Notes
Slide Show
Outline
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The Difference Between Astronomy and Astrology
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The Difference Between Astronomy and Astrology
  • “lots and lots of math”
  • (It won’t really be that bad, REALLY!)
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Astronomy 1050
Survey of Astronomy
  • Michael Brotherton
    • Office:  Physical Sciences 217
    • Phone:  766-5402
    • E-Mail:  mbrother@uwyo.edu
    • Course Webpage: http://physics.uwyo.edu/~mbrother
    • Office Hours:
      • MW 2-4 PM
      • Also by Appointment
  • Lab Instructors
    • Mark Reiser & Travis Laurence
    • They’ll have their own lab syllabus
    • Labs start THIS WEEK (but no lab next week)
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Highlights of the Syllabus
  • Course Content: the What and How of Astronomy


  • Lectures:  Reading done in advance, notes on the web


  • Laboratory:  Starts THIS week, Attendance Required!


  • Homework: on WebCT (don’t wait to sign up, please!), Typically will be due once a week


  • Exams: 3 exams plus a non-comprehensive final during finals week, need blue bubble-sheets


  • Grading


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Feedback Questionnaire

  • Anonymous (if you wish)


  • Help me help you – I do make adjustments!


  • Your Expectations


  • Math/Science Background
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The Scale of the Cosmos
    •   “Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist, but that's just peanuts to space.”
    • -- Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 1979
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Powers of Ten
  • Original “Powers of Ten” Movie


  • “Cosmic Voyages” video, narrated by Morgan Freeman (Imax version at Smithsonian Institute)


  • Website with a nice movie:  http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/powersof10/index.html


  • First five minutes of the 1997 film Contact (in class, technology permitting!)