Astronomy 310: Exploring the Universe I - The Solar System

Astronomy 310: Exploring the Universe I - The Solar System
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Astronomy 310: Exploring the Universe I
The Solar System
Course website: www.astro.ubc.ca/people/newbury/
Instructor Peter Newbury, Ph.D.
Office Hennings 278
E-mail newbury@phas.ubc.ca
Class Monday 9:30 a.m. - 12 noon
Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. - 12 noon
Thursday, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
All classes are in Room Hennings 202
Course Description
This course provides an overview of modern astronomy: the study of the objects in the sky. It concentrates our night sky and
the objects in our Solar System.
Sometimes we need some basic mathematics, so you should be able to use a scientific calculator. You don't need to know
calculus to take Astronomy 310. Whew!
Course Goals
1. To help you learn a whole bunch of facts , patterns, and processes in astronomy.
2. To understand the process of doing science and the scientific method , using examples from the field of astronomy.
3. To stimulate an on-going interest in astronomy (so you'll read the astronomy stories in the newspaper or pick up the
astronomy magazine at the store.)
Teaching Assistants
Teaching Assistants guide students through the tutorial sessions in Henning 312, mark the assignments, maintain the records
of grades, and help students individually when possible. They may have office hours or be available by e-mail. The TAs are
Sanaz Vafaei and Daniel Doucette .
Textbook and Resources
The textbook for Astronomy 310 is Astronomy Today - The Solar System (5th edition, Volume 1) by Chaisson and McMillan.
This book has a great on-line resource page
(but it refers to the Chapters in the full text, not just Volume 1, so you'll have to use the Chapter titles as a guide.) You are
expected to read the appropriate Sections of the textbook before each class.
A website we will often use, both in class and in the tutorials, is the Astronomy Picture of the Day. There thousands of
astronomy sites on the web. Here are a few good ones: Sky & Telescope, Astronomy, Mercury, Space.com, The Universe
Today, Mars Rovers and Cassini homepages.
Laser Pointers
Each student is required to bring a laser pointer to class to participate in the lectures. Low-power, inexpensive laser pointers
are available at the UBC Bookstore, or you can buy your own fancy one.
Schedule and Class Notes
Class notes are available on-line before class in PDF format. The notes are incomplete : you should print them off, bring them to
class, and fill in the missing information during the class.
Marks
You can check your marks online through the Astronomy 310 WebCT site. You need a Campus-Wide Login (CWL) account to
access this site (this is to provide security on the system.) If you don't have one yet, you'll have to create an account.
Homework assignments ( 5 × 4% = 20% )
There are short homework assignments every week. The assignments are handed-out in class and posted on-line on
Thursdays. They are due before class one week later. Please hand in the assignments through the ASTR 310 slot outside
Hennings 312 (the tutorial room.)
All questions will be marked on a 4-point, qualitative scale:

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Marks Description
4 Perfect.
3 Oh! So close! Your solution is correct except for a few tiny errors.
2 You've got the right idea, but there are some serious mistakes.
1 Well, at least you tried.
0 No attempt was made
Many students find it helpful to work together with others. However, you must hand in your own assignment .
Assignments which show signs of copying will have marks deducted.
Late assignments will not be accepted. However, if you are sick and cannot hand in a homework assignment for a legitimate
reason, tell me and I'll make the other homework assignments count for more.
Tutorials ( 5 × 4% = 20% )
There are 5 tutorial sessions worth 4 marks each. Tutorials are held in Hennings 312 every week , starting on Monday, May
7, 2007. These tutorials are intended to stimulate discussion and to increase face-to-face contact with the TAs and other
astronomy students. Like the Homework assignments, tutorials are marked on a 4-point, qualitative scale:
Marks Description
4 You completed and understood the activity
3 Oh! So close! You just missed a few, small points.
2 You've got the right idea, but there are some serious mistakes.
1 Well, at least you attended.
0 No attendance or attempt at the activity.
To receive marks, you must attend the tutorial section you registered in . If you have a valid reason why you cannot
attend your tutorial section one week, tell me or your Teaching Assistant ahead of time to find out about switching tutorials. If
you're sick for a tutorial, tell me and I'll make the other tutorials count for more.
Section Day Time Teaching Assistant
T01 Monday 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m. Daniel
T02 Tuesday 12 noon - 1:00 p.m. Daniel
T03 Thursday 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Sanaz
T04 Thursday 12 noon - 1:00 p.m. Sanaz
Midterm Examination ( 10% )
There is a short midterm examination on Thursday, May 24. The material covered on the midterm will be announced at least
1 weeks before the exam.
If you miss the midterm for a legitimate reason, tell me and I'll add the missing marks to your final exam.
Observing Project ( 10% )
A big part of astronomy is the process of collecting images and data. At some point during the Term, you will have to take an
astronomical picture and then write a brief report about it. You don't need any specialized equipment other than a digital
camera (or the camera on your cell phone) and a pair of binoculars. Of course, if you have access to better equipment, like an
SLR camera and/or a telescope, you'll take a much better picture.
When you've got your picture, insert it into a short document (2 pages max) that describes what is in the picture and tells the
story of how you took it. Then e-mail me the document (as .doc or .pdf.) Be sure you put your name on your report, too.
Final Examination ( 40% )
There is a final exam shortly after the end of Term. The time, date, and location of the final exam and the material covered will
be announced near the end of the course.
Bonus Marks ( 5% )
If you do extra work outside class, or find something interesting related to the course, you may be eligible for bonus marks.
Examples of work worth bonus marks include:
finding relevant newspaper, magazine, journal articles. Include a short summary of the article's content.
finding links to relevant websites. Include a short summary of the link's content.

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essays, short "term papers"
"non-science" works, like poetry or artwork that is relevant to the course
If you're not sure if something is good enough or has enough relevant astronomical content, ask me.
Corrections to Posted Marks
All marked materials will be returned to you so you can check your mistakes and your marks. It is your responsibility to ensure
the marks entered into WebCT are correct. Any changes must be reported to me or your TA within 2 weeks of the marks
being posted. No changes will be made after 2 weeks.
Academic Honesty
The UBC Academic Calender, Part V (Academic Regulations), states in part,
Academic honesty is essential to the continued functioning of the University of British Columbia as an institution of
higher learning and research. All UBC students are expected to behave as honest and responsible members of an
academic community. Failure to follow the appropriate policies, principles, rules and guidelines of the University with
respect to academic honesty may result in disciplinary action.
Students are responsible for informing themselves of the guidelines of acceptable and non-acceptable conduct for
graded assignments established by their instructors for specific courses and of the examples of academic misconduct
set out below. Academic misconduct that is subject to disciplinary measures includes, but is not limited to, engaging in,
attempting to engage in, or assisting others to engage in the following:
Plagiarism occurs where an individual submits or presents the oral or written work of another person as his or her
own.
Cheating includes, but is not limited to: falsifying any material subject to academic evaluation, including research
data; engaging in unauthorized collaborative work; having in an examination any materials other than those
permitted by the examiner; and using unauthorized means to complete an examination. For example, receiving
unauthorized assistance from a fellow student.
All incidents of suspected academic misconduct must be reported to the Dean's Office. The Dean's Office may refer any
incident of suspected academic misconduct to the President's Advisory Committee on Student Discipline for possible
disciplinary measures by the President.
Course Outline
Topics
Chapter
Breaking News in Astronomy
On-going
Our Night Sky: Charting the Heavens 1
The History of Astronomy 2
Tools of the Astronomer
The Nature of Light
Spectroscopy
Telescopes
The Solar System 6, 15
Comparative Planetology
Earth
The Moon
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus and Neptune
Pluto
Solar System Debris
The Sun 16
Life in the Universe 15, 28
2
3
4
7
8
8
9
10
11
12
13
13
14
Last modified: Thu May 03 09:48:22 2007