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AST 376 · Cosmology    1   2  



Materials and Coursework
  • The course grade will be evaluated on the basis of:
    75% homework (6 homework assignments)
    25% class attendance
  • The lowest homework score will be dropped (so you can miss one homework).
  • The following grading scale will be used: 80+=A; 70-79=B; 60-69=C; 50-59=D. Any average below 50 is failing.

Class Attendance
  • I will check your attendance by asking you to sign the class-attendance sheet at every class. The class attendance will be counted toward the final grade.
  • I strongly recommend that you attend classes. The lecture notes cover the materials only briefly and are probably difficult for you to understand if you only read them and do not attend classes. Although I will basically follow the contents of the lecture notes, many that are not in the notes will be lectured in class.
  • Please sit on the front seats - do not sit in the back! I will mainly use chalkboard, and the lecture room is too large for you to read what I write on the chalkboard if you sit far in the back. Also, please let me know if you cannot read things on the chalkboard.
  • Feel free to ask any questions during or after lecture.
  • Do not leave the lecture room until lecture ends.


Course Schedule
Downloadable schedule ( pdf )

(HS=Help Sessions; HW=Homework)
Sep 1
 		Orientation/Notation, Units and Conventions
 
Sep 6-22
HS on Sep 26 (M)
HW#1 due Sep 29 (Th)
 		Physics of an Expanding Universe
(3 weeks)
Sep 27-Oct 13
HS on Oct 17 (M)
HW#2 due Oct 20 (Th)
 		The Cosmic Microwave Background
(3 weeks)
Oct 18, 20
 		The Origin of Light Elements
(1 week)
Oct 25, 27
HS on Oct 31 (M)
HW#3 due Nov 3 (Th)
 		Dark Matter and Dark Energy
(1 week)
Nov 1-10
HS on Nov 14 (M)
HW#4 due Nov 17 (Th)
 		Evolution of Cosmological Fluctuations
(2 weeks)
Nov 15-22
HS on Nov 21 (M)
HW#5 due Nov 29 (T)
 		Formation of Large-scale Structure
(1.5 weeks)
Nov 24
 		NO CLASS (Thanksgiving Holiday)
 
Nov 29-Dec 8
HS on Dec 5 (M)
HW#6 due Dec 8 (Th)
 		Cosmic Inflation
(2 weeks)

*Help sessions will be held at RLM 15.216B from 5-6pm.


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16 August 2005
Astronomy Program · The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, Texas 78712
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