| PROFESSOR: | Daniel Jaffe |
| Office: | RLM 17.218 |
| Phone: | 471-3425 |
| E-mail: | dtj@astro.as.utexas.edu |
| Office Hours: | T 3:00 - 4:00 p.m., Th 2:45 - 3:45 p.m. |
| TA: | Anirban Biswas |
| Office: | RLM 16.307 |
| Phone: | 471-7460 |
| E-mail: | anirban@astro.as.utexas.edu |
| Office Hours: | M 4:00 - 5:00 p.m., Th 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. |
| TEXT: | Horizons: Exploring the Universe by Michael A. Seeds, 5th Edition |
| PREREQUISITES: | No knowledge of science is assumed. We will use elementary algebra, especially in class and on homework. |
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CONTENTS AND APPROACH: |
The emphasis in this course will be seeking explanations for the phenomena and objects that occur in the Universe. We will discuss physical laws and how astronomers use them to understand their observations. Most of the time during class will be spent discussing explanations and concepts rather than descriptions of astronomical objects. You will have to learn the descriptions from the reading assignments. To succeed in this class you will have to keep up with the reading and come to class and be willing to participate in discussions and activities. |
| HOMEWORK: | A homework assignment will be handed out each Friday, due the next Friday. Some assignments will involve observations of the sky. You must hand in homework to the professor in class. Late homework must be put into the hands of the professor. DO NOT put it in his mailbox, shove it under his door, or give it to the TA. Late homework will receive reduced credit (generally 50% or less). |
| TESTS: | There will be two one-hour exams (Friday, September 25 and Friday, October 30) and a final (Saturday, December 12). There will also be a short quiz every week about the reading and about what we have done in class. Other written work in class will be graded for attendance only. Most questions will require short written (grammatically correct) answers. If you are unable to attend a quiz or exam due to illness, you must notify me IN ADVANCE. You can do this by e-mail or by phone (leave a message). If you fail to do this, you cannot be excused unless you were demonstrably unconscious at the time of the exam. |
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CLASS PARTICIPATION/ ATTENDANCE: |
Active participation in class discussions and activities is required. This means do the reading ahead of time and come to class and get involved. You are not expected to know the "right" answer to every question. At the other extreme, there will be no bonus points for extra answers. Attendance in class is a requirement for this course. If you have trouble getting up in the morning, try AST 302. |
| GRADES: | Grades will be based on homework (30% of the grade), the midterms (12.5% each), quizzes (10%), class participation and attendance (10%), and the final exam (25%). We will drop your two lowest quiz scores in computing your final grade. |
| HELP SESSIONS: | There will be help sessions on Wednesdays from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. in RLM 15.216A. Professor Jaffe will have office hours T 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. and Th 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.. Mr. Biswas will have office hours M 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. and Th 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. If you can't make one of these times, call one of us or see us after class. |
| READING ASSIGNMENTS: | It is essential for the success of this class, and for your success in it, that you do the reading BEFORE we discuss it in class. We will be going through the book in order. I will give you the reading assignments about 10 days ahead of time. |