Astronomy 1010
Planetary Astronomy
Fall_2015
Day-1
Astronomy 1010
Planetary Astronomy
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MWF 1325 – 1420
Sundquist Science Center E106B
Dr. Allyn Smith
www.apsu.edu/astronomy
Instructor:
Dr. Allyn Smith
Office: SSC B – 329
(go in through B-332)
Hours: MWF 1000 – 1100;
T 1300-1400
or by appointment
Email: smithj@apsu.edu
Phone: 221-6104
Textbooks
21st Century Astronomy: The
Solar System, 4th Edition by Kay,
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Palen, Smith & Blumenthal
•Lecture Tutorials for Introductory
Astronomy, 3rd Edition by, Prather,
Slater, Adams & Brissenden
Course Announcements
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Smartworks Practice: Due Fri. (Aug. 28)
Smartworks Chapter 1: Due Wed. (Sep. 2)
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Read Chapter 1 (if you haven’t already)
Read Chapter 2.1, 2.2
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Still time to register for ASTR-2010 –
Problems in Planetary Astronomy
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1600-1700 Wednesdays, E-118
Introduction to Observational Astronomy
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1830-2130 Wednesdays, B-310
Course Announcements - 2
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Clarksville Astronomy Club meeting
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Tuesday Aug. 25 – 7:30pm – Sears Planetarium
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Mt. Vesuvius eruption in 79 A.D.
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Sun.-Mon. Sept. 27-28 – total lunar eclipse:
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Pending weather, we will be at the observatory for
this. All are welcome to join us.
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Begins: Sun, Sep 27, 2015 at 7:11 PM
Maximum: Sun, Sep 27, 2015 at 9:47 PM
Ends: Mon, Sep 28, 2015 at 12:22 AM
Duration: 5 hours, 11 minutes
Home Work - 1
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Between now and class time on FRIDAY. Turn
in Friday at class time:
Go outside, at night, and look at the sky. Try
to avoid street lights. Sketch what you see.
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Bright stars, the moon (show phase), and some
“local” landmarks.
1-3 hours later, repeat.
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What changed?
Definitions & Terms -1
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Syllabus: Plan for the class, loosely, your
contract.
Cell Phone: Demon spawn of the devil. Use
in class is prohibited. Failure to heed this
may cost you up to 1.5 letter grades.
Hat: A covering of the head to protect the
hair. Worn by women indoors or out. Men
wear them outdoors only.
Coffee: the drink of life, especially in the
mornings.
Definitions & Terms -2
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Planet: A body which:
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Orbits the star in the stellar system,
Has enough mass to self-gravitate to a spherical
shape;
Has cleared its orbit of similar-sized debris.
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“Solar System”: The group of planets and our star
which they orbit.
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Galaxy: An assemblage of stars, planets, dust, gas
… In the case of our galaxy “The Milky Way” we’re
talking about 400,000,000,000 stars.
Five-Minute Essay
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My name is… (LEGIBLY!!)
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I am taking ASTR 1010 because…
In ASTR 1010 I hope to learn about …
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When I graduate I hope to…
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Three important things that happened
this summer were …
Lab This Week
 Astronomy on the Internet
 In General:
 ClassAction Web Site (Link from
apsu.edu/astronomy)
 Print the instructions BEFORE you come to
class!
If you are interested in
math…
ASTR 2010: Problems in Planetary Astronomy
meets Wednesdays at 1600 (E118). It is a onehour class that only meets once a week. We will do
some of the problems from the back of the
chapters that involve math as well as
supplemental problems. The math level is basic
algebra. If you are interested, see Dr. Buckner to
sign up for the class. It may be planetary but much
of the material is also applicable for stellar. ASTR
2020 Problems in Stellar is a spring class.
And, If you are interested in
(more) observing…
ASTR-2011: Introduction to Observational
Astronomy meets Wednesdays at 1830 (B310). It
is a one-hour class that only meets once a week. It
is an introduction top observing and use of
telescopes. It is intended to be “under the stars”
as much as the weather allows. This will “release”
you from the observing report for this class.