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Welcome
Astronomy 311
Professor Lee Carkner
Lecture 1
Questions to Consider
Am I in the right place?
Astronomy 311: The Solar System
Do I have the right stuff?
“Astronomy Today” by
Chaisson/McMillan
Star and Planet Locator
Calculator
WebAssign card
Things to Know
Professor
Dr. Lee Carkner
Office Hours
M, W, F 1-2 pm
Science 208
Places
We will normally meet in Science 102
Some classes we will meet in the planetarium (like
next Monday)
We will have evening observing sessions in the
observatory
How Does the Class Work?
Read the book material before class
Do the online homework
Come to class
Do the in-class activities
Go out and make the assigned observations
and turn them in by the due date
Come to the observing sessions when announced
Three quizzes and a final
Web Page
http://helios.augustana.edu/~lc/as311/intro.
html
Outline gives readings and lecture topics
Lectures posted online before class
Download and print out before class
Fill in blank areas during class
Outline will be updated and modified as the
class goes on
Web page will also list observing sessions
WebAssign
Homework is due every class day
Go to webassign.net/student.html
Click on student login
Username: firstnamelastname
e.g. johnsmith
Institution: augustana
Password: Your Augustana ID number
You can change the password after you login
You will have to register using a WebAssign
card purchased at the bookstore
WebAssign Homework
Once logged in you will see a list of
assignments
Click on the current assignment
For Friday it is “2history”
Be sure you have done the reading first
Answer all questions and click “submit”
You only get one submission so be sure you are
ready to answer all questions before you start
I will try to list the questions on the class web
site to look at ahead of time
Grading
Three Quizzes -- 45% (15% each)
Observing -- 10%
In Class Activities -- 15%
Homework – 10%
Final -- 20%
Guidelines for Work Handed In
Written answers must be in complete
sentences
Numbers must have units
Answers must reasonable
If not reasonable, explain why
All work must be neat and easily
readable
Explain all work!
Surveys
Please answer all questions on both
surveys to the best of your ability
Surveys are optional
All results will be kept anonymous
Information will be used to help
improve the course
Your input is appreciated
Why is Astronomy Unique?
How is astronomy different from all other
sciences?
Astronomy is mostly observational
Observing and Planetary Science
Dawn of Time to 1600 AD
Naked Eye
1600 – 1959
Telescope
1959 – 2001
Spacecraft probes
Even spacecraft send back mostly images, i.e. just
a fancier observation
Why Are Observations
Important?
Science is an attempt to understand the
universe
Problems:
The Universe is not simple
Humans tend to delude themselves
Our entire technological society is based
upon careful and repeated observations
You don’t really know anything about the
Universe you live in unless you observe it
carefully
Observing
How does the Observing Project work?
Make several copies of the blank observing forms
Go outside on a clear night and sketch and label
the required objects
Answer the questions on a separate sheet
Come to the observing sessions and sketch the
objects through the telescope
This class requires you to do work at night
both on your own and in groups at the times
announced in class!!
How to Observe
Face a cardinal point (N, S, E, W)
The semi-circle represents the half of the
celestial dome in front of you
Draw each star as a dot
Size proportional to brightness
Draw to scale
Label and include comments!
For telescope views, draw what is in the
eyepiece
Observing Tips
Take advantage of clear nights
Use resources to help find things
Star and Planet Locator
Sky maps in back of book
Planetarium software (comes with book)
Make many copies of observing form and do
a first “practice” sketch
Draw only what you can see
Do not cheat!
Next Time
Read Chapter 2.1-2.4
Do WebAssign homework
Question of the Day:
How have our ideas about the universe
changed and why?
Observe if clear!
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