PHYS 406 - Introduction to Modern Astronomy

Professor Eberhard Möbius
Fall Semester, 2009

Exam Schedule

Exam#1: Monday, September 28 (regular class time, DeMeritt )
Exam#2: Friday, October 23 (regular class time, DeMeritt )
Exam#3: Thursday, November 19 (at 7pm; DeMeritt 112)

Final Exam: Friday, December 18, 330-530 pm (DeMeritt 112)

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 Aug 31 M Introduction, Powers of Ten 0, I Preface, Ch 1  
1 Sept 2 W Scientific Methods I Ch. 1
Syllabus!!		 Mastering Astr
HW#1 assigned
 Labs start!
L1: Tu 6 pm
L3,4: We 6 & 8 p
1 Sept 4 F Scientific Method;
What we see in the Sky (Stars)		 I, II Ch. 2.1


2 Sept 9 W What we see in the Sky (Sun) II Ch. 2.2 ReadQuiz 1 due 2pm
(Ch 2)
2 Sept 11 F What we see in the Sky (Moon) II Ch. 2.3  
3 Sept 14 M What we see in the Sky (Eclipses, Calendar) II Ch. 2.3 MA HW#1 due
11:59 PM

Sep14 & Sep15
Planetarium Visits!
3 Sept 16 W What we see in the Sky (Planets);
Geometric Models		 II, III Ch 2.4, Ch.3 ReadQuiz 2 due 2pm
(Ch 3)

 
3 Sept 18 F Geometric Models III

Ch.3
 
4 Sept 21 M Physical Models
(up to gravitation)		 IV Ch.4.1-4.3

ReadQuiz 3 due 2pm (Ch 4)

MA HW#2 due 11:59 PM

4 Sept 23 W Physical Models
(Kepler's Laws; Energy, Angular Momentum, Mass)		 IV Ch.4.3-4.4   Material for Exam#1
up to here!
4 Sept 25 F Physical Models
(Moon, Tides)		 IV Ch.4.4


 
5 Sept 28 M Exam#1
 

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 Sept 23
Click for Practice
5 Sep 30 W 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)
 		 
5 Oct 2 F Tools in Astronomy
(Meaning of Colors)		 V Ch. 5, 114-116, 121-123
 
6 Oct 5 M Tools in Astronomy
(Radio -, Space Astronomy)		 V Ch. 5, 130-135 MA HW#4 due 11:59 PM  
6 Oct 7 W
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)
6 Oct 9 F Solar System (Interior of Planets, Magnetic Fields, Volcanism) VI Ch. 7, 189-195, 216-218; Ch. 8, 234-236

 


7 Oct 13 T Solar System
(Impact Craters, Atmospheres)		 VI Ch. 4, 94-96;
Ch. 7, 198-199,
208-215

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

MA HW#5 due
11:59 PM
7 Oct 14 W

Solar System
(Water&Ice, Life)

 VI Ch. 7, 203-211,
214-215;
Ch. 18, 501-503, 507, 510-518

 


  
7 Oct 16 F
Solar System
(Asteroids, Comets, Meteors)		 VI Ch. 9, 259 - 261, 262-279

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

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

 MA HW#6 due
11:59 PM		 Material for Exam#2
up to here!
8 Oct 21 W Observations of Sun and Stars
(Luminosity, Spectra, Temperature, Composition; Star Masses)		 VII

Ch. 5, 114 - 120
Ch. 11


8 Oct 23 F Exam#2
  Ch IV, V, VI
(complete)
MA HW#7 Due Mo 11:59 pm
Start HW before Exam!!
It helps you study!!!
10 Bonus Pts, if ALL problems tried once & at least 25% of score before Exam!!

On Material
through Oct 19 (Ch. IV, V, VI, VII through Luminosity)
Click for Practice
9 Oct 26 M Observations of Sun and Stars
(Masses of Stars; H-R Diagram)
 VII

 Ch. 11:



9 Oct 28 W

The Sun Our Star
(Energy, Interior)

 VIII Ch. 10

ReadQuiz 9 Due 2 pm

  
9 Oct 30 F

The Sun Our Star
(Energy Transport, Atmosphere)
Magnetospheres

 VIII Ch. 10.3
Ch. 7, 194-195
Ch. 8, 238		    
10 Nov 2 M The Sun Our Star
Solar Wind,
What is between the Stars?
Interstellar Gas in the Solar Wind		 VIII
IX
Ch. 10.3

 MA HW#8 Due 11:59 pm
10 Nov 4 M What is between the Stars?
Stellar Evolution
(Star Forming Regions, Star Birth)

IX
X

Ch. 14.2
Ch.12.1

ReadQuiz 10 Due 2 pm
10 Nov 6 F Stellar Evolution (Protostars to MS Stars, Brown Dwarfs,
Adult Stars)
 X

Ch. 12, 328-332

 

  
11 Nov 9 M Stellar Evolution
(Aging Stars, White Dwarfs)		 X Ch.12
Ch. 13.1
MA HW#9 Due 11:59 pm
11 Nov 13 F Stellar Evolution
(Supernovae & Neutron Stars)		 X Ch.13.1 - 13.2 ReadQuiz 11 Due 2 pm
12 Nov 16 M Einstein
Special Relativity
 XI
 Ch.13, p. 364

MA HW#10 Due 11:59 pm

  
12 Nov 18 W Einstein
General Relativity; Black Holes		 XI Ch.13, p. 371
 
12 Nov 19 Thu Exam#3
(Exam at 7 pm!!!)
 

Ch VII, VIII, IX, X (to Supernovae, Neutron Stars)

On Material
through Nov 13
Click for Practice
12 Nov 20 F Black Holes
 XI
XII		 Ch.13.3 -13.4
 
13 Nov 23 M The Milky Way XII Ch.14.1, 14.3-4 ReadQuiz 12 Due 2 pm
MA HW#11 Due 11:59 pm
 
14 Nov 30 M Other Galaxies
Types of Galaxies
XII; XIII
Ch 15.1, 15.3		 ReadQuiz 13 Due 2 pm


14 Dec 2 W Galaxies and the Structure of the Universe XIII Ch 15.2    
14 Dec 4 F Active Galaxies & Quasars XIII Ch 15.4
 
15 Dec 7 M Cosmology
 XIV
 Ch 17.4
Ch 16
 ReadQuiz 14 Due 2 pm
MA HW#12 Due 11:59 p

Make-up Labs

15 Dec 9 W Cosmology

XIV

Ch 17
 ReadQuiz 15 Due 2 pm
  
15 Dec 11 F Cosmology

XIV

Ch 17
 
16 Dec 14 M Reading Day     MA HW#13 Due 11:59 p
  

Dec 18 F FINAL EXAM: Heavy on Ch. X - XIV; also from Ch. I, III, IV, V, VII - IX
330 - 530 PM, DeMeritt 112
Click for Practice