Instructor: Michael Brotherton
Office: 217 Physical Sciences
Phone: 766-5402
E-mail: mbrother@uwyo.edu
Websites: http://physics.uwyo.edu/~mbrother (course materials here!)
http://www.uwyo.edu/ctl/webct (WebCT for HW, etc)
Office Hours: MW
Lectures: MWF
Text: Horizons: Exploring the Universe, Michael Seeds, 8th Edition
Astronomy is the study of
everything beyond the Earth, the entire universe in fact! Topics will include the sky, planets, stars,
galaxies, and more. We won't just take census
of the amazing things in the universe; understanding how we know what we know is equally important. Science is the most powerful method of
deriving new knowledge ever developed, and understanding science is key to
understanding our increasingly complex, technologically driven
civilization. Science often relies on
math, and astronomy is no exception, although we won't overdo it. We will use simple geometry, trigonometry,
and algebra and useful math tools like logarithms and scientific notation. We'll only pull out the math when we need it,
and we'll spend whatever time it takes to make its application clear. I sincerely hope you all complete the course
with a deeper sense of wonder about the universe and an appreciation for the
science that has revealed that wonder.
Attendance at lecture is
strongly encouraged, but not required. I
expect the assigned reading to be completed before
class -- this will make lecture easier to follow and better questions. The lectures will not necessarily cover all
the topics in the reading and should not be viewed as a substitute for the
reading. Lecture slides can be found on
the course webpage -- you may wish to print these before class (I suggest
importing the slides into powerpoint and printing from there). Lectures are an opportunity to address more
challenging concepts and to explore material beyond the text. Please bring questions to class and be
prepared to discuss concepts. Please
also bring a scientific calculator to class (which should have at least a
"log" button and support scientific notation, but does not have to be expensive or fancy). We
will sometimes work problems in class to make sure everyone is getting it.
Attendance at lab is required. Jim Verley, Mark Reiser, and Travis Laurence are
your dedicated lab instructors and will have their own lab syllabus. Lab meets for the first time the week of Jan.
26--30 (next week). A few labs (one required, probably plus an
additional optional one) will involve nighttime observing with a telescope and
you will be able to sign up for a night of the week that will work for you for
these.
In addition to the reading,
weekly homework assignments will be posted on-line via the University's WebCT
system and due as indicated (typically a week later). The procedures for self-registration are
explained at http://www.uwyo.edu/ctl/webct (this is also the login site). Additional course information will be available
on WebCT. Please see me if you have difficulties
with WebCT -- they are usually easy to solve.
Not doing the homework WILL hurt your grade!
There will be three
in-class exams during the semester, plus a final exam (which will be over the
solar system, not the entire course).
While the exams will not be comprehensive in general, the material in
the course does build on itself and several topics reappear in different
forms. Each in-class exam will cover
several chapters of material and consist of multiple choice problems. Bring a GREEN 10 ANSWER SCAN FORM and your
CALCULATOR! The exams will be
closed-book, but formulas and physical constants will be provided and need not
be memorized. Exam dates are Feb 4, Mar
11, Apr 13, and May 2 (Monday of finals week).
There will be chances for
extra credit this semester. On Fridays
we will discuss news articles about astronomy -- you can earn extra credit
(equivalent to about one homework) for bringing in an article once. There may be other opportunities announced
during the semester.
The grading scheme will be:
A = 85-100%
B = 75-85%
C = 65-75%
D = 55-65%
F < 55%
I tend to round up, and I
reserve the right to adjust the scheme in your favor if the score distributions
are lower than expected (for instance, I will curve exams). You will not automatically fail the course
for missing lab, but if two or more labs are missed you will lose a letter
grade. The components of the course are
weighted:
Laboratory = 25%
Exams = 60%
Quizzes/Homework = 15%
Please let me know if you
have a disability that requires special accommodations. Procedures exist to address such needs
through Disability Support Services (766-6189; udss@uwyo.edu).
I am an observational
astronomer specializing in the study of quasars and other types of active
galaxies thought to be powered by super-massive black holes. I received my PhD from the
I love astronomy and look
forward to sharing the wonders of the universe with you!
Course Schedule and
Reading Assignments (subject to change)
Week Dates Topics Textbook
1 Jan 10, 12, 14 Scales, the Night Sky Ch. 1, 2
Jan 17 Holiday
2 Jan 19, 21 Motions in the Sky Ch. 3
3 Jan 24, 26,
28 History of Astronomy, Astronomical
Tools
4 Jan. 31, Feb 2 More tools Ch. 5
Feb 4 Exam
#1 on the Sky+
5 Feb 7, 9, 11 Atoms & Starlight, The Sun
6 Feb 14, 16,
18 Properties,
Formation & Structure of Stars
7 Feb 21, 23,
25 Formation
and Structure of Stars
8 Feb 28, Mar
2 Deaths of Stars
Mar 4 Holiday
9 Mar 7, 9 Neutron Stars & Black Holes, catch-up Ch. 11
Mar. 11 Exam #2 on Sun &
Stars
Mar 14-18 Spring Break
10 Mar 21, 23 Milky
Way
Mar 25 Easter Break
11 Mar 28, 30,
Apr 1 Galaxies, Quasars
12 Apr 4, 6, 8 Quasars, Cosmology Ch. 14-15
13 Apr 11 Finish Cosmology, review
Apr 13 Exam #3 on Galaxies + Cosmology Ch. 12-15
13 Apr 15 Begin Solar System
14 Apr 18, 20,
22 Solar System &
Terrestrial Planets
15 Apr 25, 27,
29 Jovian Planets and
"Debris"
May 2 Exam #4 on Solar System Ch. 16-19
I encourage you to read
Chapter 20, "Life on Other Worlds," but we may not get to it before
the end of the semester.
I will be absent for
research-related reasons a few times this semester. The only date I am certain of is Jan. 12 (I
will be attending the American Astronomical Society meeting in