ESC 1022

Stellar and Galactic Astronomy

Spring 2010 Course Outline 

Instructor: Philip S. Harrington

Office: 344-5669 (Monday-Friday, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm)

Office hours: By appointment

Textbook (required): Voyages Through the Universe, Fraknoi, et al  (3rd edition)

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Use a star chart to identify major stars and constellations of each seasonal sky
• Identify terms of the sky, such as zenith, nadir, right ascension, and declination
• Identify major characteristics of stars, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, and quasars
• Use the scientific method to prove that our Milky Way galaxy is a spiral galaxy

Procedures for Accomplishing These Objectives:

• In-class lectures, including use of supplemental visual aids, videotapes, and other material
• Outdoor observing sessions
• Term project
• Homework, tests, midterm, and final exam

Student Requirements for Completion of Course

To pass this course successfully, each student must complete the following:

• Complete all reading and homework assignments, including the term project, mid-term, and final exams to the best of the student's abilities and ON TIME
• Successfully pass all tests
• Maintain good attendance, as stated in the College Catalog
• Ask questions and participate in discussions
• Every week: Submit an article (newspaper, magazine, etc.) on any astronomical topic. Total of ten articles required. This assignment counts the same as a test grade.

Grading Practices

The following grading practices will be adhered to throughout the semester:

• All homework assignments and lab reports must be handed in on time. Any that are handed one class session late will receive a grade 10 points lower than it would have received had it been handed in on time, while two sessions late will result in a deduction of 20 points. After that, an assignment will receive a grade of 0.
• The lowest grade received on a homework assignment will be dropped when calculating a student’s final grade.
• No make-up tests will be allowed except for extraordinary circumstances, to be judged on an individual basis.
• All tests are "closed book, closed notes" and will be based on exercises, observation sessions, videos, reading assignments, and class lectures.
• The term project may be written or an oral presentation, and will be judged for interest, scientific content, originality, and accuracy, as well as spelling and grammar (did I mention that I’m an author?).

Your grade will be determined as follows:

Extra Credit

You can earn between one and four extra-credit points toward your final grade for the following. (A maximum of 8 points extra credit per student will be permitted.)

• Attendance of planetarium show at Vanderbilt Planetarium or Hayden Planetarium, followed by the submission of an extra credit report telling of the show's content

  • Extra credit report form (PDF file)

• Attendance at any astronomy lecture, such as at the monthly open house at Suffolk County Community College, State University at Stony Brook, Custer Institute, Amateur Observer's Society, or Astronomical Society of Long Island. Submit of an extra credit report telling of the lecture's content afterwards.  Click on the links to view each institution's home page and schedule.

  • Extra credit report form (PDF file)

• Short report on a book dealing with astronomy or related topic. Requires prior approval by instructor.

• Try your luck at astrophotography by photographing the Moon, a planet, or the stars. See instructor for information.

Schedule

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