Astronomy 101
Exploring the Solar System

Fall 2002 -- Section 1
MWF 10:10-11:00 a.m. Hasbrouck 134

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Professor:
Judy Young
620 Graduate Research Tower
Phone: 545-4311
Office Hours: Mon. 2:15-3:00 p.m., Wed. 1:15-2:00 p.m., or by appointment

SYLLABUS and READING ASSIGNMENTS


OBSERVING THE SKY

Lecture # Date Subject Reading in Text
1 Wed, Sept. 4 Course Overview; What is Science ? Intro. (p. 1-21)
2 Fri, Sept. 6 Astronomy Overview Intro. (p. 1-21) + Ch. 1
3 Mon, Sept. 9 Celestial Sphere Ch. 1 (p. 24-28, 61-69)
4 Wed, Sept. 11 Ecliptic Ch. 1 (p. 27-34)
5 Fri, Sept. 13 Seasons and Time Ch. 1&4 (p. 30-34, 179-186)
-- Mon, Sept. 16 Yom Kippur -- no class
6 Wed, Sept. 18 Phases of the Moon Ch. 1 (p. 36-39, 200-204)
7 Fri, Sept. 20 Eclipses Ch. 1 (p. 36-39, 200-204)
8 Mon, Sept. 23 Planetary Motion Ch. 1 (p. 34-36, 67-69)
9 Wed, Sept. 25 Constellations and the Night Sky pp. 15-21, 25-26, 61-66
10 Fri, Sept. 27 Early Astronomical Ideas Ch. 1 (p. 39-46)
11 Mon, Sept. 30 Copernicus and Kepler Ch. 1 (p. 46-51)
12 Wed, Oct. 2 Galileo and Newton Ch. 1 & 2 (p. 51-56, 69-92)
-- Fri, Oct. 4 EXAM 1 Ch. 1-2

THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Lecture # Date Subject Reading in Text
13 Mon, Oct. 7 General Solar System Properties Overview 3-4, Ch. 7-9
14 Wed, Oct. 9 Gravity, Mass, and Density Ch. 7-9
15 Fri, Oct. 11 The Earth Ch. 5
-- Mon, Oct. 14 Columbus Day -- no class
16 Wed, Oct. 16 The Moon Ch. 6
17 Fri, Oct. 18 Tides and Precession Ch. 6 (204-209, 174-175)
18 Mon, Oct. 21 Terrestrial Planets Ch. 8
19 Wed, Oct. 23 Mercury, Venus Ch. 8
20 Fri, Oct. 25 Mars Ch. 8
20 Fri, Oct. 25 CONSTELLATION QUIZ Constellation handout and WS #4
21 Mon, Oct. 28 Jovian Planets Ch. 9
22 Wed, Oct. 30 Jupiter & Satellites Ch. 9
23 Fri, Nov. 1 Saturn & Uranus Ch. 9
24 Mon, Nov. 4 Neptune & Pluto Ch. 9
25 Wed, Nov. 6 Comets Ch. 10
-- Fri, Nov. 8 EXAM 2 Ch. 2, Overview 3-4, Ch. 5-10

LIGHT AND BEYOND

Lecture # Date Subject Reading in Text
-- Mon, Nov. 11 Veteran's Day -- no class
26 Wed, Nov. 13 Meteors and Asteroids Ch. 10
27 Fri, Nov. 15 What is Light ? Ch. 3
28 Mon, Nov. 18 Motion "Ring of Truth"
29 Wed, Nov. 20 Visible Light Ch. 3
30 Fri, Nov. 22 Spectroscopy Ch. 3
31 Mon, Nov. 24 Radiation Laws Ch. 3
32 Wed, Nov. 26 Life in the Universe Essay 3
-- Fri, Nov. 28 Thanksgiving Recess

THE FUTURE OF OUR PLANET

Lecture # Date Subject Reading in Text
33 Mon, Dec. 2 The State of the Earth Fifty Things You Can Do ...
34 Wed, Dec. 4 The State of the Earth ... To Save the Earth
-- Fri, Dec. 6 EXAM 3
35 Mon, Dec. 9 Managing Planet Earth Scientific American, Sept. 1989
36 Wed, Dec. 11 Energy for Planet Earth Scientific American, Sept. 1990
37 Fri, Dec. 13 Life in the Universe Essay 3

CUMULATIVE FINAL EXAM: Thursday Dec. 19 @ 1:30 p.m. in Thompson 102




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