Student Learner Outcomes

Transcription

1 Morehead State University College of Science Department of Earth and Space Science Concepts in Astronomy 125 Concepts in Astronomy: Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology Fall 2016 Section 001 Dr. Dirk Grupe Assistant Professor of Astrophysics and Space Science Office Location: Space Science Center Room 212-J Office Phone: Space Science Center Phone: Course Purpose: The goal of this course is to familiarize the students with astronomical and astrophysical concepts. The students will learn about celestial mechanics, the night sky, the sun and stars, galaxies including active galactic nuclei, and what our current understanding of the Universe is. A special emphasis will be on the physical and astronomical methods. How do we know what we know? How do we come to conclusions from our observations and theory. The course will also introduce the students to astronomical instrumentations ground and space based. This course includes night sky observation sessions. Course Prerequisites: Math 152 or 141, or minimum Math ACT Subscore of 22. Class Meeting Times: MWF, 09:00 09:50 Class Location: Space Science Center Room 117 (Selected lectures will be given in the Star Theater) Office Hours: MWF, 10:00 12:00; Also by appointment. Text: 21st Century Astronomy. 4th or 5th Edition. By Kay, Palen, Smith, and Blumenthal. (Norton Publishers) Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, students will demonstrate: Basic knowledge of the solar system, stars, our galaxy, and the universe Basic knowledge of the instruments used by astronomers, including space-based instruments Basic understanding of the physical laws that govern the structures and motions in our solar system and in the universe Ability to apply physical and astronomical methods to the solution of standard problems in astronomy Ability to find and/or identify astronomical objects in the night sky and basic knowledge of the properties of those objects Ability to perform basic calculations and computer-aided computations of physical processes Student Learner Outcomes The following student competencies are central to this General Education course: To effectively utilize deductive or inductive reasoning (Student Learner Outcome 2b). To apply scientific or technological concepts to solving problems of natural systems (Student Learner Outcome 5b). Analyze explanations to classify them as scientific or nonscientific (Student Learner Outcome 5c).

2 Tentative Schedule Lecture: Readings: Date: Lecture Topic: 00 Prologue Mon, Aug 15 Course Introduction, given in the Star Theater 01 Chapter 1 Wed, Aug. 17 Scales, Units, and Terminology 02 Chapter 1 Fri, Aug. 19 Mathematical tools, How to read graphs 03 Chapter 2 Mon, Aug. 22 Motions and Perspectives Wed, Aug. 24 Examples of applying mathematical tools 04 Chapter 2 Fri, Aug. 26 Cycles of the Sun and Moon I: Seasons, Motions of the Moon 05 Chapter 2 Mon, Aug. 29 Cycles of the Sun and Moon II: Lunar Phases, Eclipses 06 Chapter 3 Wed, Aug. 31 Motion of Astronomical Bodies I: Classical Astronomy, Copernican Revolution 07 Chapter 3 Fri, Sep. 02 Motion of Astronomical Bodies II: Planetary Motion, Kepler s Law, Galileo Galilei Mon, Sep. 05 Labor Day 08 Chapter 3,4 Wed, Sep. 07 Gravity and Orbits: Isaac Newton and Orbital Motion Fri., Sep. 09 Calculations with Forces and Energy Mon, Sep. 12 Exam #1 Chapters 1-4 Wed, Sep. 14 Energy, Forces, etc 09 Chapter 5 Fri, Sep. 16 Light I: Light as Radiation, EM Spectrum, Interaction between Light and Matter Mon, Sep. 19 Awesome Light II + III (Planetarium) 10 Chapter 5 Wed, Sep. 21 Light II: Atomic Spectra, Doppler shift, R-Spec 11 Chapter 6 Fri, Sep. 23 Homework #5 12 Chapter 6 Mon, Sep. 26 Homework #4 solutions Wed., Sep. 28 Preparation for Exam #2 Fri, Sep. 30 Exam #2 (Mid-term) Chapters 5-12 Mon, Oct. 03 Questions about the Exam. 13 Chapter 13/15 Wed, Oct. 05 Star Formation, Interstellar Medium Fri. Oct. 07 Fall Break 14 Chapter 13 Mon Oct. 10 The Family of Stars I: Stellar Distances and Brightnesses Wed, Oct. 12 more calculations 15 Chapter 15 Fri, Oct. 14 The Family of Stars II: Stellar Luminosities, Spectra and Sizes Mon, Oct. 17 Calculations of stellar properties

3 Tentative Schedule (Continued) Lecture: Readings: Date: Lecture Topic: Wed, Oct. 19 Preparation for Exam #3 Fri. Oct. 21 Exam #3 Chapters Chapter 16 Mon, Oct 24 Life of Low-mass Stars 17 Chapter 17 Wed, Oct. 26 Life of High-mass Stars 18 Chapter 16,17 Fri, Oct. 28 Dead Stars: White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, Supernovae 18 Chapter 16,17 Mon, Oct. 31 Dead Stars: White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, Supernovae Wed, Nov. 02 Calculations of stellar final states 19 Chapter 18 Fri, Nov. 04 Relativity 20 Chapter 18 Mon, Nov. 07 Black Holes Wed, Nov. 09 Preparation for exam #4 Fri, Nov. 11 Exam #4 Chapters Chapter 20 Mon, Nov. 14 The Milky Way Galaxy : The Discovery of Our Galaxy, Structure of the Milky Way 22 Chapter 19 Wed, Nov. 16 Galaxies I: The Family of Galaxies 23 Chapter 19 Fri, Nov. 18 Galaxies II: Active Galaxies and Super-massive Black Holes Mon, Nov. 21 Nov Calculation regarding galaxies Thanksgiving Break 24 Chapter 21 Mon, Nov. 28 Modern Cosmology: Introduction to the Universe, The Big Bang Theory, Expanding Universe Wed, Nov. 30 Calculations Fri, Dec. 02 Preparation for Exam #5 *** Dec :45-14:45 -- Final Exam (Chapters 19-23) *** Grade Assessment: Observation Activity = 15% Homework Assignments = 20% i>clicker activities (questions in classroom) = 15% 4 x 50min Exams (100 points each) = 36% Final Exam (100 points -- Cumulative) = 14% Total Points Σ = 100% (Also see discussion of i>clicker Questions below) Grading Scale:

4 The following grading scale will be implemented for the course (all final grades will be rounded to the nearest integer): 90%-100% = A, 80%-89% = B, 70%-79% =C, 60%-69% = D and < 60% = E. You will have the opportunity to earn extra credit points by attending extra observing activities. These points will be added to your final grade: final grade = ((weighed total x 10) + extra points)/10 Very important: A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine!!! If you need a good GPA for whatever reason, then please work for this class during the whole semester. Do not start worrying about your grade just before finals! I will give you plenty of opportunities to obtain points (by e.g. attending additional observing nights). If you do not work on this class then please be not surprised when you do not get the grade that you want or fail this class. I will be available for questions and help throughout the whole semester. Observation Activity: Outdoor observing sessions are a crucial highlight of an introductory astronomy course. The instructor will announce the date and of the sessions as well as their starting times (which will depend on the time of year). At least two sessions will be held: attendance is required for at least ONE session but students are encouraged to attend multiple sessions spaced out across the semester to observe different objects (which are visible at different times of the year). By attending these extra observing nights you will have the opportunity to earn extra credit point (maximum of 30 each). The purpose of an observing session is to give you an opportunity to view bright stars, constellations, deep-sky objects (such as nebulae and galaxies) and (if visible) planets both with the unaided eye and with the Space Science Center s collection of optical telescopes. If the weather on the night of a scheduled observing night is not conducive for observations, then an alternative indoor observing activity in the Star Theater will be implemented. Attending one observing night is mandatory! For this semester the preliminary plan for observing nights is: September 06 and 28, and November 07 and 30. Students will need to complete two tasks as part of the observation activity: - A sky assessment where students will be required to identify stars and constellations (50% of total grade for activity). - An observing log where students will need to record their observations of 10 DIFFERENT objects as viewed through the telescopes (50% of total grade for activity). A typical observing night includes the following activities: 1) The instructor will provide a tour of the sky (highlighting the locations of prominent stars, planets, and constellations) to the student group using a highly visible and directional green laser. Students are strongly encouraged to download and review a sky map (see below) before the observing session takes place. Students are also strongly encouraged to take notes during this instructional session: for example, marking relevant portions of the sky map (like particular stars and constellations). 2) The optical telescopes are set up and calibrated. Students observe at least 10 different objects through the telescope and record their observations in their observing logs. 3) An assessment is administered at the end of the evening, where the instructor will select stars and constellations in the sky (which were pointed out during the initial tour) and the students will be required to identify each selected object. These assessments are submitted to the instructor for grading at the end of the semester. Students ARE REQUIRED to bring the following items for an evening observing session: (1) a flashlight (preferably one with a red lens), (2) an extra layer of clothing, (3) a sky map (see below), and (4) a flat surface for writing. Completed observation logs will be due to the instructor on the last week of class. Sky Maps: We will use monthly sky maps that can be downloaded for free via the Internet. You are required to download one star map for each month of the class and bring them to the observing nights. Use the star maps to familiarize yourself with the sky prior to each observing night. The URL that will be the source for the monthly sky maps that we will use is i>clicker Activities:

5 Be sure to review each lecture after it is posted to Blackboard. To encourage reviewing each lecture, at the start of the following lecture, I will be asking questions based on the previous lecture. I will also include questions during the lecture to check on if you piad attention or not. If the student correctly answers the question, the student will receive one additional point. For these questions I will be using i>clicker. I will use i>clicker to keep track of attendance ( please see the attendance policy of the syllabus). Participation with i>clicker will account for (15% of your final grade). At MSU we use the i>clicker 2 model (available at the bookstore). How to register: You must register your clicker within Blackboard. Do not register your clicker on iclicker.com: if you do, I will not be able to match your responses with your name and you will not receive credit. Cheating: I consider bringing a fellow student s i>clicker to class to be cheating and a violation of the University Honor Code. If you are caught with a remote other than your own or have votes in a class that you did not attend, you will forfeit all clicker points and may face additional disciplinary action. Homework Assignments, Hour Exams and Final Exam: Homework assignments will be administered during the course of the semester. These questions are intended to help reinforce the content that has been discussed during lecture: completion of these questions will also help students prepare for quarterly exams as well. All homework assignments are due at specific times. I will not accept late homework pass the deadline! Three one-hour exams will be administered during the course of the semester. These exams will be comprised of a mixture of multiple choice questions and questions that may be answered with descriptive sentences or with a diagram. A fourth exam will be given during Finals Week: it will have the same structure as the other three exams and it will not be comprehensive. All four exams count with the same weight toward the final grade. All exams are open exams, meaning the use of the textbook during the exam is allowed. Electronic devices including laptops, however, are not. Attendance Policy: Attendance will be taken for every class through the i>clicker. I do not require attendance in the class.you will not be penalized for missing classes; however, you are strongly encouraged to attend lectures so that you can receive the latest announcements about the class. Also, high attendance by a student will be viewed favorably when final grades are computed. If you anticipate missing an exam, you MUST contact the instructor (via phone or ) BEFORE the scheduled start of the exam to schedule a make-up, which will only be administered with approval by the instructor. Hour Exams or the Final Exam will not be made up under ANY circumstances due to unexcused absences. Observations are an essential component of the course. Attendance is therefore mandatory and no missed observing nights will be excused. Policies on Electronic Devices in the Classroom: All electronic communication devices (cell phones, etc.) must be turned off prior to the start of each lecture. Students are not allowed to listen to music, browse the Internet, play games, send text messages and either receive or make calls or text messages during lectures. Such behavior during lecture is disrespectful to both the instructor and your fellow students and makes it more difficult to establish a constructive learning environment within the classroom. If a student does use an electronic device in an inappropriate way, the device will be confiscated by the instructor and returned to the student after class. The inappropriate use of any electronic device during an exam or quiz is completely prohibited: if a student is caught using an electronic device inappropriately (e.g., conducting an Internet search to answer a question), the student will automatically receive a failing grade and may be subject to further disciplinary action (see Academic Policy Section below). The use of laptops to take notes during class, however, is allowed. Services for Students with Physical and Learning Disabilities: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all qualified students enrolled in this course are entitled to reasonable accommodations. It is the student s responsibility to inform the instructor of any special needs before the end of the second week of classes. Professional staff is available, if needed. For more information, please call (606) Academic Policy: Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism or helping others to commit these acts will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty will result in severe disciplinary action including, but not limited to, failure of the student assessment item or course, and/or dismissal from

6 MSU. If you are not sure what constitutes academic dishonesty, read The Eagle: Student Handbook or ask your instructor. The policy is located at st.edu./units/studentlife/handbook/academicdishonesty.html. For example: Copying information from the Internet is plagiarism if appropriate credit is not given. Emergency Response Protocol: Emergency response information will be discussed in class. Students should familiarize themselves with the nearest exit routes in the event evacuation becomes necessary. You should notify your instructor at the beginning of the semester if you have special needs or if you will require assistance during an emergency evacuation. Students should familiarize themselves with emergency response protocols at Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): In compliance with the ADA, all students with a documented disability are entitled to reasonable accommodations and services to support their academic success and safety. Though a request for services may be made at any time, services are best applied when they are requested at or before the start of the semester. To receive accommodations and services, the student should immediately contact the Disability Services Coordinator at: 204-E ADUC, or e.day@moreheadstate.edu. Campus Safety Statement: Emergency response information will be discussed in class. Students should familiarize themselves with the nearest exit routes in the event evacuation becomes necessary. You should notify your instructor at the beginning of the semester if you have special needs or will require assistance during an emergency evacuation. Students should familiarize themselves with emergency response protocols at Department of Earth and Space Sciences Course Contingency Plan In the event that Morehead State University is closed for an extended period or in the event that the instructor is unable to meet during scheduled hours for an extended period, the following course contingency plan will be implemented. Through Blackboard, students will have access to all assignments and course materials. Students will continue working on assignments, continue readings and engage in discussions on Blackboard as scheduled. Assignments will be due as scheduled. An alternate instructor will facilitate the Blackboard activities in the event that the instructor is unable to facilitate due to illness. Students who are unable to complete the work because of illness must arrange a schedule with the instructor for completion of assignments. If a student is ill, they will communicate that to the instructor and if work cannot be made up by the time grades are due, the student and instructor will make arrangements for an I. What Does A Student Need to Do to Be Successful in This Class? Attend all lectures and take careful notes. While all course materials will be posted at Blackboard, there will be important lecture activities (like inquiry questions and demonstrations) to illustrate key concepts and it is important to witness these activities first hand. Class participation is crucial: you are strongly encouraged to ask questions during the course of a lecture about the course material. Like attendance, participation will be reviewed favorably when final grades are computed. Pay special attention to completing your work related to the observing session. The grade for your observation session (the combination of the assessment and observing log) will carry the same weight as a single exam, so you will want to put significant effort into completing this work correctly. Study sheets will be provided in advance of each exam. Be sure to review these sheets carefully the content of these sheets will closely correspond to the material covered by the exam! When in doubt about anything course material, observing assessment, etc. PLEASE ASK!!! As difficulties arise, I am willing to answer any questions either before or after class, during my office hours, via , etc. please contact me as soon as possible. It is best to speak to me as soon as you encounter difficulty with the material. For your homework and the exams get a scientific calculator and familiarize yourself with it. Useful Astronomy-Related Apps for iphone and Droid In recent years there has been a surge in the number of astronomy-related apps available for download and installation for both the iphone and Droid platforms. You are strongly encouraged to seek out such apps to help augment the content of the course and the night observing sessions. Examples of such apps include Star Walk and Sky Guide but clearly other related apps are

7 available as well. We will work to include these apps in the night sky observing sessions: the particulars of their usage will be discussed in class. Morehead State University Space Science Center The Morehead State University Space Science Center has been established to provide a research and educational facility with state-of-the-art laboratories for undergraduate students in space science and astrophysics. Space science is an interdisciplinary and technology-intensive discipline that encompasses physics, astrophysics, satellite telecommunications, electrical engineering, mathematics and computer sciences. The Space Science Center originated from a joint NASA-Morehead State-Kentucky National Science Foundation EPSCoR venture to develop a large aperture (21-Meter) radio telescope and satellite tracking station as well as associated laboratories and degree programs at Morehead State University. Degree programs that are offered include a B.S. and Master in Space Science and a B.S. in Physics (Area of Concentration in Astrophysics). For more information, visit the Space Science Center s web site at