ASTRO 1050: Survey of Astronomy
Prof. Mike Brotherton
TAs: Coty Tage, Cody Minns, Will Chick
All the Course Info is available from my website:
http://physics.uwyo.edu/~mbrother/index.htm
Introduction
• Course goals
• Course overview
• Course
information
• Details in
syllabus and
course websites
for future
reference…
Introductions - I’ll go first
Your turn…
•Introduce yourself to 2 neighbors
–Trade names, hometowns, interests, etc.
–Why are you taking this course?
–Trade info about parties this weekend
•I’ll try to get to know some of you throughout
the semester and you can help by…
–Asking questions
–Answering questions
–Coming to see me, or your T.A.s during office
hours
Course Goals
• To develop a broad view of
what we know about our
universe
• To understand the forces
that shape things we see in
space
• To help you understand
how we figured all this out
• To learn about an
evidence-based
scientific world view
Course Overview:
What we will study
• Vast range of SIZES and SCALES:
Understanding our place in the universe
How does our position here on
Earth affect us and what we see?
• Celestial
Motions
• Eclipses
• Seasons
• Moon
Phases
Why is Earth so
different than
Jupiter?
Why is there abundant
life on Earth but no
apparent life on Mars or
Venus?
Why is there a
debate about
whether Pluto is
a planet?
In What Ways Are Other Solar
Systems Likely To Be Similar To
And/Or Different From Ours?
What are other stars like? How are
they born, live, and die?
How do stars group themselves into
galaxies? How are galaxies born and
evolve over time?
What about the whole frakking
UNIVERSE?
How did we come to know all that?
Energy,
Gravity,
Motion
LIGHT
Electromagnetic Radiation
• What is light?
• What are the
different forms in
which we see it?
• How do we use it to
find out what things
are made of?
500 years ago the universe was the image of our mythology
superstitions and a good reflection of how little we knew
Today the universe is the image of our Evidence based world view and a
picture of the profound journey to knowledge that changed humanity forever.
evidence based world view
Is the world better/safer today then in the past?
Who should take this course?
• Non-science majors
(USP SE course)
• Folks wanting to learn
about the universe we
live in!
Venus in the UV
Will this course have MATH?!?!?
• YES, but only in small amounts
•
•
•
•
•
•
Algebraic Manipultion
Scientific Notation
Significant Figures
Areas
Volumes
Exponents
Course Webpage
http://physics.uwyo.edu/~mbrother/a1050f14/a1
050f14.html
You can find
announcements, lecture
notes, syllabus and other
useful things there
Grades will be shown on
masteringastronomy.com
website
Required Resources
A Free online text by Professor
Paul Johnson
Lecture-Tutorials for
Introductory Astronomy by
Prather et al. 3/e
Homework website:
www.masteringastronomy.com,
You will need your own
“masteringastronomy” account!
Mastering Astronomy Registration
Go to www.masteringastronomy.com and click here
On the next page…
•Click Yes, I have an access code to sign up for the first
time using the access code…
•…or No, I need to purchase access online now if you
haven’t yet bought it…
•Complete the registration process and LOGIN
You’ll then be asked for a class code and student ID.
Our class code is BROTHERTONFALL2014 (no
spaces in the code.)
More on
• Uses a tutorial method in which you are
guided to the solution of a multi-step
problem
– Wrong-answer feedback
– On-demand hints (use them if you need them!)
– Scores automatically submitted (if you see a
grade, we see the grade too!)
If you have questions of difficulty registering or
getting started, asking in lab is a quick way to
get some help.
What about Lab?
Required
Lab starts NEXT week
There will be a lab syllabus given to you
by your TA.
Important classroom policies
• COURTESY!!
– Show up on time, don’t pack up early
– Avoid using your cell phones
– Laptop use in the classroom is ok, if in service to
the class
– I’ll end class on time
– I’ll do my best to treat you fairly and with good
humor
How to succeed in this course
• PUT IN THE TIME:
– 4 credits at UW = 8-12
hours outside of the
classroom
• Read the textbook
sections
• Get to know your
classmates to study with
• Use MasteringAstronomy
• See us during office hours
– Do NOT wait until the last
few weeks of the semester!
How to Find Me
• Prof. Brotherton’s
office hours:
– Mon 3-4pm, Wed 2-3pm,
Fri 3-4pm, or by
appointment
(mbrother@uwyo.edu)
– Physical Sciences 217
• Your Lab instructor will
have their own contact
information and office
hours.
• I’m usually on the planet
pictured above.
Extra credit
• There will be several
chances to earn extra
credit in this class. The
first online homework is
extra credit. Attending
a planetarium show will
be another.
Grades
Lab: 25% (mandatory, can drop lowest two scores)
Online Homework assignments: 15% (can drop lowest two)
3 exams (multiple choice): 3 x 20%
October 10, November 21, and
During finals week
Extra credit is extra!
For next class meeting, read:
• Syllabus!
• Chapter 1 of Johnson’s text
• Register for MasteringAstronomy!
– And complete Introduction Assignments (extra credit)
You can get a copy of lecture
slides from the course website
Some people think this makes lecture redundant. Maybe.
I suggest you print the slides and take notes on top of them.
We will do some demonstrations and other fun things in class.
Fridays will usually be Lecture-Tutorials and Discussion
Until Next Time
• And don’t forget masteringastronomy!