Astronomy 100 Descriptive Astronomy

Section 1 MWF 9:00 – 9:50 a.m. Darwin 102

An' as it blowed an' blowed I often looked up at the sky an' assed meself the question, What is the stars, what is the stars? Sean O'Casey

As marvelous as the stars is the mind of the person who studies them. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This course is for students who are curious and who are willing to read, ask questions, and think. It is a university-level course, so if you have not yet met SSU's entry-level requirements in English and math (that is, if you still need to take courses numbered below 100), I strongly advise that you wait and take this course AFTER meeting these requirements.

Texts: Our text is The Essential Cosmic Perspective, 4th ed., by Jeffrey O. Bennett, Megan Donahue, Nicholas Schneider, & Mark Voit (Pearson Addison Wesley, San Francisco, 2007). [Note that Sections 1 and 2 of this course are using this book, but Section 3 is using a different version.] Buy it at the bookstore or online. We will make much use of the online resources (Mastering Astronomy) connected with this book. These resources cost extra ($27.00) if you don’t buy a new book, which means that buying a used book may end up costing you more than a new one. You will also want to use Favorite Astronomy Links and Educational Resources on the web.

Course Calendar (including reading assignments)

Other lectures: Each Monday of the semester, from Aug 27 through Nov 26, the Department of Physics and Astronomy will present a free public lecture in its renowned “What Physicists Do” series at 4:00 p.m in Darwin 103. The lectures on Oct 1, 8, and 15, and Nov 19 and 26 should be of special interest to you as you study astronomy. A one-page description of what you learned at one of these lectures may be submitted for extra credit (15 points).

Viewing sessions: We will schedule an evening or two to observe with the 14 and 10-inch telescopes of the SSU Observatory. In addition you are invited to bring your friends and relatives to the free Public Viewing Nights scheduled monthly at the SSU Observatory. See the observing assignment for more information. If you wish to learn more about observing, you may take Astronomy 231 Introductory Observational Astronomy concurrently with or after this course.

Grading: Your grade will be based as follows: observing assignment (20 points), other homework assignments 100 points total, 5 quizzes (100 points total), a term paper (140 points), and final exam (140 points). It will take a total of about 420 points for an A-, 360 for a B-, 300 for a C-, and 240 for a D-. The term paper is due Monday, November 29. Late papers will be penalized. Topics to Review may help you prepare for quizzes and the final exam. If you are absent when a quiz is given, you will get a zero on it, except that you may be able to take a make-up quiz if you have a good excuse and make arrangements before the quiz.   How to Do Better in Astronomy 100.    Check your current standing.

Office hours: My office is Darwin 300I, phone 664-2594. Official office hours are Mondays 10:00 - 10:50, and Wednesdays 1:00-1:50, but feel free to drop in any time you see me there. (I am usually on campus Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.) E-mail to joe.tenn@sonoma.edu is an excellent way to contact me. Messages may also be left in my mailbox in Darwin 300. If you have any problems which affect your performance in this course, please contact me. Do not stop attending classes.

General Education: This course may be used to meet general education requirements in area B1 or B3. Learning Objectives.

Policies: It is your responsibility to be aware of University policies, such as the add/drop policy; cheating and plagiarism policy, grade appeal procedures; accommodations for students with disabilities and the diversity vision statement.

Courtesy: Please silence all cell phones, pagers, etc. when entering class. If your device rings during the class you will be asked to leave and not return during that class period. This will be especially disadvantageous if we are taking a quiz or exam.