Schedule for Spring 2013 SCI 103 Introductory Astronomy
Tuesday and Thursday Sections
Textbook: AstronomyNotes by Nick Strobel available free on-line at AstronomyNotes.com
Wk
Day
Date
01
Jan
19
Topic
HW Due Dates
Lab
Investigation
Course Intro, Scale of the Universe
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Define the AU and the Light Year
Illustrate their relative sizes using ratios and proportions
The Apparent Motions of the Stars I: Looking North
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1
02
Jan
21
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Finding Polaris with the Big Dipper.
Eastward rotation of Earth causes stars to appear to move westward around the Celestial
poles.
Read Aristotle
The Celestial Sphere
Local Coordinates: Alt and Azi
Geometric Proof that the altitude of Polaris (NCP really) = Obs. Lat.,Examples, UNL
Rotating Sky
The Local Horizon Picture of the Celestial Sphere
Celestial Coordinates: RA and Dec
Circumpolar region: define and give examples
Sidereal Day: demonstrate, 15○/hr
Numerical exercises: Dec boundary of circumpolar region.
Draw the apparent motion of the stars looking North
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The Apparent Motions of the Stars II: Looking East, West and South
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03
Jan
26
2
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Proof that the CE intersects the horizon exactly due E and W for all observers, Examples
UNL Rotating Sky
Proof that the slant angle of rising and setting stars wrt to the vertical = obs lat, Examples
Altitude of the SCP
Declination of the southernmost visible star
Time scales based on path length
Draw the apparent motion of the stars looking East, South and West.
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The Apparent Motions of the Stars III: Practical Problems
04
Jan
28
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Where am I? (Identifying location from the star’s apparent motion)
Relative Transit times
What is the maximum altitude of a given star from a given location? (2-D Celestial Sphere)
Apparent Long time-scale motion: Precession
Reading:
Astronomy Notes
Chapter:
Astronomy without
a Telescope
Reading:
Astronomy Notes
Chapter:
Astronomy without
a Telescope
HW #1 due
Reading:
Astronomy Notes
Chapter:
Astronomy without
a Telescope
Sky Maps
Star and
Planet Locator
The Apparent Motion of the Sun
05
Feb
02
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3
Diurnal Apparent Motion – use Starry Night, “westward with”
The length of the year
The Whole Sky Map
Annual Apparent Motion – Used Sky Gazer, eastward through”
The Ecliptic, Equinoxes and Solstices
Maximum Altitude of the Sun on a given date from a given location.
Reading:
Astronomy Notes
Chapter:
Astronomy without
a Telescope
HW #2 due
Reading:
Astronomy Notes
Chapter:
Astronomy without
a Telescope
06
Feb
04
07
Feb
09
HW #3 due
Feb
11
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Reading:
Astronomy Notes
Chapter:
Astronomy without
a Telescope
Feb
16
Feb
18
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HW #4 due
4
08
09
5
10
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Exam #1
The Celestial
Sphere
No Lab
The Shape of
the Earth’s
Orbit
The Apparent Motion of the Moon and Lunar Phases
11
Feb
23
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The Apparent Motion of the Planets
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6
Diurnal Apparent Motion – use Starry Night
Monthly Apparent Motion – Use Sky Gazer
Lunar Phases, Elongation Angles and Planetary Configurations
Eclipses and the Moon’s Orbit
Practical Problems
Diurnal Motion
Long term motion
Classification of Interior and Superior planets
Brief presentation of Aristotle and Ptolemy’s Universe: Geocentric Model
HW #3 due
Reading:
Astronomy Notes
Chapter:
Astronomy without
a Telescope
Copernicus’ Innovation: Heliocentric model with a planetary Earth
12
Feb
25
Implications:
 Position of the Earth,
 True orbital periods,
 Distances to the planets
 Philosophical implications
HW #4 due
The Shape of
Mercury’s
Orbit
Kepler:
13
Mar
01
7
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Shape of the Earth’s Orbit from the angular diameter of the Sun
Structure of an ellipse,
2nd Law,
Third Law,
Example Problems,
 Hohmann Transfer Orbit.
Galileo’s Telescopic Observations: Moon, Sun, Jupiter, Venus
The Mass of
Jupiter
Newton’s Gravity:
14
Mar
03
15
Mar
08
16
Mar
10
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Earth-Moon System,
Universal Law,
Inverse-Square law,
Orbital Velocity and
Mass of Central Object
HW #5 due
Q & A, Exam #2
HW #7 due
The Bulk Structure of the Sun
8
X
X
X
Mar
15
Mar
17
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No Lab
Vital Stats
Two-Layer Model
The Solar Model
Spring Recess, No Classes
No Lab
Energy Production in the Sun
17
Mar
22
9
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Historic thoughts on solar energy production
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The Net Proton-Proton Chain 41 H 12 He  2  6
Rate of mass conversion into energy
Maximum lifetime of the Sun
Relationship between the radius, temperature and luminosity of the Sun
1
4
HW #8 due
Luminosity of
the Sun
Stellar Nomenclature: constellation sheet Ursa Major
18
Mar
24
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Naming conventions
Apparent magnitude
Absolute Magnitude
Spectral Type
Luminosity Class
Take-home constellation sheet Cassiopeia
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Stellar Distances
10
19
Mar
29
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Distance to Sirius assuming 1 solar luminosity
Stellar Parallax with problems
Spectroscopic Parallax with problems, use Canis Major constellation sheet
HW #9 due
Proper Motion
of Stars
Binary Stars and Stellar Masses
20
Mar
31
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Derivation of Kepler’s 3rd Law as it applies to binary stars
Class exercise on stellar masses
Masses of main sequence spectral types
Origin of binary star systems (Use My Solar System) An Introduction to
Light:
21
Apr
05
11
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Electromagnetic Spectrum
Blackbody Spectrum
Wien’s Law
Stefan-Boltzmann Law
Sample Problems
HW #10 due
Masses of
Binary Stars
The HR Diagram
22
Apr
07
23
Apr
12
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Basic HR Diagram
HR Mechanics
Evolutionary Tracks
Full HR diagram with main sequence masses
Sample Problems
Q & A, Exam #3
HW #11 due
Star Formation
12
24
Apr
14
25
Apr
19
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No Lab
The short course in star formation
Star formation on the HR diagram
Review key terms
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The Main Sequence and Post-Main Sequence Evolution of Sun-like Stars
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Properties of Main Sequence Stars
Leaving the Main Sequence
Triple Alpha Process (He-burning)
Shell fusion and the origin of giant stars
Future evolution of the Sun
HW #12 due
The Disk of the
Milky Way
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Supernova and Variable Stars
13
26
Apr
21
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Supernova presentation
Types of variable stars
RR Lyrae as standard candles
Cepheid variables as standard candles
Discovering the Milky Way
14
27
Apr
26
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Using the distribution of stars to deduce structure
The presentation
\The Milky Way Data Table
HW #13 due
The Hubble
Classification
of Galaxies
The Core of the Milky Way and its Spiral Arms
28
Apr
28
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Densities in the galactic core
The orbit of S2
The origin of the supermassive black hole
The winding dilemma
Spiral density wave
The Whirlpool Galaxy
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The Hubble Classification of Galaxies and the Local Group
29
May
03
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Pitfall of a morphology-based classification: The bunny
The Tuning Fork
The presentation
The Local Group presentation
The Local Group data table
HW #14 due
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Poor and Rich Galaxy Clusters and Galaxy Collisions
15
30
May
05
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Definitions
The WBL Catalog of Poor Galaxy Clusters
Examples of Rich Galaxy Clusters
Indications of a galaxy collision
Examples of galaxy collisions
The future fate of the Milky Way galaxy
Important Dates
Last day to add a class
Registration for Fall/Winter begins
Last day to withdraw with a grade of W
Last Day of Classes
Grade Deadline
Mon, Jan 25
Wed, Mar 30
Wed, Apr 20
Mon, May 09
Thu, 19 May
Dr. Jaquin’s Contact Information: jaquinr@sunyocc.edu, (315) 498-2437, F350
Your choice,
Reinaldo, for a
final lab.