Schedule:
Week of:
|
Reading:
|
Topics:
|
Exam days:
|
Jan 14:
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Ch 1
|
Prologue
|
|
Jan 21:
|
Ch 2
|
View from Space
|
|
Jan 28:
|
Ch 3
|
Atmospheres
|
|
Feb 4:
|
Ch 4
|
Earth
|
Feb 4 (Mon)
|
Feb 11:
|
Ch 4
|
Earth, cont'd
|
|
Feb 18:
|
Ch 5
|
Moon
|
|
Feb 25:
|
Ch 6
|
Mercury
|
Feb 29 (Fri)
|
Mar 3:
|
Ch 7
|
Venus
|
|
Mar 17:
|
Ch 8
|
Mars
|
|
Mar 24:
|
Ch 9
|
Jupiter
|
|
Mar 31:
|
Ch 10
|
Saturn
|
|
Apr 7:
|
Ch 11
|
Uranus + Neptune
|
Apr 7 (Mon)
|
Apr 14:
|
Ch 12
|
Comets
|
|
Apr 21:
|
Ch 13
|
Asteroids
|
|
Apr 28:
|
Ch 14
|
Collisions
|
May 2 (Fri)
|
Positions of Planets
Mercury is visible the first 1-2 weeks of the semester about 45 minutes after sunset in the west just above where the Sun set.
It is also visible before sunrise around March 1.
Venus is up before sunrise all semester. It is moving closer to the Sun. A crescent moon, Mercury, and Venus are very
close together before sunrise March 5.
Mars rises just before sunset at the beginning of the semester. It is up in the evening all semester, but it is rising earlier
and getting fainter as we move past it. Find a star near it, and watch to see how it moves relative to that star during the semester.
Jupiter at first rises late at night, but rises earlier later in the semester. It is bright, but rather far south in the sky.
Saturn rises at about 9:30 PM at the beginning of the semester, and then rises earlier as the semester goes on. It follows
the star Regulus (in Leo). Watch to see how it moves relative to Regulus.
There will be a lunar eclipse on Feb. 20. The umbral eclipse occurs from 7:43 PM to 11:09 PM. We will have an assignment to
watch it to determine the size of the Moon.
Painter Hall telescope
There is a good telescope for viewing planets on top of Painter Hall. Go there at least once during the semester on a Friday or
Saturday night. See http://outreach.as.utexas.edu/public/viewing.html
