ASTRONOMY 100 DESCRIPTIVE ASTRONOMY

SPRING 2008

T,TH 5:30 p.m. (Observing Tues. evenings)

Instructor: Purrington
Office 5050 Stern Hall
Telephone 862-3177
e-mail:
danny@tulane.edu
web site: http://www.tulane.edu/~danny/ast100.html

Text: Kaufmann and Freedman, Universe, 8th ed.
Other required supplies:
Edmund Star Finder
Scientific Calculator (about $12)
Recommended:
E. Karkoschka, The Observer's Sky Atlas

SYLLABUS
Weeks (and inclusive dates)

1-4 (Jan. 15-Feb. 7) Chapters 1-6; no class Feb. 5 (Mardi Gras)

5-6 (Feb. 12-21) Chapter 16-19; Exam, Chapters 1-6, Feb. 14.

Last day to drop w/o record, Feb. 15

7-9 (Feb. 22-Mar. 13) Chapters 20-25, Exam,`Chapters 16-19, Mar. 13.

Mid-term grades for freshmen, Mar. 5

Last day to drop, Mar. 13

Spring Break, Mar. 15-24

10 (Mar. 25-27) Chapters 26-27.

11-15 (Apr. 1-22) Chapters 7-15; Exam, Chapters 20-27, Apr. 10

Final Examination, Chapters 7-15, May 8, 5:30 p.m.

Internet projects

You will be required to download and turn in an image of the Sun from the Mees Solar Observatory Site (www.solar.ifa.hawaii.edu/mees.html) before mid-term, and a field from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (cas.sdss.org/dr3) during the second half of the semester. We will discuss this during class. I will check to see that you have completed these two assignments and will take that into account when assigning the final grade.

Observing

Observing sessions will generally (but not always) be held on Tuesday evenings, beginning no less than about 45 minutes after sunset, weather permitting. This will mean right after class at the beginning of the semester, but later as we get into the spring. You may want to call 862-3177 for a voice mail message if there is any question about the weather, but usually the best way to find out about the observing session is to attend the Tuesday class. Occasionally I will send out an email message via Blackboard concerning observing.

You will be expected to attend 3 observing sessions in order to receive full credit, though attendance will only affect your grade if you are on a borderline .

You may come every time, but if you intend to come only 3 times, space the sessions a month or so apart, or pick a time when the moon is near first quarter and a time when there is no moon. The skies change very slowly over time, so don't come three weeks in a row. Remember that there is no guarantee that we won't have 2-3 weeks in a row of cloudy weather, so do not count on getting your 3 sessions in during the last week of class.

We will have an afternoon session to observe the sun and possibly an early morning session.

Grading

As you can see from the syllabus, there will be three hour exams plus the final, which is not cumulative. The exams will count equally and will represent approximately 95% of your grade. The remaining 5% will be made up from several factors including class attendance (on occasions when I check roll), internet projects, etc. Exam grades will be posted on blackboard. Attendance at observing sessions will help your final grade if you are on a borderline.

Attendance is expected, even though I will not check roll after the first two weeks, unless there are a lot of absentees on a given night, in which case I maycheck roll.