Reading & Exam Schedule
Printable schedule (pdf)
Here is a list of the reading assignments and dates for each of the seven exams (given during the normal class period and classroom--bring a #2 pencil.). I suggest you copy this to a separate sheet and keep it handy. However because we only have about four to five lectures per exam, and there may be unforeseen circumstances, you should consider this list tentative; if the reading schedule is changed slightly, it will be announced prominently in class and by class email. Note: The exams are all on Wednesdays except for the first and the last (Fridays).
Exam 1. Chapters 1 (basics), 2 (gravity, orbits,...), 3 (radiation, except we may postpone sec. 3.5 on the Doppler effect for exam 2). Also see Appendices 1 and 2 at the end of the textbook. Chapter 3 is especially important for later chapters.
In Ch. 1 you will only be tested on sections 1.1, 1.3, and 1.7. In Ch. 2 you should read sec. 2.2, 2.3, but really we will be concentrating only on sections 2.5 through 2.8. We will cover all of Ch. 3.
Date: Friday, Sept 10
Exam 2. Chapters 4 (spectroscopy) and 5 (telescopes). Chapter 4 is especially important for later chapters, and usually difficult for students.
Date: Wednesday, Sept 22
Exam 3. Chapters 6 (survey of the solar system), 15 (formation of the solar system), [This material is available only online at the textbook website, not in your textbook. Note that we are skipping chaps.7-14 covering details of the solar system.]
Date: Wednesday, October 6
Exam 4. Chapters 16 (Sun), 17 (properties of stars), 18 (the interstellar gas and dust), and 19 (the birth of stars).
Date: Wednesday, October 20
Exam 5. Chapters 19-22 (stellar formation, evolution and death).
Date of exam: Wednesday, November 3
Exam 6. Chapters 23 (Milky Way galaxy), 24 (other galaxies), 25 (galaxies and dark matter)
Date: Wednesday, November 17
Exam 7. Chapters 26 (cosmology) and 27 (the early universe).
Date: Friday, December 3 (last class day)
I will explain in class and/or in emails/handouts if there is material for which you will not be responsible. This occurs mainly for chapters 1 and 2 (see above); we will read nearly all of the remaining chapters listed above.
Ask me questions about anything that is unclear, or not covered, in this syllabus.
