SYLLABUS AST 2010 FALL 2016

Instructor: Dr. Boris E. Nadgorny, Professor

Office: 389 Physics

E-mail: nadgorny@physics.wayne.edu

Office hours: M 3-4 pm, or by appointment.

Location and time:

Monday and Wednesday 12:50PM - 02:40PM Room 234 State Hall

Course Book:

Foundations of Astronomy by Seeds, Backman, (Alternatively, Seeds, Backman and

Pruneau), Brooks/Cole Cengage Publisher, 13th edition.

Hard copy is available exclusively at Barnes and Noble on campus in a loose leaf

format BUNDLED with MINDTAP ACCESS E-book (REQUIRED to access

MindTap). You can also acquire access to MindTap with E-book only, without

buying a hard copy. Please make sure any package you acquire gives you access to

MindTap.

Prerequisite: none (high school algebra is assumed, see below) Intended audience:

• General audience including science and non-science majors. Ideal for Students

seeking to satisfy their GEN-ED Science requirement.

Other Requirements:

• Minimal knowledge of mathematics (elementary algebra) and sciences is assumed

• Must have access to a computer and be familiar to browser usage and with WAYNE

STATE BLACKBOARD system

• Must have email access and check Wayne State email REGULARLY

Course Format:

The course material is comprised of reading materials from the course textbook (see

below) and online materials delivered through BLACKBOARD and the CENGAGE

MindTap website. Additionally we will be using iClicker for in class questions.

Synopsis:

This course is an elementary introduction and survey of Astronomy. It covers a very

large range of introductory topics including: The Sky, Orbits and Gravity, Earth-Moon-

Sun System, Electromagnetic Radiation, Telescopes, The Solar System, Planet Earth, The

Moon, Inner Planets, Outer Planets, Minor Bodies of the Solar System, The Sun, The

Stars, Stellar Evolution, Relativity and Black Holes, The Milky Way, Galaxies, Order in

the Universe, Big Bang, Cosmology.

Blackboard:

• Power Point lectures

• MindTap (accessible via Blackboard link)

• End of Chapter homework, other assignments

• Reading assignments

• Videos and animations

Clicker: (need to activate iClicker-2)

Clickers will be used to answer questions, quizzes, and discussion topics in class.

Answer to any question is one point, correct answer is two points.

While nominally these count for bonus points, the use of clicker is strongly

recommended, as you can earn 15% towards your final grade.

MindTap:

•Mindtap is used to access all course elements (including the textbook), videos, End of

Chapter homework; other tests.

•You access MindTap via Blackboard: Log in Blackboard Navigate to your AST2010

course Click on the Content Tab to find MindTap tab. Click on AST2010 Nadgorny

Fall_2016 link.

•Logon to the BLACKBOARD website to see announcements and read your University

email on a regular basis (e.g. at least every other day) to stay up-to-date with class

information (Please make sure your University E-MAIL BOX is NOT FULL).

End of Chapter homework: Follow the workflow schedule available in MindTap. It will

show you the assignments to be completed on a (bi-) weekly basis. All End-of-chapter

homework assignments are counted towards your final score. You will have two

attempt for the chapter homework. All scores should be viewable both from Mindtap

and Blackboard gradebook.

Evaluation of work/Grades:

Your final grade in this course will be based on the following items:

1) Two -out of three -BEST in-class exams 50% (25% each).

No make-up in class exams. No explanation is required if you miss an exam (can

be due to illness, car problem, etc.).

2) Final Exam 35%

(Please check the schedule in advance to make sure you don’t have a conflict.

Doctor’s note is required to make up the final if you miss it).

3) MindTap: End of Chapter homework, other assignment, etc. - 15%

Bonus points:

4) iClicker questions – 15%

5) All three in-class exams taken bonus – 5%

Total Points Available: 120%

Academic success advice and study tips: COME TO CLASS! Do MindTap

assignments, all exams, and iClicker quizzes! You will get a good grade if you

come to class and do your work diligently. Your grade will be determined

fairly by your scores on the assignments and exams and nothing else.

Grade determination:

A: 90-100%, A-: 85-89%

B+: 80-84%, B: 75-79%, B-: 70-74%

C+: 65-69%, C: 60-64%, C-:55-59%

D+: 50-54%, D: 45-49%; D-: 40-44%

CLASS SCHEDULE: Subject to change, except for the dates of exams. Latest version will be posted on the web.

DAY TOPICS READING:

W, 08/31

Here and Now. The Earth, The Moon, The Planets, The Sun. The Solar System. The Galaxy and the

Universe. Looking into the past. The Astronomical Unit. The Light-Year. Astronomical Numbers.

The Metric System. Scientific Notation. Syllabus, MindTap, Clicker (Please bring in iClicker).

Ch. 1

M, 09/05 Holiday, university closed N/A

W, 09/07

A user's Guide to the Sky. Constellations. Daily Motion. Latitude and Longitude, Celestial

Coordinates. Annual Motion of the Sun. The Ecliptic and the Zodiac. The Seasons, The Ecliptic's

Tilt. Solstices and Equinoxes. Precession. Phases of the Moon and Eclipses. Lunar and Solar

Eclipses. The Size of the Moon; the Moon Illusion.

Ch. 2,3

M, 09/12

Origins of Modern Astronomy. The Shape of the Earth. Distance and Size of the Sun and the

Moon. The Size of the Earth. Measuring the Diameter of Astronomical Objects. Planets: The

Wandering Stars. Motions of the Planets: Early Theories of Retrograde Motion The Heliocentric

Model. The Copernican Model. Modern Astronomy. Precision Astronomical Measurements. The

Nature of Planetary Orbits. The First Telescopic Observations.

Ch. 4

W, 09/14

Gravity. Astronomical Motion: Inertia, Mass, and Force. Inertia and Mass. The Law of Inertia. Force, Acceleration, and Interaction. Newton's Second Law of Motion. Action and Reaction: Newton's Third Law of Motion. Orbital Motion and Gravity. Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation. Surface Gravity and Weight. Measuring a Body's Mass Using Orbital Motion. Masses from Orbital Speeds. Orbits, Escape Velocity. Tides. Conservation Laws. Conservation of Energy, Conservation of Angular Momentum.

Ch. 5

M, 09/19

Light and Telescopes. The Colors of Visible Light. White Light Infrared and Ultraviolet Radiation

Energy Carried by Photons. Radio Waves. High-Energy Radiation. Detecting and Collecting Light:

Telescopes. Aperture, Focus, Resolution (definitions). CCD Detectors. Collecting Power (aperture).

Principles of Light focusing. Mirrors and Lenses. Refraction. Comparison of two Types of Optical

Telescopes: Reflectors and Refractors. Color Dispersion. Telescope resolution (definition).

Interferometers. Atmospheric absorption. Twinkling of stars. Refraction in the atmosphere.

Telescopes in space.

Ch. 6

W, 09/21

Atoms and Spectra. The Chemical Elements. Atomic Energies. Bohr Atomic Model. Thermal

Radiation. Blackbodies: Color, Luminosity, and Temperature. Taking the Temperature of

Astronomical Objects. The Stefan-Boltzmann Law. The Doppler Shift. Identifying Atoms by Their

Types of Spectra. Astronomical Spectra.

Ch.6 -7

M, 09/26 Catch up, Summary.

Ch.7

W, 09/28 Review. Sample Questions for Exam 1. Ch. 1-7.

W, 9/24

M, 10/03 EXAM 1 Ch. 1-7

W, 10/05

The Sun. Thermal Radiation, Size and Structure and Temperature. Chemical Composition.

Atmosphere (Photosphere, Chromosphere, Corona). Energy transfer Mechanisms (radiation,

convection). Solar Wind. Stability of the Sun (hydrostatic equilibrium). The Sun Source of Power.

Einstein’s Relationship between Mass and Energy. Modern theory of the Sun’s Energy

Generation: Nuclear Fusion; Sun’s Core. Matter and Anti-matter. Proton’s and Electrons Version’s

of Antimatter. The Conversion of Hydrogen into Helium. Mass Loss in Fusion Reactions.

Neutrinos. Solar Activity. Sunspots Features (magnetic field, temperature). Sun Activity:

Ejections. Prominences, Flares, Coronal Mass Ejections. Sun’s Rotation. Solar Cycles.

Ch. 8

M, 10/10

Surveying the Stars. Triangulation. Parallax: Baseline, Angular Shift, Limits to Parallax Measurements. Celestial Distances: Meters, Light Years, Parsecs. Radar Measurements. Moving Stars (proper motion, radial velocity). Light and Distance. Luminosity, Brightness. Relationship between Brightness, Luminosity and Distance (the Inverse Square Law). The Magnitude System. Absolute and Apparent Magnitudes. The Temperature and Compositions of Stars. Light Absorption in the Photosphere. Stellar Surface Temperatures. Wien’s Law (color and temperature relationship). Spectral Types. The Masses of Orbiting Stars. Binary Stars: Visual Binaries, Spectroscopic Binaries, Eclipsing Binaries. Measuring Stellar Masses with Binaries. The Sizes of Stars. Eclipsing Binaries. The Stephan – Boltzmann Law. H-R Diagram: Luminosity-Temperature Relationship. Main Sequence Stars. Mass-Luminosity Relationship. Outside Main Sequence (giants, white dwarfs).

Ch.9

W, 10/12

The Interstellar Medium. Nebulae. Extinction and Reddening. Infrared Radiation from Dust.

Interstellar Absorption and Emission Lines. 21-Centimeter Radio Emission. The Intercloud

Medium, Molecular Clouds. The Formation and Structure of Stars. Star Formation Sequence:

Interstellar Cloud, Protostar, Nuclear Synthesis. Variable Stars. Stellar Wind, Supernova,

Planetary Nebula. White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars and Black Holes. Low-mass and High-mass Main

Sequence Stars.

Ch.10-11

M, 10/17

The Stellar Evolution Cycle. Hydrogen Exhaustion in the Core. Shell Burning (Fusion). Red Giant

Branch. Helium Fusion. High-mass and Low-mass Stars. Zero Age Main Sequence: Hydrostatic

Equilibrium. Lifetime of a Star. The Rate of Fuel Consumption. (Why do lighter stars live longer?).

Death of Stars. Mass Loss and Death of Low-mass Stars. Main Sequence Star Late Life History

(Red Giant – Yellow Giant – Stellar Wind – Envelope Ejection – Planetary Nebulae - White

Dwarfs). Electron Degeneracy. White Dwarf in a Binary System: Accretion Disk.

Ch. 12-13

W, 10/19

Neutron Stars and Black Holes. Chandrasekhar Limit. Explosion of the Supernovae of Type 1a.

Death of Massive Stars. Heavy Element Formation (up to Iron) in Massive Stars. Core Collapse:

Massive Star Supernova Explosions, Type II. Emission from Neutron Stars. Pulsars; Escape

Velocity. Event Horizon. Observing Black Holes.

Ch. 13-14

M, 10/24

The Milky Way Galaxy. The size and structure of our Galaxy (spiral) and the position of the Sun.

Galaxies. Different types of galaxies. Star formation. Age of Galaxies. Discovery of other galaxies.

Role of Cepheid variable stars. Measuring the Distances with Cepheid Variables (The Period-

Luminosity Relation). Distances and the Hubble Law. The origin and evolution of galaxies. The

farthest galaxy. Dark matter and the star rotation. Massive black holes in the center of galaxies.

Ch.15-16

W, 10/26 Catch up and Review.

Ch. 8-16

M, 10/31 EXAM 2 Ch. 8-16

W, 11/02 Modern Cosmology. Evolutionary vs Stationary universe. Cosmic Redshifts. The Big Bang theory.

The evolution of the universe. The cosmic background radiation. Dark Matter. Acceleration and

Dark Energy. Principles of Relativity.

Ch.18, Ch.5 M, 10/24

M, 11/07

Origin of the Solar System and Extrasolar Planets. The Structure of the Solar System. General

Solar System Overview: Inner and Outer Planet. Terrestrial planets. Moons, Asteroids. Asteroid

belt. Jovian (Jiant) Planets. Kuiper Belt. Comets. Orbital patterns (tilts of orbital planes). Planet

Composition. The Origin of the Solar System, Radioactive Decay, Radioactive Dating. Age

Estimates (solar system). Birth of the Solar System. Solar Nebula. Interstellar Cloud, Grains,

Accretion (definition) Planet Formation. Geological Activity, Differentiation. Young

Protoplanetary Systems. Detecting Exoplanets: Doppler Shift, Transit Method.

Ch. 19

W, 11/09 Earth: The Active Planet. Earth Interior, Structure and Chemical Composition, Crust, Mantle,

Core. Inner and Outer Cores. Convection. Plate Tectonics (the origin of). Composition of the Crust.

Rift and Fault Zones (definition). Volcanoes. The Earth Magnetic Field, Magnetosphere.

Ch. 20

M, 11/14

The Moon and Mercury: Comparing Airless Worlds. The Moon. Lunar Surface: Surface Features

(Maria, Highlands). Crater Impact. Composition and Structure. Impact Craters. Crater Counting

(main principle). Gravity on the Moon. The moon Rotation (synchronized). The consequence of

that (The “Dark Side” of the Moon). The Absence of Lunar Atmosphere. The Origin of the Moon.

Mercury: Surface features, Temperatures, Atmosphere, Orbit (eccentricity, origin of), Rotation.

Ch. 21

W, 11/16

Venus and Mars. Venus: Spacecraft Exploration. Appearance, Basic Properties, Rotation

(retrograde). No Satellites. Craters and Surface Age, Volcanoes. Composition and Structure of the

Atmosphere. Atmospheric Pressure, Surface Temperature. Runaway Greenhouse Effect. Mars:

History of Exploration, Canals. Basic Properties. Volcanoes, Geology, Olympus Mons (the biggest

volcano in the Solar System). Temperature, Polar Caps, Evidence of Water. Atmosphere, Runaway

Refrigerator Effect, Martian Moons.

Ch. 22

M, 11/21

Jupiter and Saturn. Exploration of Giant Planets (Galileo and Cassini). Appearance and Rotation.

Composition and Structure (chemical composition, interior, metallic hydrogen). Internal Heat.

Atmospheres (Belts and Zones), Clouds, Winds and Weather. Storms, the Great Red Spot, Internal

Heat (the origin of). Magnetospheres (the origin of, Auroras). The Galilean Satellites. Io (volcanic

activity, source of heat), Europa (liquid water, oceans and ice). Titan (Saturn’s moon with

atmosphere), Triton (geysers).

Ch. 23

W, 11/23 Thanksgiving Holiday N/A

M, 11/28 Catch up and Review Ch. 18-23

W, 11/30 EXAM 3 Ch. 18-23

M, 12/05 Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and the Kuiper Belt. Uranus and Neptune: The Discovery. Atmospheres

(composition). Motion. Uranus Axis Tilt. Internal Heat Source. Neptune Winds and Storms (the

origin of). Pluto. Kuiper Belt

Ch. 24

W, 12/07

Meteorites, Asteroids, and Comets. Composition, Origin, and Orbits of Meteorites. Asteroids.

Properties, Types of Asteroids. The Asteroid Belt. Asteroids Outside the Main Belt. Origin and

History of the Asteroids. Comets. Properties of Comets. Structure of the Comets, Solar Wind

Effects. The Geology of Comet Nuclei. Origin and History of Comets. Comets from the Oort Cloud

and the Kuiper Belt. Asteroid and Comet Impacts. The Tunguska Event. Planet-Shaking Events.

Ch. 25

M, 12/12 Catch up and Review

Everything

Tu, 12/13 Study Day

M, 12/19 FINAL EXAM (NOTE DIFFERENT TIME!) 10:40-1:10 pm

Everything

Observation of the Sky - LABORATORY COURSE ONLY

Two evenings of observation are scheduled during the semester. Observations are

carried on the roof of the Physics building during clear nights. It is extremely valuable

to study the manual prior to coming to the laboratory. Laboratory reports are due at

the start of the following week lab. For further details, please inquire with Dr. Scott

Payson at 313-577-3280

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

After completing this class, you are expected to …

Understand the basic cycles experienced by humans

•Why we have Day and Night

•Why we have Seasons

•Why we use a calendar based on 7 day weeks, and approximately 30 day

month, and years

Understand your place in the Universe and the basic hierarchy of the Universe

and the various processes that take place within it.

Solar System:

•Why we know the Earth revolves around the Sun

•Understand the structure of the solar system, and know basic facts about the

planets

•Have basic knowledge of the principles that determine the formation of the

solar system, and its evolution

•Understand at a basic level the techniques used by scientists to estimate the age

of the Earth at 4.5 billion years.

•Know there are other solar systems, and understand at a basic level the

methods used by astronomers to detect them.

Stars:

•Understand the Sun is a medium size star among several billion others in our

galaxy, the Milky Way

•Understand the basic classification of stars

•Understand the basic steps in the birth, evolution, and death of stars

•Be familiar with some exotic objects such as neutron stars, and black holes

Cosmology

•Be familiar with the notion that all galaxies are receding from one another and

what it means

•Understand at a basic level the evidence for a Big Bang

•Understand at a basic level the techniques used by astronomers to estimate the

age of the universe Understand that the notion that the Universe is infinite in size

but that we can only see the fraction within the cosmic horizon.

The question of the Origins:

•Have a basic understanding of the evidence for geological ages on Earth, and the

biological evolution of species

•Have a basic understanding of the origins of the Earth and the Solar System

•Have a basic understanding of the origins and evolution of stars and galaxies

•Have a basic understanding of the evolution of the Universe since the Big Bang

The Scientific Method

•Understand the basic principles of the scientific method

•Understand the notions of hypothesis, model, theory, law of nature

• Understand at a basic level the process whereby scientists use facts, obtained by

quantitative measurements of natural phenomena, to compare the merits of

models, and formulate an increasingly more accurate model (theory) of nature.

Basic Scientific Theories

•Have basic familiarity with physics principles of velocity, acceleration, energy,

potential energy, force, pressure.

•Have basic familiarity with fundamental laws of nature including conservation

of energy, conservation of momentum, conservation of angular momentum

•Have basic familiarity with theories about the structure of matter and forces,

including the structure of the atom, structure of the nucleus, existence of several

classes of elementary particles, and the fundamental forces that rule them.

•Have basic understanding of the nature of light and electromagnetic waves, and

their properties, including the notions of wavelength, frequency, amplitude, and

velocity.

•Have basic familiarity with the four fundamental forces of gravity,

electromagnetism, strong nuclear force, and weak nuclear force

Students with Disabilities: If you have a documented disability that requires

accommodations, you will need to register with Student Disability Services for

coordination of your academic accommodations, see http://studentdisability.wayne.edu

Academic Integrity

All forms of academic misbehavior are prohibited at Wayne State University, as

outlined in the Student Code of Conduct: Students who commit or assist in committing

dishonest acts are subject to downgrading (to a failing grade for the test, paper, or other

course-related activity in question, or for the entire course) and/or additional sanctions

as described in the Student Code of Conduct. Cheating, see:

http://doso.wayne.edu/academic-integrity.html

Course Drops and Withdrawals:

I strongly suggest discussing you options and concerns with me before dropping the

course. Often students have a perceived view that they are failing the course, while in

fact they are not. Should you need to withdraw from the course, the withdrawal

procedures are outline here: https://wayne.edu/students/register/dropping/.