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Course Description Office Hours MW 2-3, or by special appointment. Course Prerequisites and Objectives This is a course for non-science majors. No prior college science or math courses are required, and we will only use some high-school algebra in the class. The course will focus on the simple, yet beautiful, physical laws that govern the evolution of the universe and its constituent (stars, galaxies, planets, dark matter). It will address fundamental questions in astronomy concerning our origins and where we will end up as a world. What makes up the present-day Universe and what is our place in it? How did the universe begin in the so-called Big Bang? How did the cosmic fluid present after the Big Bang develop over the course of time into galaxies like our own Milky Way? What processes led to the formation of stars, planets, and life? Where do we go from here? This course will not only help you understand some of the answers to these fundamental questions, but also give you a glimpse of the exciting research that are pushing forward the frontiers of knowledge. Course Material The course texbook is Cosmic Perspective, 3rd edition, by Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, and Voit. It is strongly recommended that you attend all the lectures for the following reasons. I will lecture on material outside the textbook and the lectures will use interactive learning aids (movies, animations, etc) that will help make fundamental concepts clearer and fun! There will also be several in-class quizzes that will count towards your final grades. Additional course material, notes, and internet articles will be posted to the course website as the semester unfolds. Course Syllabus Help Session The TAs and I will be available to provide help outside the class. Please do not hesitate to talk to us if you have any questions. Our office hours are posted on the course website and we can be flexible. Near the exam period, there will also be some help/review session in class, if needed. Grading, Exams, and Homework The course grade will be divided between in-class exams (40%), homework (50%), and in-class quizzes (10%) as outlined below.
Class Discipline You are encouraged to study and discuss homework assignments with other students, as well as to get help from the TAs and instructor. However, you must write up your own homework, exams, and quizzes. If you copy another homework or let someone copy yours, both of you will receive zero credit. The same rule applies to exams, and quizzes. Please make sure that you include the method you used to get the answer in your homework, exams, and quizzes. Numerical answers without an explanation of the method used will get no credit. Cheating on exams will be severely punished. The student caught cheating will be assigned at least an F for that exam, and potentially an F for the course. If deemed appropriate, a report will be filed to the Dean of Students. Late homework will not be accepted for grading unless you have requested an extension prior to the due date, and this request has been granted. In such a case, late homeworks may be given only half credit. No homework will be accepted after we have discussed the answers in class and handed back the corrected homeworks. All quizzes and exams will be done without access to notes, books,and calculators. You are strongly encouraged to attend all class lectures for the reasons described under "Course Material". Telescope and Observing You may be interested to visit our Student Observatory on the roof of Painter Hall. This houses a 9 inch refracting telescope. The general student night is Fridays at 8:00 - 10:00 PM until Oct 30th and then 7:00 - 9:00, clear nights only. This is a simple telescope to use and students (you!) can be checked out to observe with it. Please see me for further information. You may also consult the Painter Hall Telescope Handbook, which explains the check-out procedure and the use of the telescope. You can also consult the Educational Services Office, RLM 13.122, 471-1307. |
20 April 2005
Astronomy Program · The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, Texas 78712
prospective student inquiries: studentinfo@astro.as.utexas.edu
site comments: www@www.as.utexas.edu
Astronomy Program · The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, Texas 78712
prospective student inquiries: studentinfo@astro.as.utexas.edu
site comments: www@www.as.utexas.edu