PES 105 General Astronomy I
Fall, 2006
TR 9:25-10:40 Engineering #103
Course Syllabus
Instructor: Robert G. Gist
Office and Hours: ENGR 244, TR 12:30pm - 1:30pm, W 6:00pm - 7:00pm,or by appt.
UCCS Phone: 719-262-3152
UCCS e-mail: rgist@uccs.edu
Web Address: http://www.uccs.edu/~rgist
Prerequisite: None
Text: “Explorations: An Introduction to Astronomy”, by Thomas T. Arny
http://www.mhhe.com/physsci/astronomy/arny/indexnew.mhtml
Course Description: The methods and results of modern astronomy (mainly applied to
our solar system - planets and Sun) at an elementary level. This course is primarily a
lecture course, with limited mathematics required. However, it is a science course, and as such we
will explore scientific reasoning and methods. We will study the observation methods used by ancient
and modern man to examine the universe around us.
Credit Hours: 3
Scope of Material: My lectures will follow the outline of the text, and will cover much
of the same material. You will get a good sense of what I see as important (i.e. test-able)
material from the book. In addition, some topics will be covered in the lecture that are
not addressed in much detail in the text. Exams will be based on lecture material and on
the sections of the book that correspond to the lecture.
GRADING
In-class projects: We will perform some in-class demonstrations and projects. These
will provide some interactive examination of the topics we will be covering. The grading
will be very simple: 3=Done right (100%), 2= Good effort (80%),1=Participated (%50),
0=didn’t participate (0%). These projects will count as 10% of your final grade.
At-home projects: Some projects will require effort and/or observation outside of class.
No special equipment will be required; only your eyes and your mind (and paper and
pen). Grading will be simple: 3= Done right (100%), 2= Good effort (80%)
,1=Participated (%50), 0=didn’t participate (0%). These projects will count as 10% of
your final grade.
Exams: Exams will be in multiple-choice format. There will be three mid-term exams
given during the semester, each counting as 20% of your grade. I will give you at least a
week’s notice as to the exact date of the exam as well as the material you will be
responsible for on each test. In addition to the three mid-term exams there will be a
comprehensive final exam during finals week in this classroom. Together, the exams will
comprise 80% of your grade. Unless arrangements have been made prior to any exam,
there will be no make-up exams. The lowest exam grade will be dropped to allow for
unforeseen absences on exam day.
R. Gist
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8/21/2006
PES 105 General Astronomy I
Fall, 2006
TR 9:25-10:40 Engineering #103
Grades: In summary, your grade will be based on the following:
In-class & at-home projects 20%
Mid-term exams (3)
60%
Final Exam
20%
I grade on a standard A: 90-100%, B: 80-89%, C: 70-70%, D: 60-69%, F: Below 60%.
Ranges include +’s and –‘s.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
Reasonable accommodation: Students with a disability who require accommodations
should provide a letter of accommodation from Student Enrichment Services (MH 105,
x3354) within the first two weeks of the semester.
Calculators: Calculators will be necessary for some in-class and at-home projects. A
basic calculator capable of trigonometric functions and square roots is sufficient.
Calculators will be allowed to be used during exams, if desired.
Cell phones, pagers, talking: Please show respect to the other members of the class by
turning off the sound on cell phones and pagers. Imperative phone calls should be taken
outside the classroom.
Classroom Etiquette: While it is understood that occasionally it may be necessary to
arrive late or leave early, understand that this is disruptive to your fellow students. Please
try to minimize the number of such occasions. Also, keep in-class conversation to a bare
minimum during the lecture so that others can hear clearly. Regular attendance is highly
encouraged since some material on exams may be emphasized in the lecture but not
covered in as much detail in the text.
Questions, comments: It is my hope that you will feel free enough to ask questions in
class. Chances are that if you are unsure about some topic, there are others who have a
similar question. I would like the class to be as interactive as possible. If you have
relevant experience with a subject, please feel free to share comments with the class.
R. Gist
2
8/21/2006
PES 105 General Astronomy I
Fall, 2006
TR 9:25-10:40 Engineering #103
Significant Dates
Date
Sep 4
Nov 22-24
Dec 14 (Thu)
Event
Labor Day Holiday
Thanksgiving
Final Exam
Note
No class
No class
8:00 am to 10:30 am
Read-ahead and Exam Schedule*
Date
22-Aug
24-Aug
29-Aug
31-Aug
5-Sep
7-Sep
12-Sep
14-Sep
19-Sep
21-Sep
26-Sep
28-Sep
3-Oct
5-Oct
10-Oct
12-Oct
17-Oct
19-Oct
24-Oct
26-Oct
31-Oct
2-Nov
7-Nov
9-Nov
14-Nov
16-Nov
21-Nov
23-Nov
28-Nov
30-Nov
5-Dec
7-Dec
14-Dec
Topic
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Tue
Thu
Thu
Read-ahead for this class
Introduction and Overview
History & Observability
--Ch 1 - History of Astronomy
Observing the Night Sky
Essay 1 - Backyard Astronomy
Forces
Overview 2
Labor Day Holiday
Light and Atoms
Ch 2 - Gravity and Motion
Light and Atoms
Ch 3 - Light and Atoms
Measurements
Ch 4 - Telescopes
Telescopes
Review
Exam
The Earth and the Moon
Ch 5 - The Earth (5.1-5.4)
The Earth and the Moon
Ch 5 - The Earth (5.5-5.7)
The Earth and the Moon
Essay 2 - Keeping Time
The Earth and the Moon
Ch 6 - The Moon
Review
Exam #2
The Solar System
Overview 4
The Solar System
Ch 7 - Survey of the Solar System
The Solar System
Ch 8 - The Terrestrial Planets (8.1-8.3)
The Solar System
Ch 8 - The Terrestrial Planets (8.3-8.6)
The Solar System
Ch 9 - The Outer Planets (9.1-9.3)
The Solar System
Ch 9 - The Outer Planets (9.4-9.5)
The Solar System
Ch 9 - The Outer Planets (9.4-9.5)
The Solar System
Ch 10 - Meteors, Asteroids and Comets
Review
Exam #3
Thanksgiving Holiday
The Sun
Overview 5
The Sun
Ch 11 - The Sun, Our Star
The Sun
Ch 13 - Stellar Evolution
Review
Final Exam
* Dates (except holidays and final) are approximate, and subject to change. Dates of exams will be
announced a week prior to administration.
R. Gist
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