INSTRUCTOR
Dr. Edward L. Robinson
RLM 17.318, 471-3401
Office hours: To be announced
elr@astro.as.utexas.edu
Homepage

Course email: elr301@astro.as.utexas.edu
Course Web site: http://pisces.as.utexas.edu/ast301

COURSE SYLLABUS

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK
The Universe Revealed by C. Impey & W. Hartman

COURSE DESCRIPTION
AST 301 is an introductory course in astronomy for non-science majors. It gives a broad introduction to all astronomy:

The Solar system
planets, moons, asteroids, and comets.

Stars and stellar evolution
star birth and the formation of planets, and star death, including neutron stars, black holes, and supernovae.

Galaxies
normal and not-so-normal galaxies, quasars and supermassive black holes.

Cosmology
the expansion of the universe, its origin in the Big Bang, and its future.

No previous course in astronomy is required.The course emphasizes the physical processes at work in the universe and the methods we use to learn about the universe.The course often requires mathematics at the level of first-year algebra. If you are uncomfortable with this level of mathematics, you should consider switching to a different section of AST~301. There are two or three observing projects but no true laboratory exercises in the course.

COURSE ORGANIZATION
The course has two parts: Lectures given during the regular class hours and help sessions held at a variety of times during the week. Attendance at the lectures and help sessions is not required but you should attend them regularly anyway because material not in the textbook will often be discussed in the lectures and you will be required to know that material. The help sessions are smaller and have a less formal environment than the lectures.

They are unstructured but are usually devoted to:

Help on the material covered in the lectures and textbook.
It is difficult to give everyone as much personal attention during the regular lectures as they may need -- the class is too large. The help sessions are the best place to get personal attention.

Help on homework assignments.
The single best way to get good grades on homework assignments is to attend help sessions.

Review sessions.
The help sessions before exams will be used for reviews.

There is an extensive WEB site for the course containing the following information:

• Organizational material for the course.
  
• The course syllabus.
  
• A course calendar with verbatim copies of the lectures, outlines of the lectures with key points, homework assignments, and study guides for the exams.
  
  

Dr. Robinson will probably miss some classes during the term because of travel to McDonald Observatory and to scientific meetings. Other instructors will teach the class during his absence and will cover the material he would have covered, but if having the same instructor throughout the term is important to you, you should consider switching to a different section of AST 301.

COURSE GRADE
Your course grade will be based on examinations, homework, and observing projects.

EXAMS
There will be five examinations, four during the term in regularly scheduled lecture hours and the fifth in the final exam period. The likely dates of the four exams given during the term can be found in the course calendar on the WEB site. Although there will be five examinations, the lowest of the five exam scores will be dropped without prejudice and will not count towards your final grade. There will be absolutely no make-up exams, no matter how good your reason for missing the exam. Dropping the lowest score will cover the situation where an exam is missed for a legitimate reason. The remaining four exams, including the final exam, all have equal weight. Each will contribute 20% of your final grade.

HOMEWORK AND OBSERVING PROJECTS
There will be about 10 homework assignments and 2 or 3 observing projects. Together they will contribute 20% of your final grade. The homework and observing projects may not be dropped and replaced by a fifth exam.