Astronomy 134: Elementary Astronomy Laboratory I
Section 1 (Wed 3:10-5:00pm), Section 2 (Thu 1:10-3:00pm), Section 3 (Thu 4:10-6:00pm)
*plus two additional night observing labs outside of regular class time
Instructor:
Email:
Phone:
Office:
Office Hours:
Jack Dostal
jack.dostal@umontana.edu
243-2076
CHCB 022
Mon-Thu. 10:10-11:00 am
Required Items:
• Calculator capable of doing scientific notation.
• Lab exercises (available on the course web site) for
you to print out and read prior to class time.
Course website: www.physics.umt.edu/astr134
COURSE CONTENT
By the time you finish this course you should
•
•
•
•
know how to find your way around the night sky
know where and how to look up information on any
object in the sky you are curious about
have gained a working knowledge of telescopes
have first hand experience with some of the techniques
that have enabled us to discover properties of our solar
system.
You will have a chance to see deep-sky objects through a
telescope, use astronomical software to model celestial events,
and find out HOW astronomers study the solar system.
Although weather and scheduling problems severely limit the
amount of observing that we do, there will be a number of
informal observing opportunities for you to explore whatever is
of interest to you. We encourage you to attend these sessionsplease feel free to bring along friends or relatives if you wish.
EXPECTATIONS
The labs will usually expand on material presented in
Astronomy 131, so it is important that you attend the lectures
and keep up with any readings or activities in that class before
coming to lab. Most past students of the lab have found that the
more in-depth, practical experience of the laboratory course
really helps their understanding of the material presented in the
lecture.
Throughout the course you will be expected to:
1. Read through the experiments (at least the introductory
material in them) before coming to class. Make sure you
understand the material from the lecture which relates to the lab.
2. Ask questions. Come prepared to enter into discussion. Try to
ask questions that help you focus on the big picture, not just
procedural details.
3. Do your own work. Even when you collaborate with other
people in the lab, your lab write-up must reflect what you
understand. I reserve the right to assign zero credit to students I
suspect of copying or relying on the work of others. The zero
score may be replaced with a full credit grade by scheduling an
oral interview which will cover the concepts of that particular
lab. If you can convince me that you understand the material, I
will grade you on the work you turned in.
Students must practice academic honesty. Academic
misconduct is subject to an academic penalty by the course
instructor and/or a disciplinary sanction by the University.
Please see
http://ordway.umt.edu/SA/VPSA/index.cfm/name/StudentCond
uctCode for full details.
LAB MAKE-UP
Only ONE lab make-up per student will be allowed (except for
exceptional, legitimate emergencies for which written
documentation can be provided). Note that this does NOT mean
that you can drop one lab score! It does mean that you can
replace one missed lab (or your lowest lab score if you do not
miss any labs during the semester) by doing the make-up lab.
The make-up lab will be a take-home exercise which will be
due before the last week of classes. Additional missed labs will
result in a grade of zero for those labs.
GRADING
The course consists of 13 labs. Each score will be normalized to
10 points, for a total of 130 points for the course. Plan on grades
being assigned based on the traditional grading curve: 90-100%
A, 80-89% B, 70-79% C, etc..
ADD/DROPS: The last day to drop or change grading option
without a signature is Monday, Sept. 15. The last day to drop
or change grading option, with your instructor's and advisor's
signature is Monday, Oct. 6. The last day to drop or change
grading option by petition (strong documentation of exceptional
circumstances required) is Friday, Dec. 5.
Blue Mountain Observatory Open Houses
Fridays: Aug. 29, Sept. 5, Sept. 26, Oct. 3
There are additional opportunities for observing at open houses
at BMO. These sessions are open to the general public. Be sure
to call 243-5179 the night of observing if there is any question
about the weather before you drive all the way up the mountain!
For Observatory information, directions, and a map, go to
www.physics.umt.edu/bluemountain.
Astronomy 134 - Elementary Astronomy Laboratory I
SCHEDULE: Fall 2008
Experiment
*Labs will be available online as the semester progresses
Location
Planetarium - The Fall Night Sky
Please sign up for ONE 1.5 hour time slot for week 2's Night
Observing lab. Sheets are posted on the Astronomy bulletin
board. Sign ups are first-come, first served. Backup nights will
only be scheduled in the event that a night is clouded out. They
are NOT automatically scheduled.
CHCB 229
then on to
CHCB 13
Sept. 2,3,4 (TUE-THU)
No daytime lab this
week.
Backup Dates: Sept 23,
24, 25
NIGHT LAB - Observing the Night Sky
Please bring your lab, a pencil, something to write on, a
flashlight, a CALCULATOR and WARM CLOTHES. A
message will be posted on voice mail (243-5179) no more than
one hour before the start of the lab announcing whether or not it is
clear enough to observe.
Skaggs
Observing
Deck
3
Sept. 10,11,12
Star Maps
CHCB 110
4
Sept. 17,18,19
Astronomical Coordinates
CHCB 13
Eclipses and Orbits
5
Sept. 24,25,26
(Backup dates for 1st
observing lab are this
week too)
6
Oct. 1,2,3
7
Oct. 7,8,9 (TUE-THU)
No daytime lab this
week
Backup dates: Oct 13,
14 **TIMES: 8:3010:00pm OR 10:00pm12:00am
NIGHT LAB - Lunar Observing
Please bring your lab, a pencil, something to write on, a flashlight
and WARM CLOTHES. A message will be posted on voice mail
(243-5179) no more than one hour before the start of the lab
announcing whether or not it is clear enough to observe.
Skaggs
Observing
Deck
8
Oct. 15,16,17
Lenses and Image Formation/Resolving Power
CHCB 13
9
Oct. 22,23,24
Impact Cratering
CHCB 13
10
Oct. 29,30,31
Lunar Surface Features
CHCB 13
11
Nov. 5,6,7
The Surface of Mars
CHCB 13
12
Nov. 12,13,14
The Mass of Jupiter
CHCB 110
13
Nov. 19,20,21
Meteorites (to be posted at a later date)
CHCB 13
14
Nov. 26,27,28
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
15
Dec. 3,4,5
NO LABS
Week
1
2
Makeup
Lab
Dates
Aug. 27,28,29
Different
time:
9:15 10:45 pm
OR
10:45 pm12:15 am
CHCB 110
The Orbit of Mercury
Sign up for the Lunar Observing Lab!
CHCB 13
Due by 5:00pm, Dec. 5
Meteor Showers
take-home
7:30-9:00
pm OR
9:00-10:30
pm