DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
Fall 2009 – Course outline
General Astronomy (PHYS*2600)
Course Professor:
Prof. Diane Nalini de Kerckhove
ext. 53984
e-mail: dekerckd@uoguelph.ca
office: MacN 328
office hours: see website
website: www.physics.uoguelph.ca/~diane
course website: https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/ then login
Teaching Assistant: Miranda Schmidt
e-mail: mschmidt@physics.uoguelph.ca
Lectures:
Tues. & Thurs.
10 am – 11:30 am
MacK 116
Tutorials:
Wed.
7pm – 8.50pm
MacN 113
Textbook:
Universe, 8th Edition by R.A. Freedman & W.J. Kaufmann (available at
the University and Co-op Bookstores). A copy of the text is on reserve at
the library.
Calendar description: An introduction to astronomy: the solar system, the sun, stellar
and galactic structure. (Offered in the Fall semester in odd-numbered years.)
Prerequisites: 0.50 credits in physics at the 1000 level (excluding PHYS*1600,
PHYS*1810), 0.50 credit in mathematics at the 1000 level
Topics covered:
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Light, Doppler shift, spectra & blackbody radiation
Naked eye astronomy: motion of the sun & moon, early astronomy.
The contributions of Copernicus & Galileo
Kepler’s Laws and Newton’s Laws
Overview of the solar system, models of formation, planetary atmospheres.
Earth and terrestrial planets
Jupiter and the Jovian planets
The Sun
The Herzprung-Russell diagram and Stellar evolution.
The Milky Way galaxy and dark matter.
If time permits, one or more of the following may also be covered.
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The search for extra-solar planets and extraterrestrial life.
Neutron stars and black holes
Galaxies & The Hubble Law
PHYS*2600 – General Astronomy, Fall 2009
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How this course works:
This is a lecture-based course, but there are many opportunities to ask questions and
discuss astronomy. New discoveries are constantly being made, both in our own
‘neighbourhood’ (e.g. on Mars) and in the area of cosmology. We will discuss new
developments as much as possible, while also delving into the tools of early astronomers.
There are weekly evening labs/tutorial sessions, where the TA will answer questions and
solve sample problems.
Many students ask, “Do I need to buy the book?” The answer is yes. We will be covering
most chapters in the book, and I will be assigning readings from each. In addition to this,
some of your assignment problems, and many of the quiz topics, are to be found in the
book. We will be using the 8th Edition of Universe (black/tan cover). If you choose to
purchase an earlier edition, be aware that equations and problems are sometimes
renumbered, and you will have to consult the Library’s reserve copy to work out the
corresponding numbers in your book. Some problems are absent from earlier editions.
The quizzes are short, multiple-choice tests which are designed to ensure that you are
keeping up with your reading. They generally test facts, or ask you to make qualitative
assessments. Any calculations required are short.
Labs are fun! They’re designed to allow you to follow in the footsteps of real
astronomers, exposing you to simple, ingenious techniques used by early astronomers to
work out planetary orbits; or allowing you to use tools which are still being used to this
day to calculate stellar masses, look for extra-solar planets, and investigate dark matter.
The assignments require you to demonstrate your ability in problem-solving. Here you
get to show your work, justify equations, and reason things out logically.
The mid-term and final exam will combine multiple-choice, short answer questions,
and long problems.
Announcements:
Watch the course website for updates/reminders/announcements.
Reading guide & practice questions:
Reading guides will be posted on the course website, outlining important textbook
readings and practice problems for you to attempt. Solutions to practice problems are
posted on the course website.
Observing evenings:
Weather permitting, you will be able to attend observing evenings at the telescope in
September. Dates will be announced on the website. Please check the website on the day
itself, just before attending, as observing conditions can change rapidly.
PHYS*2600 – General Astronomy, Fall 2009
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Laboratory exercises:
There will be 3 lab exercises, worth 5% each. Please place lab reports in drawer
159 or 160 on the 4th floor of the MacNaughton building (next to Room 416). Due to
space and time constraints, labs must be done in groups of two, with one joint report to
be handed in. However, both co-authors are responsible for the content of the report, and
work must be divided equally. It is not acceptable for one person to do all the work. You
do not need to work with the same partner for each lab. Please follow the written
guidelines. Marks will be deducted for messy/illegible/incomplete work. Late lab reports
will be penalized at the rate of 10% per weekday, 20% for a weekend. Labs can be
downloaded from the course website.
Laboratory reports are due by 5pm on the following days:
Lab 1: Spectra and Blackbody Radiation
Lab 2: The Orbit Of Mercury
Lab 3: The Rings Of Saturn
due: Thursday, September 24, 2009
due: Thursday, October 29, 2009
due: Thursday, November 12, 2009
Assignments:
There will be two problem sets due during term, worth 5% each. These will be
posted on D2L in downloadable format. These are individual assignments, not pairwork assignments. Students are required to demonstrate that their work is their own.
Please place assignments in drawer 159 or 160 (next to Room 416). Assignments must
be neat, well-organized, and all work and reasoning must be shown. Marks will be
deducted for messy/illegible/incomplete work. Late assignments will be penalized at the
rate of 10% per weekday, 20% for a weekend. Assignments will no longer be accepted
once solutions have been posted on the D2L website (usually one week after the due
date).
Problem Sets are due by 5pm on the following days:
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
due: Thursday, October 8, 2009
due: Thursday, November 26, 2009.
Quizzes:
There will be 5 short quizzes during term, worth 2 % each. These will consist of
multiple choice questions, administered via Desire2Learn. A given quiz may be written at
any time up to the stated deadline, when it closes at 11:59pm that night. Quizzes are
timed (varying between 15 to 30 minutes in length, depending on the quiz). The quizzes
may be written from your home computer, or from any University computer with an
internet connection. Quizzes are open book.
Quiz dates are as follows:
Quiz 1:
Quiz 2:
Quiz 3:
Quiz 4:
Quiz 5:
PHYS*2600 – General Astronomy, Fall 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
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Using Desire2Learn:
To access Desire2Learn (D2L), visit: https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/, and login
using your central ID. If you are registered for the course, it should appear when you
login. Follow the link to PHYS*2600 to reach the course webpage. There will be a ‘test
quiz’ posted in the first week of class, to verify your account works. You must take this
test quiz before being eligible to write the first quiz on September 17th.
Evaluation:
Quizzes (5, worth 2 % each)
Lab reports (3, worth 5% each
Problem Sets (2, worth 5% each)
Mid-Term Exam
Final Exam
10%
15%
10%
25%
40%
Mid-term exam:
Thursday, October 22, during class (8:30 – 9:50 am)
Final exam:
8:30 am – 10:30 am, Saturday, December 12, location TBA
(Please note it is your responsibility to ensure that you have no exam
conflicts. There is no alternate exam date).
Academic integrity:
Discussing ideas with colleagues is an excellent way to learn, and you are encouraged to
do this. However, outright copying is unacceptable. Plagiarism, of any kind, is a major
offense and will not be tolerated. Please refer to the Undergraduate Degree Regulations
at: http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/undergraduate/current/c08/c08amisconductoffen.shtml
Consideration for Illness, etc.:
If you request academic consideration due to illness, you must provide suitable
documentation (e.g., a doctor’s certificate). Please see the Undergraduate Calendar
(http://www.uoguelph.ca/undergrad_calendar/c08/c08-ac.shtml) for details.
Summary of important dates for PHYS*2600:
Thursday, September 17
Thursday, September 24
Thursday, October 1
Thursday, October 8
Thursday, October 15
Thursday, October 22
Thursday, October 29
Thursday, November 5
Thursday, November 12
Thursday, November 19
Thursday, November 26
Saturday, December 12, 2009
PHYS*2600 – General Astronomy, Fall 2009
Last day to write Quiz 1
deadline to submit Lab 1
Last day to write Quiz 2
deadline to submit Assignment 1
Last day to write Quiz 3
Mid-Term Exam (in class)
deadline to submit Lab 2
Last day to write Quiz 4
deadline to submit Lab 3
Last day to write Quiz 5
deadline to submit Assignment 2
Final Exam (8.30 AM – 10.30 AM, location TBA)
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