ASTRONOMY 1210 (O'CONNELL) SPRING 2014

INTRODUCTION TO THE SKY AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM

SCHEDULE, OUTLINE, AND READING ASSIGNMENTS

The dates below represent the approximate start of each topic and reading assignment. You should have done all the reading for a given topic before the start of the next one. All dates are tentative, except for the final exam. Assignments are given in brackets; numbers refer to chapters in The Cosmic Perspective by Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, and Voit (6th edition, 2010). There will be a special (outside of regular class-time) review session covering topics requested by the class before each exam (not listed).

Detailed reading assignments and notes for each lecture are given on the 23 Study Guides.

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1/13: First class meeting: Orientation
1/15: Introduction. Astronomy as a science. Scale of the universe in space and time. The night sky. Prehistoric astronomy. [CH 1, 2, 3.1; Supplement I]
1/20: MLK Holiday: no class
2/5: Discovery of the Solar System. Early scientific astronomy. Copernicus to Newton. Gravity and planetary orbits. [CH 3, 4]
2/17: Tools for Modern Astronomy. Modern science, technology, & society. The nature of light. The electromagnetic spectrum. Atomic structure. Spectroscopy. Telescopes. The space program and space astronomy. [Supplements II, III; Optional: CH 5, 6]
FIRST MIDTERM EXAM: Wednesday, 19 February Coverage: Introduction through EM spectrum.
2/26: Planetary Systems: ours and others Inventory & systematics of the solar system. Formation of the solar system. Discovery of other planetary systems. Properties of exoplanets. [CH 7, 8, 13]
3/3: Earth and Moon. Earth as a planet. Earth's age, composition, interior. The Apollo missions. The lunar surface. The violent formation and early history of the Moon. [CH 9, 10]
[Spring Break: 10 - 14 March]
3/19: The Terrestrial Planets. Mercury, Venus, Mars. Evolution of terrestrial atmospheres. The MESSENGER, Magellan, Viking, Pathfinder, Rover, & Curiosity missions. [CH 9, 10]
SECOND MIDTERM EXAM: Wednesday, 2 April Coverage: spectroscopy through Mars.
4/7:Lowell's Legacy: ET's. Life on Mars? "War of the Worlds". UFO's. [War of the Worlds]
Deadline for extra credit assignments with full credit: Friday, 11 April
4/14: The Outer Planets. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto. Satellites. The Voyager, Galileo, & Cassini missions. Kuiper Belt Objects. [CH 11, 12.3]
4/21: Interplanetary Matter. Asteroids, comets, meteors. Collisions with Earth and biological extinctions. [CH 12]
Deadline for all extra credit assignments: Friday, 25 April, 5 PM
4/28: Life in the Universe. Evolution of life on Earth. Other biospheres in the solar system? In the galaxy? Search for alien civilizations. [CH 13, 24]
Last Constellation Quiz: Tuesday, 29 April
FINAL EXAM: Saturday, 3 May, 2 - 4 PM

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SKY EVENTS THIS SEMESTER

For more details, see the Sky and Telescope ``This Week's Sky'' Web Page

Sky looking south at 8 PM on 20 February 2014; from Heavens Above.

• 1/01: New Moon
  
• 1/03: Quadrantid meteor shower
  
• 1/05: Jupiter at opposition (nearest Earth, up all night)
  
• 1/16: Full Moon
  
• 1/30: New Moon
  
• 1/31: Mercury at greatest distance from sunset horizon (18 degrees)
  
• 2/11: Venus at maximum brightness (-4.5 mag) in dawn sky
  
• 2/14: Full Moon
  
• 2/26: Moon within 0.2 degrees of Venus
  
• 3/01: New Moon
  
• 3/09: (Sunday, 2 AM). Daylight Savings Time begins; move clocks ahead 1 hour
  
• 3/14: Mercury at greatest distance from sunrise horizon (27 degrees)
  
• 3/16: Full Moon
  
• 3/20: 12:57 PM EDT. Vernal Equinox (Sun crosses celestial equator moving
              north; day & night each 12 hours long)
  
• 3/22: Venus at greatest distance from sunrise horizon (47 degrees)
  
• 3/30: New Moon
  
• 4/08: Mars at opposition (nearest Earth, up all night)
  
• 4/15: Full Moon
  
• 4/15: Total eclipse of Moon, deepest 3:06-4:25 AM EDT.
  
• 4/22: Lyrid meteor shower
  
• 4/29: New Moon
  
• 4/29: Annular eclipse of Sun; visible from the S. Indian Ocean
  
• 5/10: Saturn at opposition (nearest Earth, up all night)
  
• 5/14: Full Moon
  
• 5/25: Mercury at greatest distance from sunset horizon (23 degrees)
  
• 5/28: New Moon
  
• 6/13: Full Moon
  
• 6/21: 6:51 AM EDT. Summer Solstice (Sun at northernmost position;
              longest day of year in N. hemisphere)

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Last modified December 2020 by rwo
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