PHYS 405 & 406 - Introduction to Modern Astronomy

Professor Eberhard Möbius
Spring Semester, 2014

Exam Schedule

Exam#1: Monday,February 17 (regular class time)
Exam#2: Wednesday, March 19 (regular class time
Exam#3: Thursday, April 17 at 7:00 pm

Final Exam: Wednesday, May 14, 330 - 530 pm
James G46: 405 & 406 Names with A - D
DeMeritt 240: 405 & 406 Names with E - J
DeMeritt 112: 405 & 406 Names with K - Z

Lab Schedule

Class and Homework Schedule (subject to updates as the need arises!)

Week Date Day Topic Ch
Review
Chapters, Pages in Book
Reading before Class!!
Homework
assigned
Due
Comments
1 Jan 22 W Introduction, Powers of Ten 0, I Preface, Ch 1  
1 Jan 24 F Scientific Methods I Ch. 1
Syllabus!!
Mastering Astr
HW#1 assigned

 
2 Jan 27 M Scientific Method;
What we see in the Sky (Stars)
I, II Ch. 2.1


2 Jan 29 W What we see in the Sky (Sun) II Ch. 2.2 ReadQuiz 1 due 2pm
(Ch 2)

Labs start!
L1, 2: Tu 6 & 8 pm
L3, 4: We 6 & 8 pm
2 Jan 31 F What we see in the Sky (Moon) II Ch. 2.3  
3 Feb 3 M What we see in the Sky
(Eclipses, Calendar)
II Ch. 2.3 MA HW#1 due
11:59 PM

Feb 3 & Feb 4
Planetarium Visits!

3 Feb 5 W Snow Day!  

 


 
3 Feb 7 F What we see in the Sky (Planets);
Geometric Models
II, III Ch 2.4, Ch.3 ReadQuiz 2 due 2pm
(Ch 3)

 

4 Feb 10 M Geometric Models III

Ch.3

MA HW#2 due 11:59 PM
 
4 Feb 12 W Physical Models
(up to gravitation)
IV Ch.4.1-4.3

ReadQuiz 3 due 2pm (Ch 4)

 

4 Feb 14 F Physical Models
(Kepler's Laws; Energy, Angular Momentum, Mass)
IV Ch.4.3-4.4   Material for Exam#1
up to here!

5 Feb 17 M

Exam#1

Physics 405 in DeMeritt 112
Physics 406 in Spaulding 120


 

Ch 0, I, II, III, IV
(up to weight/masses)

MA HW#3 due 11:59 pm
Do HW before Exam!!
It helps you study!!!
10 Bonus Pts, if ALL problems tried once & at least 25% of score!!

On Material through
Feb 14
Click for Practice
5 Feb 19 W Physical Models
(Moon, Tides)
IV Ch.4.4


 
5 Feb 21 F Tools in Astronomy
(Light, Telescopes)
V Ch. 5, 110-114, 125-129 ReadQuiz 4 due 2pm
(Ch 5, p 110-116, 121-123, 125-136)

 
6 Feb 24 M Tools in Astronomy
(Meaning of Colors)
V Ch. 5, 114-116, 121-123 MA HW#4 due 11:59 PM
 
6 Feb 26 W Tools in Astronomy
(Radio -, Space Astronomy)
V Ch. 5, 130-135    
6 Feb 28 F
Planets, Solar System
(Characteristics, Formation,
Planets in other Star Systems)

VI
Ch. 6, 143 - 164
Ch. 6, 173 - 181
ReadQuiz 5 due 2pm (Ch 6)
7 Mar 3 M Solar System (Interior of Planets, Magnetic Fields, Volcanism) VI Ch. 7, 191-197, 218-220; Ch. 8, 236-238

ReadQuiz 6 due 2pm
(Ch 7 + p 234-236)

MA HW#5 due
11:59 PM


7 Mar 5 W Solar System
(Impact Craters, Atmospheres)
VI Ch. 4, 94-96;
Ch. 7, 200-201,
210-217

Physics 405 & 406AstroOption
Term Paper Outline due


7 Mar 7 F

Solar System
(Water&Ice, Life)

VI Ch. 7, 205-213,
216-217;
Ch. 18, 501-503, 507, 510-518

 


 
8 Mar 10-14   Spring Break    

 
 
9 Mar 17 M
Solar System
(Asteroids, Comets, Meteors)
VI Ch. 9, 261 - 263, 265-281

ReadQuiz 7 due 2pm (Ch 9 + p 501-503,507,510-518)

MA HW#6 due
11:59 PM

 
9 Mar 19 W Observations of Sun and Stars
(Magnitude, Distance, Luminosity)
VII Ch. 11 ReadQuiz 8 Due 2 pm

 
Material for Exam#2
up to here!
9 Mar 21 F

Exam#2


  MA HW#7 Due Mo, Mar 24, 11:59 pm
Start HW before Exam!!
It helps you study!!!
10 Bonus Pts on Homework, if ALL problems tried once & at least 25% of score before Exam!!

On Material
through Mar 19 (Ch. IV, V, VI, VII through Luminosity)
Click for Practice
Do Exam#2
(NOT 10, 13-17)
and Exam#3
(DO 1,2, 4-10, 14)

10 Mar 24 M Observations of Sun and Stars
(Luminosity, Spectra, Temperature, Composition; Star Masses)
VII

Ch. 5, 114 - 120
Ch. 11

MA HW#7 Due 11:59 pm


10 Mar 26 W Observations of Sun and Stars
(H-R Diagram; Mass-Luminosity Relation)
The Sun Our Star
(Energy

VII
VIII

Ch. 11:
Ch. 10.1

ReadQuiz 9 Due 2 pm



10 Mar 28 F

The Sun Our Star
(Interior,Energy Transport, Atmosphere)

VIII Ch. 10

 
11 Mar 31 M

The Sun Our Star
(Atmosphere, Solar Wind)
Magnetospheres
Size of the Heliosphere

VIII Ch. 10.3
Ch. 7, 196-197
Ch. 8, 240

MA HW#8 Due 11:59 pm


 
11 Apr
2
W What is between the Stars?
Interstellar Gas in the Solar System, Astrospheres
IX
X
Ch. 10.3
ReadQuiz 10 Due 2 pm


11 Apr
4
F What is between the Stars?
Interstellar Gas & Dust
Stellar Evolution
(Star Forming Regions)
IX
X
Ch. 14.2
Ch.12.1

 



12 Apr
7
M Stellar Evolution (Star Birth, Protostars to Mature Stars, Brown Dwarfs,
Stars on Main Sequence)


X

Ch. 12,
330-334

MA HW#9 Due: 11:59 pm



Phys 405 & Astro Option:
Term Paper Draft Due 11:59 pm online
12 Apr
9
W Stellar Evolution
(Aging Stars, Planetary Nebulae; White Dwarfs)
X Ch.12
Ch. 13.1

 

ReadQuiz 11 Due 2 pm

 
12 Apr 11 F Stellar Evolution
(Supernovae, Pulsars, Neutron Stars)
X Ch.13.1 - 13.2

 
13 Apr 14 M Einstein
Special Relativity
XI
Ch.13, p. 366
MA HW#10 Due 11:59 pm

Material for Exam#3
up to here!
13 Apr 16 W Einstein
General Relativity;
Tests of Relativity
XI Ch.13, p. 373
 
13 Apr 17 Thu Exam#3 Rooms TBA

(Exam at 7 pm!!!)

 

Ch VII, VIII, IX, X, Start of XI

On Material
through Apr 14
Click for Practice

13 Apr 18 F Black Holes
XI
XII
Ch.13.3 -13.4
 
14 Apr 21 M The Milky Way XII Ch.14.1, 14.3-4

ReadQuiz 12 Due 2 pm

MA HW#11 Due 11:59 pm

Phys 405 & Astro Option:
Term Paper
Peer Reviews
Due 11:59 pm; online

14 Apr 23 W Other Galaxies
Types of Galaxies

XII; XIII

Ch 15.1, 15.3
ReadQuiz 13 Due 2 pm Tu & We:
Make-up Labs
14 Apr 25 F Galaxies and the Structure of the Universe XIII Ch 15.2
 
15 Apr 28 M Active Galaxies & Quasars XIII Ch 15.4

MA HW#12 Due 11:59 pm

 
15 Apr 30 W Cosmology
XIV
Ch 17.4
Ch 16
ReadQuiz 14 Due 2 pm
 
15 May 2 F Cosmology

XIV

Ch 17
ReadQuiz 15 Due 2 pm
 
16 May 5 M Cosmology

XIV

Ch 17
MA HW#13 Due 11:59 pm
All Final
Term Papers
Due 11:59 pm

May 14 W FINAL EXAM: Heavy on Ch. X - XIV;
also from Ch. I, III, IV, V, VI, VII - IX
330-530 PM, Room TBA
James G46: 405 & 406 Names with A - D
DeMeritt 240: 405 & 406 Names with E - J
DeMeritt 112: 405 & 406 Names with K - Z


Click for Practice