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LECT01

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14 views26 pages

LECT01

Uploaded by

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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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AST 101

Introduction to
Astronomy
(Stars & Galaxies)
Prof. Rosalba Perna

TA: Cameron Clarke


TTH 8:30-9:50am, Javits 101
Outline of Today’s Class
• Course goals

• Course overview

• Course
information
Why Are You Taking This
Course?
A. Just because I need to satisfy my science
core requirement (no particular interest)

B. Because of A. + my fascination with the


Universe

C. I have satisfied my core requirements. I am


taking this course just out of interest

D. Other reasons
Course Goals
To develop a broad view of
what we know about the
Universe

To understand the forces


that shape the Universe
and its history

To help you understand


how we figured all this out

To learn how science works


Course Overview:What we shall study
• What is our place in the Universe?
Light (Electromagnetic
Radiation)
• What is light?

• How do we use it to
find out what and
where things are?

• Waves vs particles
Telescopes (Tools of the Trade)
Our Nearest Star : The Sun

Star in middle
of its life
STARS of
very many
sizes and
colors

Evolution path and


color / brightness depends
sensitively on MASS
STELLAR Birth and Life
STAR DEATH: white dwarfs,
neutron stars and black holes
OUR GALAXY: The Milky Way

200+ billion stars in the Milky Way


Exploring a Universe of
GALAXIES

Billion+ galaxies!
GALACTIC evolution

Galaxy collisions, quasars


Dark matter, dark energy and
fate of universe
Big Bang: The Beginning
What is this course NOT?

Astrology ≠ Astronomy!
Who should take this course?
• No prerequisites, aimed
at non-science majors

• Moderate amounts of
quantitative work
(algebra)

• More quantitative course


– AST 203

Prior astro course?


Course Information
COURSE WEB PAGE:
http://amalfi.astrosunysb.edu/rosalba/ast101/ast101.html

You can find


announcements, reading
assignments, syllabus,
lecture notes and other
useful things there
Required Text
The Cosmic Perspective

by Bennett et al.

Older Edition is fine,


though reading assignments
based on chapters from
latest edition.
GRADING
READ ALL THE INFO ON THE COURSE WEBPAGE

Clickers: 10%

Quizzes (last 10-15min on most Thursdays):


20%

Midterms (3 of them): 40%

Final exam: 30%


Clickers
• Required-- bring to each class!
• Register your clicker to your name
• Used for reading quizzes, in-class discussion
questions, feedback - favors peer learning
• Write your name on a piece of tape on the back of
your clicker!
More on clickers

• Credit starts next


week

• Graded 2 pts for


correct answer, 1pt
for wrong answer,
0 pts for no answer

• Discussion with
neighbors is
encouraged
Come talk with us
• Prof. Rosalba Perna’s office
hours:
TTh: 10:00-11:30am; in ESS 461
[email protected]

• TA Cameron Clarke’s office hours:


MWF 2-3:00pm in Physics B119
[email protected]

• Or email (any of us) to make an


appointment!
Welcome to a discovery of the
Universe!

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything


that counts can be counted”

- Albert Einstein

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