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Short Course
Description:
An introduction to astronomy and astrophysics; an overview of the
contents of the solar system and our Galaxy, as well as the fundamental
laws governing
their behaviour. Some practical experience with telescopes will be
required,
although only day-time (i.e., solar) observing will be necessary.
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Breakdown of Final Grade |
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Item
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Total
(%) |
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Homework (3 assignments) |
15 |
| In-class work (unannounced
quizzes) |
10 |
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Starry Night assignment |
10 |
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Documented analysis of solar images from SOHO |
15 |
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Midterm test |
17.5 |
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Final Exam |
32.5 |
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Total |
100 |
Professor Norbert Bartel (Course Director)
Room 331 Petrie Science and
Tel: 416-736-5424
E-mail: bartel@yorku.ca
please
put PHYS1070 in the subject line
Lectures: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Curtis Lecture Hall J
Tutorial:
Wednesday, 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Stedman Lecture Hall E (SLH E)
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Event
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Date(s)
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First class |
March 5, 2009 |
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Telescope Checkout (cancelled, no sunspots) |
March 11, 2009 |
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Assignment #1 |
April 7,
2009 at 11:30 am |
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Midterm test (Chapters 1 – 8) |
April 21, 2009 |
| Starry Night assignment due date |
April 21, 2009 at 11:30 am |
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Assignment #2 |
April 30, 2009 at 11:30 am |
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Document of solar data analysis due date |
May 19, 2009 at 11:30 am |
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Assignment #3 |
May 19, 2009 at 11:30 am |
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Last class |
May 19, 2009 |
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Final Exam (Chapters 1 - 19) |
May 25, 2009, 7:00 - 10:00pm, SLH A |
Office Hours
any time by e-mail;
Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm:
Room 331 Petrie Science and
Universe, 8th
(or 7th) edition
by Kaufmann and Freedman (Freeman Canada)
A copy is on
2-hour reserve in Steacy Library. Also, refer to the excellent W.H.
Freeman websites http://www.whfreeman.com/universe8e/
or http://www.whfreeman.com/universe7e/
for helpful online resources.
Alternate Texts:
(Steacie Library)
Fundamental Astronomy,
3rd edition,
Karttunen et al. (Springer)
Astronomy: A Physical Perspective, M.L. Kutner (Harper & Row)
The Physical Universe - An Introduction to Astronomy, F. Shu (U.
Science
Books)
Soho website:
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/
- Understanding
concepts is the focus of the course.
- Communication
by e-mail will be emphasized.
- Assignments
are due on their due date. Late assignments
will not be accepted.
- Assignments
must be stapled, written neatly and in sentences where appropriate.
- Four to eight unannounced short in-class (mostly) multiple-choice quizzes will be conducted throughout the semester. Please have a blank sheet of paper ready for each class. There will be no make-ups for these quizzes, but for each student the lowest quiz mark will be dropped.
- Updates
and
announcements will be given on this page.
1. Positional Astronomy (2 lectures)
-
co-ordinate systems, telescope tour and checkout.
2. Introduction and Celestial Mechanics (2 lectures)
- Kepler's
Laws; escape & orbital velocity; Newton's Laws
(simple form)
3. Radiation, Observations and Detectors (2)
- review of
basic radiation physics; temperature
-
atmospheric transmission; optical
telescopes; refractor, reflector; detectors;
-
radio telescopes; future telescopes
-
review of basic radiation physics;
temperature
4. Earth-Moon System (2)
- time and
seasons; evidence for Earth's rotation & revolution (includes
precession, nutation,
aberration, refraction, Doppler shift)
5. Terrestrial Planets (4)
- Mercury
through Mars; planetary evolution
6. Jovian Planets (2)
- Jupiter
through Neptune; Pluto and Charon
7. Small Bodies and Origin of Solar System (1)
- moons,
rings, asteroids, meteors, formation of solar system
8. Photometric Concepts and Magnitudes (2)
- simple
radiation concepts; magnitude system - apparent & absolute;
extinction
9. The Sun (2)
- basic
parameters; atmosphere; limb-darkening; activity; solar cycle
10. Binary Stars and Stellar Masses, Stellar Spectra,
H-R Diagram (3)
- types and
uses
- basic
concepts; spectral classification; luminosity class
If illness (or some similar disruption) prevents you from writing a test or from handing
in an assignment, you must notify the instructor on or before the due date. Only in truly
extraordinary circumstances is notification after the due date acceptable.
Students *must* be aware of University policies regarding: a) Academic Integrity
[http://www.yorku.ca/phall/acadintegrity.pdf & http://www.yorku.ca/tutorial/academic integrity/]
and b) Religious Observances [http://calendars.registrar.yorku.ca/examschedules/policy.htm].
Please read the policies in full. As a summary, the rules are as follows:
a) Students are encouraged to work together, but must not plagiarize. So it's OK to work
together to find a solution to a homework problem, as long as you write up the answer independently.
You must write assignments in your own words; identical answers will result in
zeros for all parties involved. Whenever an idea, passage, or data are taken from another
person, this must be acknowledged by using quotation marks where appropriate and by
proper referencing such as footnotes or citations. Plagiarism is a serious academic offence.
Students must also not cheat or impersonate another individual during quizzes or exams.
b) While religious observations are respected, it may well be that a conflict occurs in the
scheduling of assignments or exams. Should a conflict occur, the student should contact
the course instructor before, and not on or after, the due date. By default, assignments
must be handed in before and not after the due date in such cases.