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Subject Matter, Goals, and Miscellaneous Comments
What is it? To whom am I speaking? Astronomy 301 is an introduction to astronomy
that is intended for non-science-major students. If you have a lot of math/physics background
you probably should register instead for AST 307, which is aimed at science and engineering
majors. Natural Science majors cannot count AST 301 (probably even as an elective).
What are prerequisites and expectations of the students? There are no formal
course prerequisites. We expect that any UT student should be able to do well in AST
301. Some math at the level of high school algebra will be required for the tests. We will
expect you to practice and be comfortable with such things as scientific notation, and simple
manipulation of basic astronomical formulas. Are you rusty in such math skills? We will be
happy to help you! The math level should in no way challenge anyone who has met the UT
math requirement.
How will grades be determined? Approximately every two weeks there will be an
in-class test that will last about 30 minutes. Seven of these tests in all will be given. There
will be regularly-scheduled, non-compulsory help/review sessions. They are informal, and
will focus on helping you with the course material. We will structure these sessions to suit
your needs, so please come loaded with YOUR questions. In general, attendance at these
sessions will probably help you more than coming to our official office hours. We will give an
optional final exam. If you choose to take it, this comprehensive exam will replace your two
lowest test grades. Because this option is available, there will be no makeup opportunities
for the in-class tests. The final grades will utilize the full UT +/- grading system.
Textbook & class notes? We will use the 7th edition of Astronomy: A Beginner's
Guide to the Universe. The loose-leaf form is used here obviously to help you save money.
You will be given instructions on how to access the on-line materials referred-to by the book.
On the class website I will be posting copies of the slides that accompany my lectures.
Additional Comments We want you to do well in this course! To that end, a few points
should be emphasized. First, we encourage you to ask questions in class. This is of course
not always easy in a large classroom (and I often partially darken the lecture hall to project
astronomical images, etc. If I don't see your hand raised, feel free to speak up! Second,
remember that the only truly stupid question is the unasked one. Third, use the class web
site. Lecture slides and announcements are regularly posted on this site.
Your progress through this class will be greatly enhanced through interactions with us.
Take advantage of the regular review sessions. My home telephone number is listed on the
first syllabus page. Use it at any reasonable hour of the day or evening (<11 PM or so).
See also my electronic mail address. However, I GREATLY prefer phone calls to emails,
because I receive on average about 30-40 emails/day on various work-related matters, and
email exhaustion simply sets in on some days. I would far rather talk to you in person or
over the phone than go back and forth with emails.
A warning must be given, one that is generally applicable to all astronomy faculty mem-
bers here. In our courses you interact with professional astronomers. The good part is that
you get very close to current research, and that can be very exciting. The bad part is that
we tend to travel a bit (most obviously to observatories in remote and exotic locales), and
probably I will need to excuse myself from class a couple of times during the semester. At
present I have only one scheduled absence, when I am away from Austin September 12-19.
This means that I will miss the classes on September 16 and 18. A substitute lecturer will
pinch-hit for me in class on those occasions. All class meetings will occur as scheduled.
Preliminary Course Outline (subject to revision)
Our presentation of topics will follow a fairly traditional path. First, we will discuss what
might be called \natural phenomena", which are those things that you can easily observe and
understand without any telescopic equipment. Then we will introduce the physical concepts
(gravity, light properties, etc.) that are necessary to understand the major astronomical
phenomena. Then there will be exploration of astronomical objects in a standard near-to-
far manner: first our solar system, then stars and the interstellar medium sort-of together,
then our Milky Way Galaxy, and nally galaxies and the structure/evolution of the whole
Universe.
There is a lot of material that we could cover in this course! Many more fascinating topics
are discussed in our textbook than we can possibly cover in one semester. A major part of
the lectures will be devoted to taming and shaping the material, picking and choosing what
to emphasize as we go along. It is important that you attend the lectures and look at the
web site slide sets to guide your study. Here is a rough outline of topics and when they
might arise during the semester, but it is subject to adjustments later.
- Week 1: Natural phenomena - Text Chapter 0
- Week 2: Motions, mostly orbits - Text Chapter 1
- Week 3: Light, the bringer of information - Text Chapter 2
- Week 4: Practical tools, telescopes - Text Chapter 3
- Week 5: The solar system in general - Text Chapter 4
- Week 6: Earth, Moon, terrestrial planets - Text Chapters 5,6
- Week 7: Giant planets and debris - Text Chapters 7,8
- Week 8: Our Sun in brief, star observations - Text Chapters 9,10
- Week 9: Star formation and evolution - Text Chapters 11-12
- Week 10: Stellar deaths, wimpy & spectacular - Text Chapter 13
- Week 11: The Milky Way - Text Chapter 14
- Week 12: Galaxies normal and weird - Text Chapter 15
- Week 13: Galaxies and their part in the Universe - Text Chapters 15,16
- Week 14: The birth and growth of the Universe - Text Chapter 17
Time permitting: Is there life out there? - Text Chapter 18
Memo to Undergraduate Astronomy Students
Regarding Astronomy Courses
adapted from https://www.as.utexas.edu/astronomy/education/memo.html
To prevent misunderstandings, we wish to clarify the ground rules set by the Astronomy Department for
our undergraduate courses. These courses operate with mutual responsibilities between faculty and students.
For each of our classes, a written syllabus will be handed out at the first class meeting containing a
description of the course, the material that the course will cover, all requirements in the course, and an
explanation of what fraction of your grade is derived from each activity. These requirements or percentages
are not to be changed during the semester.
Special notes for AST 301: This course, although designed for non-science majors, is nevertheless a
science course. You will be exposed to scientific reasoning in the course, which you will be required to use on
tests and in solving homework problems. Only simple mathematics is used; the level varies from instructor
to instructor. Students in the College of Natural Sciences should note that AST 301 and AST 309 courses do
NOT count towards fulfilling your degree requirements. We encourage you to consider our AST 307 course
for science majors instead.
There will normally be help available outside of class at least once a week (more often in the larger
sections); if you have too much trouble understanding the material, or other problems arise, such as illness,
please let your instructor know as soon as possible. Don't let the problem continue until the end of the
semester, for it may then be too late to find a solution. You should not need to pay for any outside tutoring.
The outside help that is provided with the courses should be adequate. If you need extra help, please see
your instructor first. He or she can probably arrange help at no cost. Should you still feel the need of a tutor,
please remember that astronomy graduate students cannot tutor for money without special permission from
their chair and college dean. The Sanger Learning Center maintains a list of tutors, and runs sessions on
general study techniques and math review. Many of their services are free. Go to JES A332A or phone
471-3614.
Note that our undergraduate courses are taught by faculty, who are also professional astronomers. In
addition to their obligations to you and the other students in this and other courses, our faculty have re-
sponsibilities to their graduate students and to remain professionally competent through individual research.
As a consequence, your instructor may occasionally need to be away conducting research or attending a
scientific meeting. Usually a faculty member will conduct the class when the regular instructor is absent.
We expect, and usually find, honesty in our students. Your instructor will explain any special rules, such
as the encouragement of genuine collaboration (not copying!) among students on homework assignments
and projects. However, submission of another's work or cheating on examinations are automatically grounds
for failure in the course and reporting to the Dean of Students.
If you have any complaints or problems, please try to work out a solution with your instructor first. If
you and your instructor cannot find an amicable solution, then please see either: Craig Wheeler (Chair of the
Astronomy Undergraduate Studies Committee; Office, RLM 17.230; Phone 471-6407), or Dan Jaffe (Chair
of the Astronomy Department; Office, RLM 15.218: Phone 471-3302)
For general questions about undergraduate courses, please consult Rachel Walker in the Astronomy
Student Office, RLM 15.204, rachelw@astro.as.utexas.edu. This office handles many student matters including
adds at the beginning of the semester.
Finally, all students enrolled in undergraduate Astronomy courses are encouraged to attend our free
Astronomy events (e.g. star parties, public lectures) and/or visit the 9-inch telescope on the roof of Painter
Hall and the 16-inch one on the roof of RLM. For more information, read the
yers posted on the 4th
floor of
R.L. Moore Hall, call our Skywatchers' Report at 471-5007, or check the Astronomy Department webpages
at https://www.as.utexas.edu/.
Upon request The University of Texas at Austin provides appropriate academic accommodations for
qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Oce of the Dean of Students at
471-6259, 471-4641 TTY.
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