Astronomy 195: Observational Astronomy Fall: 3 Credits Limited to 28 Students This course provides a hands-on introduction to observational astronomy intended for liberal arts students at the freshman or sophomore level. High school mathematics is assumed, but there are no formal prerequisites. The course objective is to teach how we know what we know about the Universe. The course is set up with 2 lectures and 1 evening laboratory per week. Not all of the evening sessions will be used it is likely that we will have 11 labs, and one review session in the 14 available slots. Planned exercises include 6 or 7 observational labs (star gazing with binoculars and small telescopes, telescopic observations of star clusters, nebulae, and the planets, solar observations, lunar photography, stellar spectroscopy), plus a selection of exercises from the following: construction and use of simple instruments such as optical spectroscopes; laboratory spectroscopy, experiments with optics; collection and study of micrometeorites; classification of stellar spectra, analysis of planetary and lunar images obtained by the class, analysis of solar images obtained by the class, or measuring the diameter of the Earth. Meeting Time and Places: Tuesday and Thursday 1:25-2:15 in Space Sciences 105 for Lectures Wednesday Evening 7:30-10:00 in Clark 132 or at Fuertes Observatory for Labs
ASTRONOMY 195: OBSERVATIONAL ASTRONOMY Professor Gordon Stacey Fall 2016 SYLABUS DATE TOPIC READING HOMEWORK Aug. 22 Lec. 1 - Astronomy without a Telescope 1 Ch. 1 HW #1: Math Due Aug. 30 Aug. 23 2 day LAB 1 Obs. #1: Constellations; Fuertes 12 - Jupiter, Saturn, M2, M17 or M8 Aug. 24 Lec. 2 - Astronomy without a Telescope 2 Ch. 2 HW #2: The Moon Due Nov. 10 Aug. 29 Lec. 3 - Telescopes 1: Light, Light Gathering Ch. 5 Power, Resolving Power, Magnification Aug. 30 LAB 2 Telescopes: Image Size and Focal Length Aug. 31 Lec. 4 - Telescopes 2: The 8 Meades and telescopes of the world. Ch. 5 Sept. 5 Lec. 5 - Solar System Motions Ch. 3 Sept. 6 LAB 3 Obs. #2: Meade 8 Telescopes: Field of view, Moon, Jupiter, Saturn M13; Fuertes 12 : Albireo, M13 Sept. 7 Lec. 6 - Coordinate Systems: RA & Dec. Sept. 12 Lec. 7 - Blackbodies: Wien s Law, Stephan- Boltzmann Law, Luminosity, Inverse Square Law Ch. 6 Sept. 13 LAB 4 Obs. #3: Meade 8 - setting circles: M22, Wild Duck, M92, M13 Fuertes 12 : Wild Duck, M57 Lec. 8 The Atomic: Bohr Model, Kirchoff s Laws HW #3: Sky and telescope Due Sept. 12 HW #4: Light, blackbodies Due Sept. 29 Sept. 14 Sept. 19 Lec. 9 - Stars 1 Stellar spectra, stellar classification Ch.13.1-13.3 HW #5: Latitude Due Sept. 29 Sept. 20 LAB 5 - Obs. #4 Meade 8 M15, M57, M52, M31; New Fuertes 12 Neptune, Uranus, M31 Sept. 21 Lec. 10 Stars 2 Magnitudes, Luminosity classes, Ch.13.4-13.6 parallax Sept. 26 Lec. 11 Stars 3 Binary Stars, Teeter-totter Ch. 4.3 HW #6: Stellar Prop. Equation, Kepler s Laws, Mass Luminosity Due October 4 Sept. 27 LAB 6 Obs. #5: Meade 8 Moon, h & Perseus, M34 Fuertes 12 : Lunar Photography Sept. 28 Lec. 12 -- The Sun and Solar Observing 1 Ch. 7 Oct. 3 Lec. 13 The Sun and Solar Observing 2 HW #7: Earth Radius, Due October 20
Oct. 4 LAB 7: Laboratory Spectroscopy The Colors and Spectra of Stars Oct. 5 Lec. 14 Stars 4 The Galaxy and Star Clusters Oct. 10 FALL BREAK Make Sun Elevation Measurements Oct. 11 LAB 8 Review Session Oct. 12 Lec. 15: Star formation Ch. 14.1-14.3 Oct. 17 MID-SEMESTER EXAM Oct. 18 LAB 9 Obs. #6 Star clusters and nebula New Oct. 19 Lec. 16: Stellar Structure 1 Ch. 14.4 HW # 8 Stellar Structure & Evolution Due Nov. 3 Oct. 24 Lec. 17: Stellar Structure 2 Ch. 14.5 Oct. 25 LAB 10 Solar Properties Oct. 26 Lec. 18: Stellar Evolution 1 Ch. 15.1 Oct. 31 Lec. 19: Stellar Evolution 2 Ch. 15.2 Nov. 1 LAB 11 Micrometeorites Nov. 2 Lec. 20: White Dwarfs Ch. 15.3 HW #9: Stellar Endstates Due Nov. 17 Nov. 7 Lec. 21: Supernovae Ch. 15.4 Nov. 8 LAB 12 Obs. #7 Mount Pleasant Orion nebula, Galaxies, Star Clusters Nov. 9 Lec. 22: Neutron Stars and Pulsars Ch. 16.1 Nov. 14 Lec. 23: Black Holes Ch. 16.2 Nov. 15 LAB 13 Flexible Time New Nov. 16 Lec. 24: Galaxies Ch. 17 HW #10: The Galaxy & Cosmology Due Dec. 1 Nov. 21 Lec. 25: Cosmology 1 The Expanding Universe Ch: 19.1-19.2 Nov. 22 Thanksgiving Break RELAX Nov. 23 Nov. 28 Lec 26:. Cosmology 2 The Big Bang Ch. 19.3 Nov. 29 LAB 14 Flexible Time Gibb. Nov. 30 Lec. 27: Cosmology 3 Inflation and Dark Energy Ch. 19.4
OBSERVING LABS WITH OPTICAL TELESCOPES: GOALS Observing Lab #1 Star Finder, Constellations Fuertes 12, Binoculars Fuertes: Jupiter, Saturn, M2, M17 or M8 Observing Lab #2 Meade: FOV, Jupiter, Saturn, Moon, M13 Fuertes 12, 8 Meades Fuertes: M13, Albireo Observing Lab #3 Meade: M22, Wild Duck, M92, M13 Fuertes 12, 8 Meades Fuertes: Wild Duck, M57 Observing Lab #4 Meade: M15, M57, M52, M31 Fuertes 12, 8 Meades, Fuertes: Neptune, Uranus, M31 Observing Lab #5 Meade: Moon, h & Perseus, M34 Fuertes 12, 8 Meades Fuertes: Lunar Photography Observing Lab #6 Meteors, Galaxies, M45 (the Pleiades), M42 (Orion Nebula), M27 Mount Pleasant, Meades, and Photographic Cameras Observing Lab #7 Solar Observations 8 Meades
ASTRONOMY 195: OBSERVATIONAL ASTRONOMY Fall 2015 Professor: Office Hours T.A.: Office Hours Gordon J. Stacey 212 Space Sciences gjs12@cornell.edu 255-5900 (work) Monday: 2:30 3:30 Tuesday: 11:00 12:00 Thursday: 11:00 12:00 Daisy Leung 111 Space Sciences tleung@astro.cornell.edu Tuesday: 2:45 3:45 Friday: 2:00 3:00 Class Requirements Lecture: Tuesday/Thursday 1:25 2:15 SS 105 Lab: Wednesday 7:30 10:00 Clark 132 or Fuertes Observatory Total number of labs will be 10 to 12, depending on number of clear nights. Course Prerequisites: Grades: Homework and lab policy: Text: Course Grade Based on: None S/U or Letter Grade Option Available 20% penalty for 1 week late, not accepted after 2 weeks. Universe: Solar Systems, Stars, and Galaxies Michael Seeds and Dana Backman NOTE: This book is not required, others are acceptable. Homework 25% Labs 25% Class participation 5% Midsem Exam 15% Final Exam 30%