ASTRONOMY 1230: INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATION
FALL 2014
PLEASE READ THIS SYLLABUS THOROUGHLY.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING ITS CONTENT.
Contact Information
Name
Steven Majewski
Instructor
Kristen Jones
Head 1230 TA
Trey Wenger
Laboratory TA
Allison Towner
Laboratory TA
Pallavi Patil
Laboratory TA
Office
Office Hours
Astronomy 231 by appointment
Lab Hours
roving
Astronomy 267
by appt.
Tue 8-11 PM
Astronomy 263
by appt.
Astronomy 267
by appt.
after Mon lecture
until 11 PM
Wed 8-11 PM
Astronomy 263
by appt.
Thu 8-11 PM
Email/Telephone
srm4n
924-7494
kmj5ea
924-0686
tvw2pu
924-4347
at4bu
924-0686
pp3uq
924-4347
Course Description
Astronomy 1230 is an observational/laboratory course intended to familiarize you with
the general features of the night sky and the properties of those astronomical objects that
can be studied with small astronomical instruments, including binoculars, small telescopes,
and cameras. The course will develop your skills in operating laboratory instrumentation
and in making and analyzing scientific observations. It also explores the central role observations have played in the development of modern astronomy and in our interpretation of
the structure and evolution of the universe.
The course has two main components: lectures and observational projects.
Lectures: The lectures will be every Monday night from 7 to 9 PM in Clark 107.
The lectures will provide important background information and preparation for laboratory
exercises, including observable phenomena in the night sky, principles of telescopes and their
use, and the basic observational techniques to be used in the laboratory work. This material
will be included on the quizzes and final exam. Lecture time also serve as an important
point of contact for the latest information related to the class, including the laboratories and
specially scheduled laboratory sessions. Therefore, it is important that you attend all
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lectures. The lecture part of the class may taper
off towards the end the semester.
Laboratory/Observatory Work: The emphasis of this course is on understanding and
observing the night sky using your unaided eye, binoculars, telescopes and other equipment,
such as cameras. Most lab work for this course will take place at the Student Observatory,
which is in the U-shaped building immediately west of the Astronomy Building (at 530
McCormick Road). A map showing the location of the Student Observatory can be found
at http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/maps.php. The Observatory Support Office
is in Room G25. There you will find equipment and materials required for the night labs.
Pre/co-requisites:
You should have a background in Astronomy at the level of ASTR 1210 (Solar System
Astronomy) or ASTR 1220 (Stars and Galaxies). If you have not already taken one of these
courses, or are not taking one this semester, you will need to have the permission of the
instructor to enroll in ASTR 1230. Please contact the instructor in advance.
Class Web Pages:
This class has extensive support through the following web pages:
• ASTR 1230 Home Page
http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/majewski/astr1230
• Astronomy Department Home Page
http://www.astro.virginia.edu
The ASTR 1230 Home Page contains information on course policies, assignments, announcements, deadlines, and other on-line course material. If you have questions, this is the
first place to look. The page also contains links to supporting web sites on current astronomical phenomena, weather, astronomical observations, and so forth. Some material
may make use of UVa Collab, which, as a secure website, will require your UVa login and
NetBadge password to access it.
Finally, the web pages include figures and other materials that will be used in the lectures.
To take full advantage of these lecture guides, it is best to read them before lecture, perhaps
printing out a hardcopy before to bring to class with you for you to take notes on and for
you to highlight material about which you have questions. Some sets of notes will have
good coverage of the lecture, but others will hit only the main points and some of the more
important figures shown in class. You should plan to fill in the other presented material with
your own notes. Web links to other useful information or pertinent illustrations are included
on the guides and on the ASTR 1230 Web Links page. You are encouraged to use these to
make the subject matter more interesting or clear...but you are not required to know any of
this additional material (unless discussed in class). You are expected to know the material
covered in lectures and in the lecture notes. Despite the generous open posting of
lecture material, you should plan to attend all lectures.
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Texts/Supplies: Texts available in Newcomb Hall Bookstore.
• Astronomy 1230 Laboratory Manual, January 2013 Edition (Astronomy Dept.)
• Night Sky Star Finder “Sky Wheel” - Northern Hemisphere (Chandler)
• Edmund Mag 5 Star Atlas (Edmund Scientific)
• You will need to have a small flashlight. Buy one with a red filter if
you can (if not, we can provide one). The Mini-Maglite flashlight that
operates on two AA batteries works well and is sold with filters and a
stylish belt holster. You should always bring a flashlight with you to
the Observatory. PLEASE DO NOT USE YOUR CELLPHONE AS
A SUBSTITUTE FLASHLIGHT.
The Astronomy Minor
ASTR 1230 counts towards the requirements of the Astronomy Minor. The full requirements for a minor are: ASTR 1210 (Introduction to the Sky and the Solar System), ASTR
1220 (Introduction to the Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe), and your choice of three courses
from ASTR 1230 or any 3000-level ASTR courses. The courses ASTR 1210 and ASTR 1220
are taught every semester. Astronomy courses available at the 3000 level include:
- ASTR 3130: Observational Astronomy
- ASTR 3140: Observational Radio Astronomy
- ASTR 3410: Archaeo-Astronomy
- ASTR 3420: Life Beyond the Earth
- ASTR 3470: Science and Controversy in Astronomy
- ASTR 3480: Introduction to Cosmology
- ASTR 3880: Planetary Astronomy
Observatory Schedule and Orientation:
• The Student Observatory is open, weather permitting, Tuesday through Thursday nights
8-11 PM all semester. On Monday nights, the lab will actually open 15 minutes after lecture
is over and close at 11 PM. If there is no Monday lecture, the Observatory will open at 8
PM. The Observatory will close promptly at the end of each scheduled period.
• During the first week of class, you are expected to be at the Student Observatory for an
introduction to night lab facilities on the night for which you have registered. Bring your
laboratory manual, sky wheel and Mag 5 Star Atlas. Once you have become acclimated
to the Observatory, you may work on any night that it is open (during the open
hours named above — as long as equipment is available), regardless of the lab
night of your formal registration. You will need to take advantage of this flexibility
due to the vagaries of the weather (see next section).
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Weather Warning and Disciplined Personal Scheduling:
• The Observatory will be closed under adverse weather conditions (clouds,
fog, precipitation). TA’s will decide whether the Observatory can open by 6:30 PM each
night and post an Observatory status telephone message at 924-7238 at that time. Call this
number for information if the weather conditions are questionable. At their discretion, the
TA’s can open the Observatory if conditions improve after 6:30 and will post an updated
recording. Students are encouraged to use such nights, but any night that is not declared
“open” by 6:30 will not count against the official quota of “clear nights.” The Observatory
status is also posted on our Twitter site (http://twitter.com/uvaastrolabs).
• Although you are allowed to set your own schedule for attending the Observatory, you
are also responsible for completing each laboratory by the expected deadline. Deadlines and
penalties for missing them are discussed further below.
• Because of unreliable weather conditions and because the number of observing stations is
limited, you will probably not be able to complete all required work by attending
night lab only on the one night of the week for which you have registered. To
satisfy course requirements, you should plan to take advantage of good weather
conditions whenever they occur and to work at the Student Observatory on any
night from Monday through Thursday.
• Therefore, to achieve a good grade in this class, you must adjust your personal
schedule to the course, not vice-versa. If you think this will be a problem for you,
please consider taking another Astronomy course. We do not recommend that you take
ASTR 1230 if you have a regular commitment that conflicts with the 8-11 PM M-Th lab
hours.
Preparation for Observing
• During the first week of the semester you should read the Introduction to the Laboratory
Manual and this Syllabus concerning safety and general laboratory procedures. Also begin
reading Appendices F and G in the Laboratory Manual regarding laboratory write-up
standards.
• You are expected to prepare yourself well before attempting lab work in this course. TA’s
will not have much time for individual instruction, so your progress will depend strongly on
your self-motivation and independence.
• Before attempting any particular lab assignment, you should thoroughly read the corresponding chapter in the Manual. You should be completely familiar with the goals, procedures, and requirements of each lab before you go to the Student Observatory. You should
have a good idea of the best times to view your chosen objects, have an idea of the details
you will be looking for, and understand the physical nature of the targets (e.g., binary star,
nebula, galaxy).
• A clear understanding of what is expected in each lab will save valuable time during the
limited lab hours with clear skies. Note that it is awkward to consult written material when
you are working in the dark (!), so the more pre-observing preparation, the better.
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• Bring the lab manual, filled-out observing sheets (see below), star charts (the Edmund
Mag 5 Star Atlas and the Sky Wheel), flashlight, notebook, pencils, etc. with you to every
observing session. The Mag 5 Star Atlas is especially valuable for locating faint objects in
the sky.
• Because of the limited number of available observing stations, it is essential that students
make optimal use of all clear nights. You can only make satisfactory progress if you are well
prepared to do this.
• You should understand the observing conditions required for each lab and plan your
semester’s activities well in advance. It is helpful to peruse the Laboratory Manual
early in the semester and decide your strategy for fulfilling the lab requirements for the class
(see below). Be aware of any astronomical limitations on when specific labs can be done.
For example, some labs require a specific phase of the moon, or special observing times
(e.g., the Meteor Shower, Sunspot Observations and Navigation labs). Some labs require
particularly good observing conditions (e.g., Telescope Observing II) or very simple, brief
observations, but over many weeks (Variable Star Lab). Some special lab dates are given
in the Sky Calendar at the end of this Syllabus. The “Time Estimate” section of each lab
writeup in the Manual will alert you to these special considerations, and also prepare you for
the expected amount of time required to undertake the observations for a properly prepared
observer.
• Many labs are best done during the darkest skies — i.e., in the two week period centered
on New Moon. A brief sky calendar is included at the end of this syllabus, and the current
moon phase is shown on the ASTR 1230 Home Page. For more complete information, you
can consult some of the links from the ASTR 1230 Home Page.
• Observations made with the binoculars and telescopes must be recorded on special forms
supplied in the Night Lab and elsewhere. As part of lab preparation, you are expected to
fill out in advance the first part of each observing form for each object you plan to observe
before going to the observatory. The Manual (Appendix G) describes how to fill out a form
and shows an example. Blank forms are located in the Manual (for photocopying), from
the ASTR 1230 Home Page (for downloading), or in the Observatory Support Office (Room
G25). Collect blank copies in advance of each session and prepare the first part of the form
before beginning the lab.
• Reference materials: The Laboratory Manual and the Edmund Mag 5 Atlas will provide most of the background information you will need in the course, but other reference
materials can be obtained from the TA’s or on the internet. See the Web Links Page
(http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/majewski/astr1230/1230links.html) for a list of relevant sites.
General Observatory Procedures
• The TA’s will provide general orientation to the Student Observatory during the first week
of the semester; you should attend one of the orientation sessions that week, regardless of
the weather.
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• It is efficient to do the Constellation Lab (Lab 1) in small groups. Formally organized
group sessions will take place during the first two usable nights after the conclusion of the
orientation sessions (likely on or after Wednesday, September 3).
• The TA’s will help you in learning to use the 8-in telescopes during the course of doing
Lab 3 (Introduction to Small Telescopes). After that, you should require relatively little
help with normal observing procedures.
• Signing In: You must sign in on the Student Log Sheet when you arrive at the Observatory.
• Equipment Sign-Out: We provide all the equipment you will need to complete the labs,
but you must sign out any equipment you use on the sign-out sheet for that equipment, and
this must also be noted on the Log Sheet. Even when working in groups, every equipment
user must have their name on both the equipment sign out sheet and the attendence sign in
sheet.
• Equipment Safety: The observing lab equipment is expensive and in limited supply. A
large number of UVa students depend on this equipment and any breakage will affect a wide
pool of users, including you. Be careful when setting up and using telescopes, binoculars, etc.
Be patient. Think before you act. Never force anything; all knobs and clamps are expected
to work “finger tight”. If there is a problem, do not hesitate to ask the TA for help. Optical
elements, in particular, are delicate. Never, NEVER, touch any optical surface (lens or
mirror). Your skin is corrosive, and oils from your skin will permanently embed into glass
surfaces and optical coatings. Many fabrics (e.g., in your gloves) are abrasive to glass. It
is always preferable to leave dust on optical surfaces rather than risk scratching or marring
the surfaces with improper attempts at cleaning.
• Observing Forms: You should have already prepared the first part of your observing
forms for the upcoming night’s observing program (see instructions in Appendix G of the
Laboratory Manual). TAs have the right to prohibit your checking out a telescope if your
observing forms are not filled out by the time you attempt to check out equipment.
• Group Work: Because of the limited number of telescopes and quality observing time,
you will usually work in groups of 2-3 students. Larger groups will require prior approval of
the TA. You may work on your own as long as equipment is available. You are allowed to
observe together as a group as long as the responsibilities of finding objects are shared equally
and each member of the group gets a chance to observe. In a group situation, students may
collaborate on setting up the telescope and should take turns operating the telescope and
finding objects. However once an object is located, everyone in the group must observe it
and take his or her own data. See the class policy regarding group and pledged work below.
By the completion of Lab 3, each person is expected to be able to operate the equipment
competently and without assistance. Computer labs cannot be done in groups.
• Personal Safety: Conscientiously follow the safety guidelines given in the Introduction
to the ASTR 1230 Manual. Working in the dark requires extra caution. Loose wires and
projecting telescope parts are potential hazards. Be aware of your surroundings, move about
slowly and cautiously, and use common sense. Always carry your flashlight. Do not shine
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bright lights into the eyes of others, because this ruins dark adaptation and can cause temporary blindness. Use red filters over lights (filter paper is available at the night lab). Because
they are not red-filtered, do not use cellphones as flashlights. Be aware that students from
other classes will also be using the Night Lab area and the telescope equipment. Do not
smoke anywhere near the Night Lab area.
• Be Complete: Make sure that you make all required entries on observing forms. This
includes those people who were in your group on each night of the observations.
• Shut Down: At the end of each observing session, return the telescope equipment to its
storage place in the Support Office. Stow it carefully. Sign it back in. You are responsible
for any equipment you have used. Please be prepared to complete your work for the evening
and have the telescope stored by the end of the scheduled Student Observatory hours.
• TA Signatures: Each observing form that you fill out in the course of an evening’s
observing must be signed by the TA. Forms that are not signed or initialed will not be
accepted for credit.
Independent Work and the Honor Policy
Please read the following policy on independent work and implicitly pledged
work carefully. Any material submitted for grading in this course is assumed to be entirely
your own work and will be regarded as IMPLICITLY PLEDGED, whether it is pledged
in writing or not. Students may work together in setting up and pointing telescopes (though
each person should contribute to the effort). At this point collaboration ends. When
you make an entry on an observing form (for instance, a description of sky conditions or a
drawing of an object viewed through the telescope) you must do so without consulting
anyone other than the instructor or a TA. It is not permissible to copy any material
from anyone else’s notebook or Observing Sheet, even at Night Lab. It is not permissible
to collaborate in any way with other students on the non-telescopic assignments. You must
turn in your original notes and signed observing forms for each lab. Suspected violations of
this policy will be referred immediately to an Honor Advisor.
If you have questions about this policy, you should consult with the instructor or a TA.
One of the goals of this course is to encourage you to become an accurate and independent
scientific observer, exercising your own perception and judgement. You cannot do that by
collaborating with others.
So that we can ensure that all students are clear on the requirements of the
course and the policy on independent work and implicitly pledged work, you will
be required to turn in at the beginning of the second lecture a signed contract
stating that you have had sufficient opportunity to review this syllabus and ask
questions about it (Honor Contract attached).
Course Requirements and Grading
Grades will be based on a nominal possible score of 1000 points, earned from the midterm
and final quizzes, and the completion of at least six laboratory exercises. The midterm,
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final quiz, and four of the labs (Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 in the Laboratory Manual) are
required of all students. The maximum possible score on this required work is 700 points.
You can choose which among the remaining available laboratory exercises in the Laboratory Manual to submit for the remaining 300 points. These remaining exercises are called
“optional” labs. The optional labs vary in length and difficulty, and have been divided into
two ranks, worth either 100 or 200 points each. Therefore, you will have to do either 2 or
3 optional labs to reach the nominal 1000 point maximum possible total. A complete list
of the labs and the credit possible for each is given in the table below. It is possible that
new optional labs will be created before the semester ends; any such opportunities will be
announced in class.
ASTRONOMY 1230: COURSE CREDIT
Assignment
Estimated Observing Sessions
(for prepared student)
Exams
Midterm Quizzes
Final Quiz
Required Labs
Lab 1: Introduction to Constellations
Lab 2: Introduction to Binocular Observing
Lab 3: Introduction to Small Telescopes
Lab 4: Telescope Observing I
Optional* Observational Labs
Lab 5: Telescopic Observations of the Moon
Lab 6: Pulsating Variable Stars
Lab 7: Telescope Observing II
Lab 8: Astrophotography
Lab 9: Meteor Shower Observations
Lab 10: Rotation of the Sun/Sunspots
Lab 11: Speed of Light/Eclipses of Io
Lab 12: Navigation by the Sun
Optional* Non-Observational Labs
Lab 13: CLEA - Moons of Jupiter
Lab 14: CLEA - Hubble’s Law
Lab 15: CLEA - Classification of Stellar Spectra
Lab 16: CLEA - Photometry of the Pleiades
TOTAL expected submitted work
Maximum
Points
2 × 50
100
1
1
1-2
2
100
100
150
150
2
several ∼5 minute sessions/week
2
1-2
1
5-6 short (<15 min) day sessions
1-2
1 noontime session
200
200
200
200
100
100
200
100
100
100
100
100
1000
* You must submit optional labs worth a combined maximum of 300 total points.
Eight of the “optional” labs (Chapters 5 to 12 in the Manual) involve observations and
measurements of the night or day sky, and are call “Optional Observational Labs”. Complete
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instructions for these labs are given in the ASTR 1230 Lab Manual. Two of these (Labs 10
and 12) involve observations of the Sun during the day; the TAs will arrange and announce
special sessions for these daytime observing labs later in the semester, after the Lab 3 due
date.
Four “optional” labs (Chapters 13 to 16 in the Manual) do not require direct observations
of celestial objects and are called “Optional Non-Observational Labs”, “Computer Labs” or
“CLEA Labs”. Further information on these computer-based exercises is given below.
Final grades will be assigned on the basis of a nominal perfect score of 1000 points. While
assignment of letter grades will account for the actual performance of the class (i.e. “the
curve”), the following point breaks will guarantee at minimum these letter grades: 930 =
A-, 830 = B-, 730 = C-.
A large fraction of points in the class are given for the quality of the lab reports, which are
expected to be well organized, neatly presented, complete and clear. For this reason, handwritten work, other than the standard observing forms and data sheets provided with some
of the laboratories, will not be accepted. You should word-process or type up the text of
submitted labs. It is especially important to familiarize yourself with Appendices
F and G of the Laboratory Manual before starting your laboratory exercises.
Computer Labs and TA Consultation:
Some of the optional labs you can submit for credit in this course do not require observations of the night sky. These are helpful for periods of inclement weather; however, these are
not worth as many points as most of the observing labs. These computer-based (“CLEA”)
labs can be accessed in ITS Labs computers and can also be accessed via the internet through
the UVa HIVE system. For further instructions see the website
http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/majewski/astr1230/computer labs.html.
If you require assistance with the labs, make an appointment to meet one of the TAs. The
TAs can offer advice and help with any aspect of the course, especially the optional “CLEA”
computer-based labs, which do not require actual sky observations by the student. Generally
these meetings will be in the TA’s office in the Astronomy Building. Please note that the
Astronomy building will be locked at night, so it is important to arrange evening meetings
with the TAs taking this into account.
Deadlines
It is important to work continuously throughout the semester until all work is completed.
The weather is unreliable and many nights (perhaps weeks) will be unusable because of
clouds or storms, so you must prepare to take advantage of good weather whenever it occurs.
To help you stay on track, there are firm deadlines for submission of work, and penalties
will be applied for late work. The penalty for turning in work after a deadline is 15% of
the possible credit per week, with a 30% maximum. An exercise is late if it is not
turned in to the instructor or TA’s in final form by the beginning of class on the due date,
or by 7 PM on deadline dates that do not coincide with class lectures. Labs not handed in
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at class time may be placed in the ASTR 1230 Lab Submission Box located outside Room
267 in the Astronomy Building (530 McCormick Road).
There are no guarantees that the several nights preceding a given deadline will
be clear so PLAN AHEAD. Assignments are designed so that any student can complete
the requirements even in the event of a large amount of bad weather if you do not waste clear
lab nights. If the weather is consistently poor we will reschedule the deadlines for everyone.
However, our judgement is final regarding deadline changes, and the class will be notified
of such changes in advance on the class Announcements Page on the ASTR 1230 website.
Consult this page regularly. It is up to you to keep informed of deadlines. Bad weather is
not an excuse for missing deadlines.
There are deadlines for submission of optional labs. You may begin work on Optional
Labs before completing the Required Labs as long as: (1) The Required Labs are turned in
when they are due. (2) You do not begin Lab 4 or any other lab requiring telescopes before
completing Lab 3.
ASTRONOMY 1230: FALL 2014 CLASS SCHEDULE
Note that the scheduling of lecture topics by week is only approximate.
Week
Starting
1 Sep
8 Sep
10 Sep
15 Sep
22 Sep
29 Sep
6 Oct
13 Oct
20 Oct
27 Oct
3 Nov
10 Nov
17 Nov
24 Nov
1 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
Expected Lecture Schedule (unfinished lectures will
be continued the next week)
Class structure. The naked-eye sky.
Constellations.
Last day to drop class w/o penalty (except Engineering)
The celestial sphere. Coordinates. Lab write-ups.
Introduction to optics and telescopes.
Telescopes. QUIZ.
The “deep” sky and telescope observing.
FALL RECESS: No lecture. Labs closed Mon & Tue.
The Sun and seasons.
Observing the Sun.
Observing the Moon.
Planetary astronomy.
Stellar astronomy. QUIZ.
Galactic astronomy.
Last week of semester.
Last night lab session
ALL LABS DUE by 5 PM
FINAL EXAM (7 PM, tentative)
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Assignments Due
7 PM (class time) Monday
Lab orientation
Honor contract turned in
Constellation Quiz due 11 PM
Lab 2
Lab 3
Lab 4 or optional lab due
Lab 4 or optional lab due
Lab 4 or optional lab due
All labs due
ASTR 1230: Fall 2014 Sky Calendar
Planet Visibility
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Visible Events
Sep 5
Sep 8
Sep 20
Sep 21
Sep 22
Sep 24
Sep 26
Sep 27
Oct 01
Oct 7-8
Oct 08
Oct 4-Nov 14
Oct 23
Oct 25
Oct 30
Nov 2
Sep.7-Nov19
Nov 06
Oct 19-Dec 10
Nov 5-30
Nov 22
Nov 29
Dec 06
In the western evening sky in September, eastern morning sky in November.
Not visible this semester – too close to the Sun.
In the evening sky this semester, starting in Scorpio (Sep),
then Ophiuchus (Oct), Sagittarius (Nov) and Capricorn (Dec).
In Cancer then Leo this semester, so only in the morning sky.
In Libra, setting in the early evening at the beginning of this semester,
In Pisces, up most of the night all semester.
In Aquarius, in the evening sky all semester.
Conjunction: Venus 0.8 deg N of Regulus.
Full Moon (bright night sky near this date, poor faint object viewing).
Conjunction: Jupiter 5 deg N of Moon (7 AM).
Mercury: Greatest Eastern elongation (26 deg).
Autumnal Equinox
New Moon (good for dark sky viewing near this date).
Conjunction: Mercury 4 deg S of Moon (6 AM).
Conjunction: Mars 3 deg N of Antares.
First Quarter Moon (Lab 5 best done near this date).
Draconid meteor shower (Lab 9; maximum on Oct 7-8 at ∼5 per hour,
unusual evening shower, but fairly washed out by Moon this year).
Full Moon (lunar eclipse — greatest at 7AM; poor faint object viewing).
Orionid meteor shower (Lab 9; maximum on Oct 21-22 at 10-20 per hour,
after midnight.
New Moon (solar eclipse begins 6PM; good dark sky viewing near this date).
Conjunction: Saturn 1 deg S of Moon (12 PM).
First Quarter Moon (Lab 5 best done near this date).
Daylight savings time ends.
South Taurid meteor shower (Lab 9; max on Nov 4-5 at ∼7 per hour,
after midnight, but fairly washed out by Moon this year).
Full Moon (lunar eclipse 7AM; poor faint object viewing).
North Taurid meteor shower (Lab 9; max on Nov 11-13 at ∼7 per hour,
after midnight, but some Third Quarter Moon at peak this year).
Leonid meteor shower (Lab 9; max on Nov 17-18 at 10-15 per hour,
but can sometimes be very spectacular, best after midnight.
New Moon (solar eclipse 6PM; good for dark sky viewing near this date).
First Quarter Moon (Lab 5 best done near this date).
Full Moon (lunar eclipse 7AM; poor faint object viewing).
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HONOR CONTRACT
Fill out and return this form by the second lecture of the semester. You will not be allowed
to check out lab equipment until we receive this contract.
By signing this form you agree to the following:
“I have have read the syllabus for ASTR 1230. I have had an opportunity to ask questions
about the requirements of the class and expectations regarding pledged, implicitly pledged and
group work, and I understand the honor policies in the class.”
Signature:
ID#:
Date:
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