JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Science, Health Care, and Mathematics
FUNDAMENTALS OF ASTRONOMY, ASTR 120
Course Syllabus
Spring 2006

INSTRUCTOR:
J. Douglas Patterson, CLB 302, (913)469-8500 x4268

OFFICE HOURS:
M 9-11am, TW 11am-12pm, R 10-11am

CREDIT HOURS: 3 hrs.

CONTACT HOURS: 3 hrs. per week

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is a study of the Universe from the Earth, Moon and planets, to the stars and the most distant galaxies. Topics include black holes, quasars, the origin of the Universe, and the possibility of life on other planets. Current astronomical discoveries are discussed in class as they occur. Access to astronomical websites is available to students in this course. There is no lab portion, and there are no telescope viewing sessions connected with this course. Students wishing to take the astronomy lab and attend telescopic observing sessions must enroll in the on-campus Astronomy, ASTR 122.

PREREQUSITES: None

REQUIRED TEXT: The Cosmic Perspective,4th ed., Bennett et al., Pearson, 2005

SUPPLIES:A computer, web access, and an active e-mail address.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
After completing this course, the student should be able to do the following:

  1. Identify specific celestial objects in the night sky.

  2. Discuss the contributions to Astronomy made by Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton.

  3. Describe the general characteristics of each planet in our solar system and the spacecraft missions to each.

  4. Distinguish between planets, satellites, asteroids, comets, and meteors in our solar system.

  5. Describe the basic functions of a telescope and its auxiliary instrumentation.

  6. Explain the process of star formation and a star's ability to produce light and energy.

  7. Trace the evolutionary phases of various stars.

  8. Recognize the size and content of the various regions of our galaxy.

  9. Construct a general scenario of events in the Big Bang Theory of the origin of the Universe.

  10. Indicate the basic factors necessary for life to develop on other planets.

CONTENT OUTLINE AND COMPETENCIES:

A. Observing the Universe Through the Sky Around Us

  1. Use celestial coordinates for positions of objects in the sky

  2. Recognize constellations in the sky

  3. Compare the motions of the sun, moon, planets, and stars in our sky

  4. Explain how seasons on Earth are determined

  5. Recognize the various phases of the moon

  6. Explain the conditions necessary for a lunar eclipse and a solar eclipse

B. History of Astronomy

  1. Give examples of ancient astronomical observatories

  2. Contrast the geocentric and the heliocentric views of the universe

  3. Summarize the contributions made to astronomy by Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries.

  4. Describe Kepler¹s Three Laws of Planetary Motion.

  5. Identify the main characteristics of the elliptical motion of planets.

  6. Describe the effects of Galileo's telescopic observations on the existing view of the universe.

  7. Describe the Law of Gravity

C. The Solar System

  1. Name the various types of celestial bodies in our solar system.

  2. Distinguish between terrestrial and Jovian planets.

  3. Identify the major spacecraft involved in the exploration of each planet.

  4. Explain the causes of tides on Earth.

  5. Compare the orbital properties and the physical properties of the moon and Mercury.

  6. Differentiate between the formation processes of craters and of seas on the moon.

  7. Explain the more acceptable theory of the origin of our moon.

  8. List the distinguishing features of each of the planets.

  9. Summarize the discoveries of the planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

  10. Compare the satellite systems of each planet.

  11. Describe the various types of asteroids in our solar system.

  12. Explain what a comet is, and compare its orbital motion to that of the planets. Differentiate between meteors, meteorites, and meteoroids.

D. Light and Telescopes

  1. Identify and describe such characteristics of light such as wavelength, frequency, amplitude, and the speed of light.

  2. Explain the Doppler effect on light.

  3. Describe the processes by which an atom absorbs and emits light.

  4. Indicate when and by whom the telescope was invented.

  5. Differentiate between the two major types of optical telescopes.

  6. Identify the focal length, objective, and magnification power of a telescope.

  7. Explain How CCD Cameras, Adaptive Optics, Space Telescopes, and Radio Astronomy are used to study the universe today.

E. The Sun and the Stars

  1. Compare the size and mass of the sun with the rest of the solar system.

  2. Identify the different regions in the sun

  3. Explain the sunspot cycle on the surface of the sun.

  4. Describe the phenomenon of solar energy production

  5. Distinguish the two methods of finding distances to stars.

  6. Explain the two methods of measuring starlight--absolute magnitude and apparent magnitude.

  7. List the spectral classes of stars and the dominant color of each class.

  8. Construct an HR Diagram and describe its use.

  9. Explain the significance of the mass of a star in determining the star's evolution.

  10. Explain how binary stars determine the mass of a star.

  11. Indicate the relation between a star¹s lifetime and its location on the main sequence.

  12. Compare open clusters and globular clusters of stars.

  13. Analyze the role of interstellar material in the formation of stars.

  14. Describe the pre-main sequence phases of stellar evolution.

  15. Describe the main sequence phase of stellar evolution.

  16. Describe the possible phases of stellar evolution after leaving the main sequence.

  17. Distinguish between evolutionary outcomes of high mass stars and low-mass stars.

  18. Explain the factors determining whether a star will end up as a white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole.

  19. Describe the composition of a white dwarf, a neutron star, and a blackhole.

  20. List the factors that cause nova and supernova explosions.

F. Galaxies and Beyond

  1. Discuss the process of discovering the size and shape of our galaxy.

  2. Name the various regions of our galaxy and locate the sun¹s position in it.

  3. Estimate the amount of matter in our galaxy.

  4. Describe the content and the shape of the four types of galaxies: spirals, barred spirals, ellipticals, and irregulars.

  5. Explain Hubble's Law in connection with the galaxies in the universe.

  6. Discuss dark matter and its role in the universe.

  7. Explain what a quasar is.

  8. List the assumptions contained in the cosmological principle.

  9. Discuss the factors to be considered in determining the age of the universe.

  10. Explain the concepts of bound universe, unbound universe, and marginally bound universe.

  11. Compare the Big Bang Theory to the Steady State Theory of the origin of the universe.

  12. Discuss the possibility of life in our solar system and the possibility of life on planets around other stars.

  13. Indicate the possibilities of visiting or communicating with another civilization.

METHODS OF EVALUATION:
The Fundamentals of Astronomy course grade will be based on four (4) tests, four (4) article summaries, chatroom and discussion board participation, quizzes, and a final exam according to the following scale:
 

Four Unit Exams (100 pts. each)

400 pts.

Chatroom and Discussion Board Participation

100 pts.

Four Article Summaries (10 pts. each)

40 pts.

Quizzes

100 pts.

Final Exam

160 pts.

Total Points

800 pts.

Letter grades are determined as follows:

90 - 100%

A

80 - 89%

B

70 - 79%

C

60 - 69%

D

below 60%

F

GENERAL COMMENTS:

Internet Access:
You are required to have access to a computer, access to the internet, and have your own Pipeline (school) e-mail account to receive and send information to your instructor.

Completion Dates:
Since this is an online course, Due Dates will be strictly adhered to. Due dates for tests will normally span one week of time. All article summaries and quizzes relating to a given unit must be completed prior to taking the exam for that unit.

"Lectures":
There are various PowerPoint presentations and website links that provide a summary of various topics addressed in the course. It is STRONGLY encouraged that you read through the presentations and review the weblinks prior to reading the text. The textbook contains a LOT of information, some of which will not be covered in this course. Reading through the presentations and websites will provide you with a clearer understanding of what will be the topics of interest. In addition, there are study guides provided for each unit that itemize those concepts the student is expected to master for each unit. These tools are designed to aid in reading the text, but beware not to use them as replacements for the text.

Article Summaries:
The guidelines for the article summaries will be posted on the course website. The papers can be submitted to the instructor via e-mail or by regular postal mail. E-mail is the preferred method, but the papers should not be considered as successfully submitted until confirmation of receipt of the papers is given by the instructor.

Quizzes:
There will be five quizzes per unit for a total of twenty quizzes over the semester. The quizzes are available on-line and can be taken at any time and from any location. There is no time limit for the quizzes, but once you start a quiz, you must finish it. You can't quit in the middle and come back to it.

Chatroom and Discussion Board:
Three hours per week of chatroom time will be designated by Week Two of the semester. These hours will be posted on the course website. There will also be a discussion board where students may post questions and replies pertaining to the current topic. Each student is required to log into the chatroom and participate in the discussions at least once each week, or be actively engaged on the Discussion Board (3 or more meaningful posts or responses) each week.

Testing:

  1. The four unit tests and the final exam are all required. None may be dropped.

  2. Material for the unit test questions will be taken from any of the reading assignments, quizzes, and chatroom discussions.

  3. Unit Tests may be taken only during the one week interval specified for that test.

  4. Students can take the exam from any computer, but the exams will be time-limited to 60 minutes.



Withdrawal Policy:
If a student withdraws from the course, appropriate forms must be submitted by the student to the Admissions Office. Otherwise, the student will be kept on the class roster and receive a grade for the course. Time restrictions and procedures for withdrawing from a course are found in the college catalog and credit class schedule for the appropriate semester.

Academic Dishonesty Policy:
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be subject to the appropriate penalties. Please make every effort to avoid dishonesty or the appearance of dishonesty in all course activities. Penalties may include, but not limited to a zero grade for the activity, failure in the course, or dismissal from the college.

Counseling:
Students are encouraged to meet with the instructor to discuss any problems they are having with the course. While office hours have been set aside for student discussions, any mutually agreeable time for a student-instructor meeting is satisfactory.

Disability Statement:
Students in this course who have a disability that may prevent them from fully demonstrating their abilities should contact the instructor and special services as soon as possible to discuss accommodations necessary to complete the course requirements.