| Date | Required Reading *
(D=Discovery, MP=More precisely) (Chaisson & McMillan) |
Homework
(RD=Review & Discussion, P=Problem) |
Suggested Reading
(Moche**) |
Lecture: |
| 31-Aug | - | - | - | Introduction; Nature of Science; The Sky We See; Celestial Cycles; Astrology and Astronomy; Science and Pseudoscience |
| 7-Sep | Ch1: all
Appendices A-1, A-2 |
Ch. 1:
RD 1, 2, 4-6, 8-10, 13, 14, 20; P 2 Web Assignment #1 |
Introduction, Ch. 1 |
Size of the universe;
Scientific Notation; Obvious and Less Obvious Views |
| 14-Sep | Ch. 2: all |
Ch. 2:
RD 2, 4, 5, 7-10, 13, 14, 16, 18 |
Introduction, Ch. 1 |
Classical Astronomy;
Historical Development; Basic Physics |
| 21-Sep | Ch. 3: all
Ch. 4: all |
Ch. 3:
RD 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 11-15, 17, 20 Ch.4: RD 1, 3-6, 9, 12-14, 20 |
Ch. 2 | Radiation;
Spectroscopy |
| 28-Sep | Ch. 5: all |
Ch. 5:
RD 1, 4, 5, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16, 19 (Due 10/5) |
Ch. 2 |
Exam #1: Ch. 1-4;
Telescopes; Full spectrum astronomy; Review for Exam 1 |
| 5-Oct | Ch. 6: all | Ch. 6:
RD 1, 2, 4-10, 12, 18, 20 |
Ch. 8-11 |
Solar System Overview Comparative Planetology |
| 12-Oct | Ch. 7: 7.1, 7.2, 7.6, MP 7-1, D 7-1
Ch. 8: 8.3, 8.5, MP 8-1 Ch. 9: 9.5 Ch. 10: 10.5, 10.6, D 10-1 Ch. 11: 11.2, 11.3, 11.5 Ch. 12: 12.3, 12.4 Ch. 13: 13.3, 13.4 Ch. 15: 15.1, 15.2, 15.4 |
Ch. 7:
RD 1, 2, 5, 17
Ch. 9: RD 11 Ch. 10: RD 10-12 Ch. 11: RD 9, 13, 14 Ch. 12: RD 7, 8 Ch. 13: RD 7 Ch. 15: RD 1-3, 5, 7 |
Ch. 8-11 | Solar System part II |
| 19-Oct | Ch. 16: 16.1-16.4, 16.6, 16.7
Ch. 17 |
Ch. 16:
RD 1-5, 14, 18, 20 Ch. 17: RD 1, 6, 8, 11, 12-15, 18, 19 |
Ch. 3, 4 | The Sun; The Stars |
| 26-Oct | Ch. 19: 19.1-19.3, 19.6
Ch. 20: 20.1-20.3, 20.5 |
Ch. 19:
RD 1, 5-7, 9-11, 19 Ch. 20: RD 1, 4, 8, 9, 12-14 |
Ch. 3, 4 | Star Formation & Evolution |
| 2-Nov |
Ch. 20: 20.4, 20.6
Ch. 21: 21.1-21.3, 21.5 |
Ch. 20:
RD 11, 20 Ch. 21: RD 1, 4, 6, 8, 13, 15, 19 (Officially due 11/9) |
Ch. 3, 4 | Exam 2 - Ch. 6-17, 19, 20
Stellar Evolution and Death |
| 9-Nov | Ch. 15: 15.5, 15.6, 15.7 | - | Ch. 8-11 | Field Trip - Rittenhouse Astronomical Society meeting at Fels Planetarium, Franklin Institute. Detecting Exoplanets |
| 16-Nov | Ch. 22: 22.1, 22.2, 22.3 (intro, X-Ray Sources),
22.5, 22.6, 22.8, D 22-1, MP 22-1
Ch. 24: 24.4 (intro, Galactic Radiation, Quasars), 24.5 (intro, Energy Production) Ch. 25: 25.4 (intro, Black Hole Masses) |
Ch. 22:
RD 1, 3, 5, 11-13, 15, 17 Ch. 24: RD 11, 15, 18, 19 Ch. 25: RD 11 |
Ch. 3, 4 | Neutron Stars, Black Holes, & Relativity |
| 23-Nov | - | - | - | Holiday |
| 30-Nov | Ch. 24: 24.3
Ch. 25: 25.1 Ch. 26: all Ch. 27: 27.4 |
Ch. 24:
RD 8, 9 Ch. 25: RD 1, 2 Ch. 26: RD 2, 4-7, 9, 11-14, 16, 17, 20 Ch. 27: RD 13-15 |
Ch. 3, 4 | Dark Matter & Cosmology |
| 7-Dec | Ch. 28 | Ch. 28:
RD 1-3, 5, 6, 9-13, 15-17, 19 |
Ch. 12 | Life in the Universe Review |
| 14-Dec | - | - | - | Final Exam: Cumulative |
* NOTE: If a reading assignment includes only certain sections of some chapters, it should be understood that the introduction and summary sections of that chapter are expected to be read, even though not explicitly listed on the assignment. You are encouraged to read the entire chapter, and will probably find it easier to follow if you do so, but you should concentrate on learning the material in the specified sections.