a make-up test/exam
will be at the discretion of the instructor; these exams may not be exclusively multiplechoice questions. Birthdays, weddings, family vacations, trips out of town, etc., are not
excuses for taking a make up exam.
Academic Honesty Policy:
• This is an excerpt from the Academic Honesty Guidelines and Student Conduct
Code in the University of Florida Undergraduate Catalog:
o Academic Honesty: The University requires all members of its community
to be honest in all endeavors. A fundamental principle is that the whole
process of learning and pursuit of knowledge are diminished by cheating,
plagiarism, and other acts of academic dishonesty. In addition, every
dishonest act in the academic environment affects other students adversely,
from the skewing of the grading curve to giving unfair advantage for honors
or for professional or graduate school admission. Therefore, the university
will take severe action against dishonest students. Similarly, measures will
be taken against faculty, staff, and administrators who practice dishonest or
demeaning behavior.
• Cheating is not tolerated in this class. Everyone in this class is expected to follow
the University of Florida Honor Code: We, the members of the University of Florida
community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of
honesty and integrity. Any student caught cheating will be referred to the Honor
Code Chancellor.
• On all work submitted for credit by students at the university, the following pledge
is either required or implied: "On my honor, I have neither given nor received
unauthorized aid in doing this assignment."
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
• Students who require a classroom accommodation for a disability are required to
arrange accommodations with the Disability Resource Center (352-392-8565,
www.dso.ufl.edu/drc/) by providing appropriate documentation. Once registered,
students will receive an accommodation letter that must be presented to the
instructor when requesting accommodation. Students with disabilities should follow
this procedure as early as possible in the semester.
UF Counseling Services:
• On-campus resources are available at the UF Counseling & Wellness Center (3921575) for students experiencing personal or stress related problems.
Course Evaluations:
• Students are expected to provide feedback on the quality of this course by
completing online evaluations at https://evaluations.ufl.edu. Evaluations are
typically open during the last few weeks of the semester, and an announcement will
be made when they are open. A summary of the results of the assessment can be
found at https://evaluations.ufl.edu/results/.
Important Dates & Deadlines:
In-Class Exam #1
In-Class Exam #2
Observing Project Due
Cumulative Final Exam
Friday, 13 February 2015
Friday, 20 March 2015
See Project Description
Wednesday, 29 April, 3-5pm
Approximate Lecture Schedule:
Lecture Date
Lecture Content
Week 1
Charting the Heavens – An introduction to
basic concepts in astronomy such as distances,
constellations, Sun-Moon-Earth
configurations that result in Moon phases,
Solar and Lunar eclipses
Modern Astronomy & the Solar System –
Learn how the scientific method has been used
over hundreds of years to interpret the motions
of planets and understand the nature of our
Solar System
Properties of Light – Learn about the nature of
light and how astronomers use different
wavelengths of light to study astrophysical
phenomena
Tools of Astronomy – Learn how telescopes
work, and how astronomers use different
techniques to measure the properties of
celestial objects at different wavelengths.
Solar System: Inventory and Formation –
Using the scientific method and observations
discussed in this class, we discuss the
consituents of the Solar System and likely
scenarios for its formation
Moons, Rings, Asteroids, Meteors & Comets
– Learn about the nature of these other
constituents of the Solar System which reveal
clues about the origin and evolution of our
planetary system
Earth & Moon – Learn about the Earth and
Moon as well as their relationship to each
other and Moon exploration
Terrestrial Planets – Properties of the inner
planets are discussed and compared to Earth
Jovian Planets – Properties of the outer gas
giants are discussed and compared to Earth
Week 2&3
Week 4
Week 4
Week 5
Week 5
Week 5
Week 6
Week 6
Weekly
Reading
Assignment
Chapter 0
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 8
(selected parts)
Chapter 5
(selected)
Chapter 6
(selected)
Chapter 7
(selected)
Week 7
The Sun – Properties of the Sun and the
mechanics of nuclear fusion are discussed
Chapter 9
Week 8
Properties of Stars – Learn the properties of
stars and how they are measured, including
some distance determination techniques.
Discover how color-magnitude diagrams are
used to determine ages and binary stars are
used to measure stellar masses
The Interstellar Medium (ISM) – Learn about
the material between stars in our Galaxy, from
which stars and planets form
Star Formation and Stellar Evolution –
Discover how stars form out of the ISM.
Follow the timeline for a typical Sun-like star
from infancy to death
Stellar Remnants & Black Holes – Learn
about the dense remnants of high mass stars
and discuss the unusual gravitational effects
observed near Black Holes
The Milky Way – Learn the properties of our
Milky Way galaxy and how the scientific
method has been used to learn the nature of
this large system of stars, gas and dust
Normal and Active Galaxies – Discover the
different types of galaxies in the Universe and
how they compare to the Milky Way
Galaxies & Dark Matter – Discover the
importance of dark matter and how it has been
identified in galaxies and larger scale
structures. Learn about galaxy interactions
and mergers and galaxy evolution
Cosmology – Learn how we observe the
effects of the Big Bang around us today
including the cosmic microwave background,
universal expansion and acceleration, the
curvature of space and the formation of
structure
Life in the Universe – Consider the overview
of cosmic evolution. Learn about the
conditions that allow life to exist on Earth.
Where else do these conditions occur and how
common are they?
Final Exam
Chapter 10
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 14&15
Week 15
Exam Week
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Cumulative –
all chapters