Professor
Dr. Harriet Dinerstein
Office: RLM 16.324
Hours: M 2-3 PM,
Th 1:30-2:30 PM,
or by appointment
Phone: (512) 471-3449
harriet@astro.as.
utexas.edu
Course Website
TA
Rob Wittenmyer
Office: RLM 16.216
Hours: Tu & W 1-2 PM,
or by appointment
Phone: (512) 471-0445
robw@astro.as.
utexas.edu
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Prerequisite
Astronomy 309N is an elective course designed for non-science majors. The prerequisite is Ast 301 or
the equivalent: a one-semester, college-level introductory survey course in astronomy. While we will remind
you about some things you might have forgotten, you are expected to be somewhat familiar with the basic
ideas and principles covered in introductory astronomy courses.
Subject Matter
In Ast 309N, we will focus on the nature and life cycles of stars, both ordinary and exotic. Major topics we will
cover include: how the Sun and other stars create the energy that keeps them glowing; how the stars are born,
age, and "die" (and what remains behind when they die); what we know about planets around other stars; how
stars create the elements of which the Earth and living things are made; the nature of cosmic explosions such
as novae and supernovae; and the evidence that black holes really do exist. We will also cover the basic concepts
of the theories of relativity (in a qualitative way) and discuss what exciting discoveries might be made with planned
space missions and experiments. The course content will overlap with, but not be identical to, that of Prof. Wheeler's
section of Ast 309N and Prof. Gebhardt's Ast 309 - "Popular Astronomy."
Textbook
Our textbook will be "Cosmic Catastrophes" by J. Craig Wheeler. Used copies as well as (possibly) new copies will
probably be available at the UT Co-op by the beginning of the semester. This book focuses on the late stages of
star lives, and does not have material on some of the topics we will cover in our section of the course. Therefore,
supplementary Instructor's Notes will be posted on the class website, where they will be available for you to download.
Summaries of major points covered in class will also be posted periodically.
Instructor Expectations
I want the class period to be useful and to be used as a time for learning and thinking. I expect you to attend class regularly
and on time. Some in-class activities will help you earn "participation credits" towards your course grade; these include short
written individual and group exercises and essay format quizzes.
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