Out of Class Activities

Participation in certain authorized (in advance) out-of-class activities and events can be used to earn extra credit (see Syllabus). These include the following:

Special Sky Event: Monday, May 9, 2016 - Fun to view, but not for class credit

Transit of Mercury Viewing in RLM 13.132 and on the 18th floor (roof) 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM

This somewhat rare event, a passage of the planet Mercury in front of the Sun, visible as a tiny black dot, will conveniently occur on Monday, May 9, when no classes or exams are scheduled. Do not attempt to look at the Sun yourself: it is not safe for your vision, and you won't see much without magnification. A special apparatus will be set up in RLM 13.132 (accessible by elevator), and there also will be viewing from the roof of RLM through special filters on small telescopes. If you do go to the roof, we recommend that you stop by 13.132 first, so you'll know what to look for. Details of when, where, and what if it's cloudy are posted here. We announce this event as something of interest, but it will not count towards course credit - so don't ask!

Public Lecture: Wednesday, March 2, 2016
"The Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert"
Dr. Taft Armandroff, Director of McDonald Observatory
4:00 - 5:00 PM, Sid Richardson Hall, 2300 Red River, Room 1.208

Yet another exciting Public Lecture to attend if you are interested, and want to earn another extra credit point! Dr. Taft Armandroff, Director of McDonald Observatory, will talk about the Giant Magellan Telescope, which is being constructed in the high Andes, in which the University of Texas is one of the founding partners. The University of Texas has a significant investment in this instrument, which is likely to be the first of the next generation of giant telescopes to begin operations, and Texas astronomers will have access to its cutting-edge capabilities. As with the previous public talks, you will need to turn in a short (1 page maximum) write-up, which will be due on or before March 10 in class (see instructions below for other public talks). Further information is available here.

Star Parties

Earn participation credit by attending Astronomy Department-sponsored Star Parties, which occur on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings during the semester, weather permitting. The Wednesday night events are held on the roof of RLM Hall, while the Friday and Saturday ones use the telescope on the roof of Painter Hall. Important: You must request a signed slip from the person in charge, and turn it in to the T.A. within 2 weeks of the star party (or by the last class meeting, whichever comes first) to receive credit. A maximum of 3 star parties, each with proper documentation - the slip must have your name and EID as well as the signature of the Star Party host.

The general website for public viewing is here:
http://outreach.as.utexas.edu/public/viewing.html

Pdfs of our flyers can be downloaded from:
http://outreach.as.utexas.edu/pdf/rlm.pdf (Wednesday Star Parties), and http://outreach.as.utexas.edu/pdf/painter.pdf (Fridays and Saturdays)

Public Lecture: Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016
"Astrochemistry: A Song of Ice and Dust," Dr. Neal J. Evans, II
1:30 AM - 2:30 PM, POB 2.302 ("Avaya Auditorium")

This Public Lecture will be about the more conventionally "chemical" aspects of the elements: how they are bound together in molecules and frozen onto dust grains with dense interstellar clouds, which are the birthplaces of new stars. As with the Public Lecture on Feb. 19, you can earn extra credit for our class by attending this talk. In order to receive credit for attending this talk, you will need to turn in a short, hand-written paragraph or two (no more than one page) describing what you learned from the lecture. This must be in your own words (I do not want a copy of the slides), and should address the content as well as your reaction. The write-up is due Feb. 25 in class. Click here for further information.

Public Lecture: Friday, Feb. 19, 2016
"The Exploration of Pluto," Dr. S. Alan Stern
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM, NHB 1.720

This Public Lecture, by the Principal Investigator of the New Horizons mission that encountered Pluto last year, is eligible for you to attend for one point of extra credit for Ast 309N. In order to receive credit for attending this talk, you will need to turn in a short, hand-written paragraph or two (no more than one page) describing what you learned from the lecture. This must be in your own words (I do not want a copy of the slides), and should address the content as well as your reaction. The write-up is due Feb. 25 in class. Details are posted here.