Astronomy and Cosmologies
week 1, Spring 2005
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Welcome and introductions
Schedule and our Web pages
Books and equipment
Assignments and Covenant
Survey and break
• Introduction to Astro & Cosmo
• Tonight’s workshop
Welcome to
Astronomy & Cosmologies
E.J. Zita, Ph.D, Physics
(call me Zita)
Email: zita@evergreen.edu
Office hours: Tuesday 3:00-4:00, Lab II 2270/2
What is Astronomy? What are Cosmologies?
Logistics and introductions
Astronomy? Cosmology?
Introduction to Astro & Cosmo
Astronomy:
• what is in the sky?
• why does it look like that?
• how and why does it change?
Cosmologies: What is the origin, structure, and
evolution of the Universe?
• How can we explain what we observe?
• What does it mean to me and my people?
• How did/do other cultures understand the structure
and meaning of the universe?
our Web page: bookmark this site!
http://academic.evergreen.edu/curricular/astro/
astro2005/home.htm
Schedule
Introductions and partners
• Tell us your NAME and ONE thing you hope to learn
this quarter (in 10 words or less)
• Where do you live (generally: A-dorm? Tacoma?)
• Find a class partner.
• Trade phone numbers, email, and addresses
• Take responsibility for getting information to each
other if you miss anything.
Weekly homework and quizzes
• Do the Universe homework with answers in back
• Ask questions about HW to learn more
• Don’t turn it in – put HW in your portfolio
• Take the online Universe quizzes each week –
register tonight
WebCrossing (WebX)
• You will post most of your assignments online
* PIQs = Points, Insights, and Questions (teams)
* one-page essays
* team research projects
* online quizzes
• Weekly Universe quizzes
• Occasional inQsit quizzes
• Take the WebSurvey this Friday – see link on syllabus
• You will learn to use WebX on Wednesday
Take the green survey…
… get your photo
taken,
…then take a break
(bring food to class if you
like)
Class resumes promptly
at _____
Looking at the sky:
what you see depends on…
•Where you are
•When
•Your cultural background
Astronomical distances and sizes
are … astronomical
We use Scientific Notation to make huge numbers tractable
Let’s look at Box 1-2 (p.11) together.
You will get more practice with the Estimating ET workshop.
Tonight’s workshop: Estimating ET
title
• text
Distances and angles
Even if we don’t know the distance to an object, angles are easy
to measure. By total coincidence, the Sun and Moon happen to
subtend nearly the same angle from Earth at the moment.
Therefore, we can have eclipses.
In this week’s Space and Time workshop, you’ll use your hands
to find angles. Also discover the field of view of your binocs.
2p radians = 360 degrees
1 degree = 60 arcminutes
1 arcminute = 60 arcseconds
1 AU = 93 million miles =
150 million km
1 parsec ~ 3 light years