W. R. Harper College
Astronomy 100 – Astronomy Survey (Section 001)
Fall 2008
Instructor:
Bhasker Moorthy
Office: Z-114
Phone:
847-925-6588
E-mail: bmoorthy@harpercollege.edu
Required Books/Materials:
1. The Essential Cosmic Perspective, Bennett, Donohue, Schneider, and Voit (4th Ed.)
2. Mastering Astronomy Student Access Kit (packaged with book at Harper College bookstore)
Also recommended: Scientific Calculator
Class Times: Tue & Thu 8:00-9:15 AM
Class Room: Z-128
Office Hours: Mon – 9:50 AM-2:20 PM
Tue & Thu – 12:10-3:00 PM
If you need to see me outside of these times, please e-mail me or call me to make an appointment.
Syllabus
Course Description
This course is designed to introduce you to the science of astronomy. Topics discussed include
celestial motions, physical phenomena such as gravity and light, telescopes and other tools used in
modern astronomy, the Sun, planets, moon, and other contents of the Solar System, stars, galaxies,
and the structure and evolution of the universe. Throughout the course, there will be an emphasis on
the nature of science and the scientific method. There are no prerequisites but knowledge of algebra,
geometry, and trigonometry are helpful.
Student Outcomes
Upon completing this course, you should have:
1.
developed an understanding of the basic concepts of astronomy.
2.
developed an understanding of the scientific method and an appreciation for the evolution of
scientific ideas.
Grading Scheme
3 Exams (including Final)
Quizzes and Homeworks
TOTAL
75% (each 25%)
25%
100%
A=90%/B=80%/C=70%/D=60%.
Exams
There will be 4 exams (including the final exam) during the semester. The lowest exam score will be
dropped. Exam questions will come from homework assignments, labs, lectures, and readings. Each
student may bring a 3" X 5" page (double sided) of notes to each exam. The final exam will be
comprehensive. The tentative exam schedule is listed in the Class Schedule on the syllabus.
Homework
Each week, selected questions from the end of each chapter will be assigned. These may or may not
need to be handed in. You will be notified in advance whether or not a given assignment will be
collected. You are responsible for completing any assigned homework, even if it is not
collected.
Quizzes
Quizzes may be given in place of collecting homework assignments. Students will be allowed
anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to complete each quiz. Quizzes may be given on-line using
Blackboard. It is your responsibility to complete any on-line quizzes outside of class before the
announced deadline. You may use the textbook, a calculator, notes, and completed homework
assignments but you may not assist each other or discuss the contents of a quiz with anyone
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other than the instructor until the quiz goes off-line. The lowest three quiz scores will be dropped.
Quizzes will count as homework scores.
In Class Exercises
Exercises may be assigned in class. Specific instructions for each exercise will be provided at the
time they are assigned. In class exercises will count as homework scores. Students that miss inclass exercises due to arriving late will not be able to make them up.
Laboratory
Experiments will be a group effort. All students must participate and will be asked to leave lab with no
credit if they do not participate. Each student must submit her/his own exercise consisting of her/his
own work. Copying is NOT permitted. Students are required to read the appropriate experiment
before coming to lab. Students arriving 15-30 minutes late to lab will automatically lose 50% of the
grade for that lab. Those arriving more than 30 minutes late will receive no credit for that lab. The
lowest lab score will be dropped. Students must pass the lab portion of the course with a score
of 70% or above in order to pass this class.
Observing
Up to two missed labs can be made up by attending observing nights at the Karl Henize Observatory
(Bldg. O on the Harper College campus) and submitting exercises that describe your observations.
Observing nights are held every other weekend starting in March (click on the ‘Observatory’ link on
the class blackboard site for the schedule). Each time you attend:
1. Get three observatory exercises from the observatory technician.
2. Observe three astronomical objects with the available telescopes. The observatory staff and
volunteers will help you.
3. Complete the exercises. This basically entails drawing the objects you observed and
answering a few questions.
4. Get the observatory technician to sign the completed exercises before you leave.
5. Turn the exercises in to me.
6. Each set of three exercises that you turn in to me can take the place of one lab report.
Note that the observatory is only open when it’s clear. Therefore, you may have very few
opportunities to make up a lab during the course of the semester.
Group Work
Group exercises (including labs) are a collaborative effort, with each group member contributing
equally. Group members who do not fully participate in group activities may receive a lower score
than the rest of the group. Groups will be organized at the discretion of the instructor and are subject
to change during the semester.
No Extra Credit
I understand that you have a life outside of this class and that circumstances beyond your control
might cause you to receive a score on an assignment, quiz, or exam that is lower than you desire.
That is why I am dropping one or more of the lowest scores in each of these categories. There will be
no extra credit.
Acceptable Work
All material that is turned in must be your own work. All work must be neat and legible. Illegible or
sloppy work will receive no credit. Calculations must include all steps and correct units.
Late Work and Make-Ups
Late material and make-up work are at the discretion of the instructor with the following guidelines:

if you know in advance that you will not be able to attend an exam, lab, quiz, or other
exercise, you must make arrangements before the missed session.

if you miss an exam, exercise, lab, or quiz due to an unforeseen emergency,
accommodations can be made only if you contact the instructor prior to the next class
meeting and provide documentation of the emergency.
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
if these conditions are not met, there will be no make-ups or late work accepted.
Any late work accepted may incur a point penalty at the discretion of the instructor.
Cheating and Plagiarism
There is a "zero tolerance" policy for cheating, including the use of unauthorized material during an
exam or quiz, copying, or presenting another's work as your own. Punishment for cheating will range
from receiving a “0” on the assignment to automatically failing this class. More severe punishment will
be sought in egregious cases. See the college policy covering Academic Dishonesty.
On-Line Resources
1. This class will utilize the Blackboard website (harper.blackboard.com) to administer quizzes
and to post Powerpoint lectures and other class related announcements. You should log on to
Blackboard within the first week of class and check the class site several times a week. If you
have trouble logging into Blackboard, stop by F108 (first floor of the library) or call
847.925.6090 as soon as possible. The drop-in location will be open from 8 AM to 8 PM
(Monday - Friday) during the first two weeks of the semester.
2. This class will also make use of ‘Mastering Astronomy’, an online learning package that comes
with the book (if you purchase it at the bookstore). You should log on to the Mastering
Astronomy website within the first week of class and whenever instructed to do so during the
semester. Even if no work is assigned from the Mastering Astronomy website on a given
week, you are strongly encouraged to make use of the resources available on the site to
prepare for the quizzes and exams.
Expectations
You are expected to approach this class in a serious, professional manner and to not engage in any
disrespectful or disruptive behavior. Your cell phones should be turned off during class. Laptops may
only be used to take notes during lecture or to complete the lab exercises. Students are expected to
leave their work areas clean. Consequences for violating these guidelines will range from point loss
to removal from class with no credit for that session.
How to Succeed in this Class
1. Attendance is extremely important. It is highly unlikely that you will perform well on quizzes
and exams without excellent attendance.
2. Read the relevant sections of the textbook and go through the Powerpoint lecture before each
class. Note that this is not a substitute for coming to class; the Powerpoint files only
contain an outline of the main topics covered in class, not the entire lecture.
3. Participate actively during lecture and lab.
4. Review your lecture notes after class when the material is still fresh in your mind.
5. Do the assigned homework, seeking help from your fellow students and/or me when needed.
6. Use your performance on the quizzes as a guide to determine which areas you need to pay
special attention to when studying for the exams.
7. Make good use of office hours.
What You can Expect from Me
You can expect the same level of effort, enthusiasm, and respect that I expect from you. I will try my
best to present the material in a stimulating manner. I will be happy to assist you with coursework and
exam preparation during office hours (or at other times if you make an appointment). I will take any
concerns you bring to me seriously and be receptive to any suggestions you have for improving the
class.
Policy Amendments
The instructor reserves the right to add or amend class policies covered in this syllabus. Any changes
or amendments will be announced in class and be made available to the students.
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Dispute Resolution
If you have a dispute regarding this class, another student, or an instructor, bring it to my attention. If
I am unable to resolve the issue, I will refer the problem to the Chair of the Physical Sciences Dept.,
who, if necessary, will refer it to the Division Dean or another appropriate resource for further
assistance.
Request for Accommodations
Students needing special consideration in the classroom, such as additional time on tests, should
contact me as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements can be made through the ADS (D119, ext. 6266).
Equal Opportunity
W. R. Harper College provides equal opportunity in education and does not discriminate on the basis
of race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability.
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Class Schedule (AST 100-001, Bhasker Moorthy, Fall 2008)
Week
Lecture Topics (Readings)
Aug 25-28 The contents of the universe, scales, timescales (Ch 1)
The celestial sphere, the motions of the Earth, the Moon, and
Sep 2-4
the planets (Ch 2)
Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo: The birth of modern
Sep 8-11
astronomy. Science and the Scientific Method (Ch 3)
Sep 15-18 Motion, gravity, energy, tides (Ch 4)
Sep 22-25 Light (Ch 5)
Sep 29The Formation of our Solar System (Ch 6)
Oct 2
Earth and the other terrestrial planets (Ch 7)
Oct 6-9
Jovian planets and their moons (Ch 8)
Oct 13-16
Oct 20-23
Oct 27-30
Nov 3-6
Nov 10-13
Nov 17-20
Nov 24-26
Dec1-4
Dec 8-11
Dec 15-18
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Asteroids, comets, and dwarf planets (Ch 9)
The Sun (Ch 10)
Stellar Astronomy (Ch 11)
Quiz/Exam
Quiz 1
Quiz 2
Quiz 3
Quiz 4
Quiz 5
Exam 1
(Ch 1-5)
Quiz 6
Quiz 7
Quiz 8
Quiz 9
Exam 2-Tue
(Ch 6-10)
Quiz 10
Quiz 11
Stellar Evolution (Ch 12)
Stellar Remnants: White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, Black Holes
(Ch 13)
The Milky Way Galaxy (Ch 14)
Quiz 12
Galaxies (Ch 15)
Quiz 13
Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the structure of the universe
Exam 3-Tue
(Ch 16) The origin of the universe (Ch 17)
(Ch 11-17)
FINAL EXAM (8:00-9:15 AM on Thursday, Dec 18)
Final Exam
All dates (except Final Exam) are approximate and subject to change.
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