ASTR 1200
Stars and Galaxies
Section 001
Benson 180
TR 3:30-4:45
Instructor: Webster Cash
TA: Josh Moloney
http://casa.colorado.edu/~wcash/APS1200/APS1200.html
Website
http://casa.colorado.edu/~wcash/APS1200/APS1200.html
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Other useful features and links
Text: The Cosmic Perspective
Bennett, Donahue, Schneider and Voit
Addison Wesley
Grades
(Unfortunate, but that’s the system)
Exams:
In-Class Exams (200)
Final Exam – 1:30pm Dec 17, 2014 (200)
Homework: (100)
Written Exercises to be turned in for grade
Observatory Trip
•
COURSE SCHEDULE (HIGHLY APPROXIMATE)
1
January 14
2
21
3
28
4
February 4
5
11
6
18
7
25
8
March 4
9
11
10
18
11
25
12
April 1
13
8
14
15
15
22
16
29
17
May 7
Intro., Scientific Notation
Scale of the Universe
Gravity
Laws of Motion
Nature of Light
Nature of Light
Formation Solar System
Sun
Sun
Telescopes
Exam #1
Stars
H-R Diagram
H-R Diagram
Binary Stars
Stellar Structure
Stellar Evolution
White Dwarfs
Exam #2
Neutron Stars
Spring Break
Spring Break
Black Holes
The Milky Way
Interstellar Medium
Galaxies
Galaxies
Expansion of the Universe
Exam #3
AGN's & Quasars
Cosmology
The Big Bang
Final
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams
Chapter 8
THE BIG QUESTIONS
• What is Reality?
• What are we?
• Are we alone?
How do we even get a handle
on these questions?
What is Reality?
What ensued was a discussion that homed in on
our knowing almost nothing, including the nature of consciousness.
We don’t even know if the question is answerable. We just know that
science can answer the question at least partially.
What are we?
Another discussion ensued. Science has answered some
questions well. But there is a long way to go.
Are we alone?
Philosophically we all agree that it is unlikely we are alone.
But we differ on the probability of any UFOs being real.
Drake’s Equation