Instructor: Prof. Steven R. Cranmer   (email, web page)
Instructor's Office:   Duane Physics D111 (main campus), LASP/SPSC N218 (east campus)
Course Times:     Spring 2019, Mon./Wed./Fri., 9:00-9:50 am
Location: Duane Physics, Room G1B20
Office Hours: Duane Physics, D111: Tues. 10:00-11:00, Fri. 10:00-11:00
Teaching Assistant: Elizabeth Butler (email), Office Hours: Duane D232, Mon. 10:00-12:00
Also, the Astronomy Help Room (Duane D142) is open Tues., Wed., & Thurs., 2:00-6:00pm
Syllabus: See the most up-to-date PDF version.

Summary

In this course, non-science majors will learn about the birth and death of stars (including our own Sun), the nature of black holes and galaxies, and the structure and evolution of the entire universe. We will discuss what astronomers know today about each of these things, how we know it, and what we still don't yet know.

There's a lot more information about this course -- including details about the textbook and clickers, who should/shouldn't take this class, how your grade is calculated, and a checklist for success -- in the syllabus.

Course Material

  • This page contains guidelines for "Homework Zero" which can be done throughout the semester. (It is graded with the same weight as the other homeworks.)
  • This page contains guidelines for the Independent Project that will be due on April 24, 2019.
  • This page contains links to additional resources (including YouTube videos) for extra help on the MATH topics of this course.
  • This page has the list of songs that we've played before class at the start of each week.

Schedule

Below is a detailed schedule that will list the material to be covered in each class session (including readings from The Cosmic Perspective), links to electronic copies of any handouts and homeworks, and various course deadlines. The exact schedule is likely to change throughout the semester, and I'll try to keep it up-to-date here.

PDFs of lecture slides, homework/exam solutions, and some interim grade information, will be posted on this course's Canvas page.

  1. Mon., January 14: Overview of the course.
    • Please make sure you have the textbook and a registered iClicker with fresh batteries.
    • Homework 1 assigned, due Fri., January 25.

  2. Wed., January 16: Scales of the universe, and some math. Ch. 1.1, 1.2, 1.4.

  3. Fri., January 18: What is astronomy all about? Ch. 2.1, 3.1 (1st page only), 3.2.

        [Mon., January 21 is the Martin Luther King Holiday, no classes.]

  4. Wed., January 23: What is astronomy all about? Ch. 3.3, 3.4.

  5. Fri., January 25: Motion and energy in space. Ch. 4.1, 4.3 (pages 119-123 only).
    • Homework 1 due.
    • Homework 2 assigned, due Wed., February 6.

  6. Mon., January 28: Meet at Fiske Planetarium.

  7. Wed., January 30: Light and atoms in space. Ch. 5.1, 5.2.

  8. Fri., February 1: Light and atoms in space. Ch. 5.3.

  9. Mon., February 4: Light and atoms in space. Ch. 5.4.

  10. Wed., February 6: Telescopes. Ch. 6.1, 6.2.
    • Homework 2 due.
    • Homework 3 assigned, due Wed., February 20.

  11. Fri., February 8: The Sun. Ch. 14.1.

  12. Mon., February 11: The Sun. Ch. 14.2.
    • Also: prep session for Midterm Exam 1. Refer to the STUDY GUIDE.

        Tues., February 12: TA exam review session, Duane D142, 11:00am-1:00pm

  13. Wed., February 13: Midterm Exam 1.

        Thurs., February 14 is one of our SBO observing nights (see Homework Zero)

  14. Fri., February 15: The Sun. Ch. 14.2.

  15. Mon., February 18: The Sun. Ch. 14.3.

  16. Wed., February 20: The Sun and "space weather." (No reading; probably a video to watch.)
    • Homework 3 due.
    • Homework 4 assigned, due Wed., March 6.

  17. Fri., February 22: The Stars. Ch. 15.1.

  18. Mon., February 25: The Stars. Ch. 15.2, 15.3.

  19. Wed., February 27: How stars are born. Ch. 16.1, 16.2, 16.3.

        Wed., February 27 is one of our SBO observing nights (see Homework Zero)

  20. Fri., March 1: How stars evolve over cosmic time. Ch. 17.1, 17.2.

  21. Mon., March 4: How stars evolve over cosmic time. Ch. 17.3, 17.4.

        Mon., March 4 is one of our SBO observing nights (see Homework Zero)

  22. Wed., March 6: How stars die. Ch. 18.1, 18.2.
    • Homework 4 due.
    • Homework 5 assigned, due Wed., March 20.

  23. Fri., March 8: Spacetime and relativity. Ch. S2 (between 13 & 14 in the book).

  24. Mon., March 11: Spacetime, relativity, and black holes. Ch. S3 (between 13 & 14 in the book).
    • Also: prep session for Midterm Exam 2. Refer to the STUDY GUIDE.

        Tues., March 12: TA exam review session, Duane D142, 11:00am-1:00pm

  25. Wed., March 13: Snow day!

        Wed., March 13 is one of our SBO observing nights (see Homework Zero)

  26. Fri., March 15: Midterm Exam 2.

  27. Mon., March 18: Spacetime, relativity, and black holes. Ch. S3, 18.3, 18.4.

  28. Wed., March 20: Spacetime, relativity, and black holes. Ch. S3, 18.3, 18.4.
    • Homework 5 due.
    • Homework 6 assigned, due Wed., April 10.

  29. Fri., March 22: Finish black holes; begin "our Galaxy." Ch. 19.1.

        [March 25-29: Spring Break, no classes.]

  30. Mon., April 1: More about our Galaxy. Ch. 19.2.

  31. Wed., April 3: More about our Galaxy. Ch. 19.3, 19.4.

  32. Fri., April 5: Other galaxies. Ch. 20.1, 20.2 (only up to page 614).

  33. Mon., April 8: How do galaxies evolve? Ch. 21.1, 21.2, 21.3.

        Mon., April 8 is one of our SBO observing nights (see Homework Zero)

  34. Wed., April 10: How the Universe was born. Ch. 20.2 (page 615 to end), 20.3.
    • Homework 6 due.

  35. Fri., April 12: How the Universe was born. Ch. 22.1, 22.2.

  36. Mon., April 15: How the Universe was born. Ch. 22.1, 22.2.
    • Also: prep session for Midterm Exam 3. Refer to the STUDY GUIDE.

        Tues., April 16: TA exam review session, Duane D142, 11:00am-1:00pm

        Tues., April 16 is also the last of our SBO observing nights (see Homework Zero)

  37. Wed., April 17: Midterm Exam 3.

  38. Fri., April 19: How the Universe was born. Ch. 22.1, 22.2.

  39. Mon., April 22: Finish the birth of the Universe, Ch. 22.1, 22.3. Begin discussion of dark matter, dark energy, and the fate of the universe, Ch. 23.1.

  40. Wed., April 24: Dark matter, dark energy, and the fate of the universe. Ch. 23.2.

  41. Fri., April 26: Meet at Fiske Planetarium.

  42. Mon., April 29: Dark matter, dark energy, and the fate of the universe. Ch. 23.2, 23.3, 23.4.

  43. Wed., May 1: Life in the Universe. Ch. 24 (parts).
    • Also: prep session for the Final Exam. Refer to the STUDY GUIDE.
    • Here is an example of a two-sided sheet that can be used during the final exam.

        [Fri., May 3: Reading Day. Our final exam is on Wednesday, May 8, 1:30-4:00pm, in Duane G1B20.]