Professor
Dr. Shardha Jogee
Office: RLM 16.224
Hours: MW 2-3,
or by special appt
Phone: (512) 471-1395
sj@astro.as.utexas.edu
Course Website
TA
Nick Sterling
Office: RLM 17.312
Hours: F 1-2,
or by special appt
Phone: (512) 471-7418
sterling@astro.as.
utexas.edu
TA
Nairn Baliber
Office: RLM 16.308
Hours: Tu 1-2, Th 3-4
Phone: (512) 471-3453
baliber@astro.as
utexas.edu
|
 |
Office Hours
MW 2-3, or by special appointment.
Course Prerequisites and Objectives
This is a course for non-science majors. No prior college science or math courses
are required, and we will only use some high-school algebra in the class.
The course will focus on the simple, yet beautiful, physical laws that
govern the evolution of the universe and its constituent (stars, galaxies,
planets, dark matter). It will address fundamental questions in astronomy
concerning our origins and where we will end up as a world.
What makes up the present-day Universe and what is our place in it?
How did the universe begin in the so-called Big Bang? How did the cosmic
fluid present after the Big Bang develop over the course of time into galaxies
like our own Milky Way? What processes led to the formation of stars, planets,
and life? Where do we go from here? This course will not only help you understand
some of the answers to these fundamental questions, but also give you a glimpse
of the exciting research that are pushing forward the frontiers of knowledge.
Course Material
The course texbook is Cosmic Perspective, 3rd edition,
by Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, and Voit.
It is strongly recommended that you attend all the lectures
for the following reasons. I will lecture on material outside the textbook and
the lectures will use interactive learning aids (movies, animations, etc)
that will help make fundamental concepts clearer and fun! There will also
be several in-class quizzes that will count towards your final grades.
Additional course material, notes, and internet articles will be posted to
the course website as the semester unfolds.
Course Syllabus
Help Session
The TAs and I will be available to provide help outside the class. Please do not
hesitate to talk to us if you have any questions. Our office hours are posted on
the course website and we can be flexible. Near the exam period, there will also be
some help/review session in class, if needed.
|
