PHYS 406 - Introduction to Modern Astronomy

Professor Eberhard Möbius
Spring Semester, 2008

Term Paper, Due April 21, 11:59 pm
Under Assignments in Blackboard

Exam Schedule

Exam#1: Wednesday, February 20 (regular class time, James 303)
Exam#2: Wednesday, March 12 (regular class time, James 303)
Exam#3: Wednesday, April 16 (regular class time, James 303)

Final Exam: Friday, May 19, 1:00 - 3:00 PM (James 303)

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
Passed out
Due
Comments
1 Jan 23 W Introduction, Powers of Ten 0, I Preface, Ch 1  
1 Jan 25 F Scientific Methods I Ch. 1, 2-17
Syllabus!!
Mastering Astr
HW#1 assigned


2 Jan 28 M Scientific Method;
What we see in the Sky (Stars)
I, II Ch. 2, 27-34

Labs start!
L1,2: Tu 6 & 8 p
L3,4: We 6 & 8 p

2 Jan 30 W What we see in the Sky (Sun) II Ch. 2, 35-39 ReadQuiz 1 due 2pm
(Ch 2, p26-49)

 
2 Feb 1 F What we see in the Sky (Moon) II Ch. 2, 40-42  
3 Feb 4 M What we see in the Sky (Eclipses, Calendar) II Ch. 2, 42-46, 14-15, 56-58 MA HW#1 due
11:59 PM

 

3 Feb 6 W What we see in the Sky (Planets);
Geometric Models
II, III Ch 2, 46-49, Ch.3, 59-62, 68-73

Feb 6& Feb 7
Planetarium Visits!

3 Feb 8 F Geometric Models III

Ch.3, 62-73

ReadQuiz 2 due 2pm
(Ch 3, p59-73)

 
4 Feb 13 W Physical Models
(up to gravitation)
IV Ch.4, 81-91, 92-96
MA HW#2 due
11:59 PM

4 Feb 15 F Physical Models
(Kepler's Laws; Energy, Angular Momentum)
IV Ch.4, 92-98 ReadQuiz 3 due 2pm
(extended to 2/14 because of mix-up!!)
(Ch 4, p 81-100)
Material for Exam#1
up to here!

5 Feb 18 M Physical Models
(Moon, Tides)
IV Ch.4, 98-100 MA HW#3 due 11:59 pm
 
5 Feb 20 W Exam#1
 
Ch 0, I, II, III, IV

(up to weight/masses)
On Material through Feb 15
Click for Practice
5 Feb 22 F Tools in Astronomy (Light, Telescopes) V Ch. 5, 107-109, 121-126 ReadQuiz 4 due 2pm (Ch 5, p 107-113, 117-119, 121-130)
 
6 Feb 25 M Tools in Astronomy
(Meaning of Colors)
V Ch. 5, 112-113, 117-119 MA HW#4 due
11:59 PM

 
6 Feb 27 W Tools in Astronomy
(Radio -, Space Astronomy)
V Ch. 5, 109-112, 125-130  
6 Feb 29 F
Planets, Solar System (Characteristics, Formation, Planets in other Star Systems)

VI
Ch. 5, 119 - 121
Ch. 6, 139 - 160
Ch. 6, 169 - 177
ReadQuiz 5 due 2pm (Ch 6)
7 Mar 3 M Solar System (Interior of Planets, Magnetic Fields, Volcanism) VI Ch. 7, 185-194, 212-214; Ch. 8, 230-232

 


7 Mar 5 W Solar System (Impact Craters, Atmospheres) VI Ch. 4, 91-92; Ch. 7, 194-196, 204-211

ReadQuiz 6 due 2pm
(Ch 7 + p 230-232)

MA HW#5 due
11:59 PM


7 Mar 7 F

More on the Term Paper!!
Solar System
(Water&Ice, Life)

VI Ch. 7, 199-204, 211-212;
Ch. 18, 495, 496, 501, 505-510

Written HW#1 passed out!
(Outline of Term Paper)


 
8 Mar 10 M
Solar System
(Asteroids, Comets)
VI Ch. 9, 253 - 255, 257- 266

ReadQuiz 7 due 2pm (Ch 9 + p 495, 496, 501, 505-510)

MA HW#6 due
11:59 PM

Material for Exam#2
up to here!

8 Mar 12 W Exam#2
  Ch IV, V, VI
(up to Comets)

On Material
through Mar 10
Click for Practice

8 Mar 14 F Solar System (Comets, Meteors, Impacts) VI Ch. 9, 255 - 256,
266 - 271
 
9 Mar 17-21   Spring Break
10 Mar 24 M Observations of Sun and Stars
(Magnitude, Distance, Luminosity)
VII

Ch. 6.1, 142;
Ch. 11, 301 - 305




10 Mar 26 W Observations of Sun and Stars
(Spectra, Temperature, Composition, Masses)
VII

Ch. 5, 111 - 121
Ch. 11, 305 - 309

ReadQuiz 8 Due 2 pm

Written HW#1 Due 4 pm
406 Box in Nesmith Hall
or after class

MA HW#7 Due 11:59 p

 
10 Mar 28 F Observations of Sun and Stars
(H-R Diagram)
Sun (Energy)
VII
VIII
Ch. 11: 309 - 318
Ch. 10, 279 - 280


11 Mar 31 M

The Sun Our Star
Interior

VIII Ch. 10, 280 - 286

ReadQuiz 9 Due 2 pm

MA HW#8 Due 11:59 p

 
11 Apr 2 W The Sun Our Star
Energy Transport, Atmosphere
VIII Ch. 10, 286 - 292
 
11 Apr 4 F The Sun Our Star
Solar Wind, Magnetospheres
VIII
Ch. 10, 292 - 296
Ch. 7, 189 - 191
Ch. 8, 231 - 232


12 Apr 7 M What is between the Stars?
Stellar Evolution
(Star Forming Regions)

IX
X

Ch. 14.2, 384 - 394
Ch.12, 324-328

ReadQuiz 10 Due 2 pm

MA HW#9 Due 11:59 p


12 Apr 9 W Stellar Evolution (Protostars to MS Stars, Brown Dwarfs,
Adult Stars)
X

Ch. 12, 328-332

 

 
12 Apr 11 F Stellar Evolution
(Aging Stars)
X Ch.12, 316-318, 332-337 ReadQuiz 11 Due 2 pm
Material for Exam#3
up to here!
13 Apr 14 M Stellar Evolution
(White Dwarfs, Supernovae I)
X Ch.13, 354-359 MA HW#10 Due 11:59 p
No Labs this week!
Q&A Session
3-4pm SLS120
13 Apr 16 W Exam#3
 

Ch VI (fr. Comets), VII, VIII, IX, X (to aging stars)

On Material
through Apr 11
Click for Practice

13 Apr 18 F Stellar Evolution
(Supernovae II, Neutron Stars)
X Ch.12, 338-345
Ch.13, 359-362

 
14 Apr 21 M Einstein
Special Relativity
XI
Ch.13, 356

Term Paper Due 11:59p
(Safe Assignment)
on Blackboard

 
14 Apr 23 W Einstein
General Relativity; Black Holes
XI Ch.13, 363-368
Radio Telescope
"kaputt"
Make-up Labs
14 Apr 25 F Black Holes
Milky Way Galaxy
XI
XII
Ch.14, 380-384 ReadQuiz 12 Due 2 pm

 
15 Apr 28 M The Milky Way XII Ch.14, 380-384;
398 - 399
MA HW#11 Due 11:59 p

 
15 Apr 30 W The Milky Way
Other Galaxies
Types of Galaxies

XII; XIII

Ch 15, 406 - 410
ReadQuiz 13 Due 2 pm
Make-up Labs
15 May 2 F Galaxies and the Structure of the Universe XIII Ch 15, 411 - 426    
16 May 5 M Active Galaxies & Quasars XIII Ch 15, 426 - 432 ReadQuiz 14 Due 2 pm
MA HW#12 Due 11:59 p

 
16 May 7 W Cosmology
XIII
Ch 17, 485 - 487
Ch 16, 439 - 457

Radio Telescope
Last Labs!!

16 May 9 F Cosmology

XIV

Ch 17, 474 - 479

ReadQuiz 15 Due 2 pm
17 May 12 M Cosmology XIV Ch 17, 479 - 484 MA HW#13 Due 11:59 p
 

May 19 F FINAL EXAM: Heavy on Ch. X - XIV; also from Ch. I, III, IV, V, VII - IX
100 PM - 300 PM, James 303

Click for Practice