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Chipola College Independent Study Spring 2010

AST 1002 General Astronomy

Dr. Jeff R. Bodart, Instructor AST 1002 - General Astronomy Independent Study Greeting from the Instructor

To the independent study student :

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the independent study program at Chipola College. General Astronomy is a general science course which is designed to give you an appreciation of the universe and a basic understanding of the various celestial inhabitants which surround the earth and our solar system. As an independent study student in this course, I will be relying on you to put forth the effort and time to keep up with the assigned material and complete all required assignments before each exam. I also expect that the successful students will spend some time pondering the different theories presented in the course and think about how they relate to the perception of the universe around them.

I am hoping that you find the combination of the textbook and video tapes both informative and enjoyable as you learn about the study of astronomy in this course. While this is an introductory course providing a survey of astronomical objects and techniques, it will be necessary to understand many of the intricate processes that work in the cosmos in order to do well in the course. If you find it difficult to understand the material presented by the text or tapes, I urge you to contact me or discuss any troublesome concepts during the regularly scheduled communication hours; many times a brief explanation or illustrative example will help clarify the problem better than reading the same paragraph over and over. In addition, there are usually tutors available in the ACE lab who have some knowledge of the subject. The best way to reach me is to leave a phone mail message with a phone number, best time to call, and brief explanation of what the problem is, and I will call you back when I return to my office; otherwise send an email to : [email protected] .

As you begin your journey into the study of astronomy, I hope you will take the time to look up into the sky when it gets dark outside and think about the many points of light which surround our earth as it races through the universe. Sincerely,

Jeff R. Bodart Astronomy Instructor AST 1002 - General Astronomy Independent Study Course Information

Course Description : A course designed to aid the student in understanding the relationship between the earth and the universe. The natural structure and theories of the solar system are presented as a background to a discussion of our galaxy and the universe. Topics discussed include the earth, the solar system, historical astronomy, constellations, space exploration, theories of the origin of the universe, and the construction of a telescope.

Instructor : Jeff R. Bodart, Ph. D. Email: [email protected] web site: www.chipola.edu/instruct/science/Bodart D008 Natural Science Building Chipola College Marianna, FL 32446 Phone : 850-526-2761 Ext. 3252

Communication: I will be available to independent study students in my office from 4:30-5:30 PM on Tuesdays. Check your email and the Astronomy D2L site for announcements and updates. Course Text - Discovering the Universe Materials : Neil F. Comins and William J Kaufmann III (8th Edition-W.H. Freeman and Company). Available for purchase at the Chipola Bookstore

Video Tapes - Coast Telecourses Series : Universe: The Infinite Frontier Taped segments 1-26 Available for checkout at the Chipola Library Important dates : Drop/Add January 4-11 Last day to withdraw from a class March 22 Last day to resign from all classes April 6

AST 1002 - General Astronomy Course Information (continued) Exams : All exams are scheduled to be given in Room D005 in the Natural Science building from 4:30-5:30 on Tuesday evenings or in the Chipola Testing Center. If you cannot attend a scheduled exam, call my office number above or email beforehand to arrange for a make-up exam. Course - Provide an understanding of the origins of astronomy and Objectives : the discoveries that led to our present understanding of the universe around us. - Become familiar with the basic operation of several types of telescopes and how they are used to provide information about celestial objects. - Study the relationship between the earth, moon and sun and recognize how the motions of these bodies affect our perception as observers on the earth. - Survey the sun and planets in our solar system and the theories which explain the formation of planetary systems. - Examine the formation of stars from interstellar clouds and recognize the stellar remnants associated with a star’s death. Student The multiple choice exams in this course will be based Evaluation on the text material assigned on the attached schedule. and Grading : The taped segments are used to reinforce the assigned reading and provide a visual description of the material presented. As part of your preparation for the exams, you should diligently study the Online Quizzing section of the textbook website for each chapter; several exam questions will come directly from the Online Quizzing. The five exams count for 80% of your grade, and the other 20% comes from class assignments or observational activities which will be handed out after the scheduled exam period. Assignments will be collected at the next scheduled exam period. The final is not comprehensive! Your final grade is based on your performance on the exams and assignments using the following percentage scale: 93-100% (A) 83-92% (B) 70-82% (C) 60-69% (D) AST 1002 - General Astronomy – Spring 2010 Independent Study Assignment and Exam Schedule The schedule provides a framework for studying the material required for the exams in a timely manner. You are responsible for finishing all assignments and study material before taking each of the chapter exams. Date (Week of): Assignment: Jan 11 Text: Chapter 1: Discovering the Night Sky Video: Prgm. 1-Scale of the Cosmos, Prgm. 2-The Sky Prgm. 26-Life on Other Worlds 19 Text: Chapter 2: Gravitation and the Waltz of Planets Video: Prgm. 4-The Origin of Modern Astronomy 25 Text: : Chapter 2: Gravitation & the Waltz of Planets Video: Prgm. 5-Newton. Einstein & Gravity

Feb 1 Exam I Text: Chapter 3: Light and Telescopes Video: Prgm. 6-The Tools of Astronomy 8 Text: Chapter 5: Formation of the Solar System 15 Text: Chapter 6: Earth and Moon (p.148 to p.161) Video: Prgm. 3-Cycles of the Sky, Prgm. 20-Planet Earth 22 Exam 2 Text: Chapter 7: The Other Terrestrial Planets and Their Comparison to Earth Video: Prgm. 21-Moon and Mercury Video: Prgm. 22-Venus and Mars

Mar 1 Text: Chapter 8: The Outer Planets Video: Prgm. 23-Jupiter and Saturn, Prgm 24-Uranus, Neptune & Pluto 8 Exam 3 Text: Chapter 10: The Sun: Our Extraordinary Star Video: Prgm. 8-The Sun 15 Text: Chapter 10: The Sun (continued) 22 Text: Chapter 11: Characterizing Stars Video: Prgm. 10-Stellar Formation 29 SPRING BREAK

Apr 5 Exam 4 Text: The Drake Equation (p.491). Text: Chapter 12: The Lives of Stars from Birth to Middle Age Video: Prgm. 11-Lives of Stars, Prgm. 12-Death of Stars 12 Text: Chapter 13: The Deaths of Stars 19 Text: Chapter 14: Black Holes: Matters of Gravity Video: Prgm. 13-Neutron Stars and Black Holes Final exam –Tuesday-April 27 to May 3 All exams for the course should be completed by May 4th, and exams not taken will receive a score of zero in the final course average. No exam grades will be dropped! AST 1002 - General Astronomy Independent Study Student Information

Fill out the following information and email it to the Independent Study Instructor. It is important to fill in all information accurately so the instructor can reach you in case of an exam or other course announcement. Please print all information on the lines below.

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CONTACT INFO: Telephone # Best time to call Cell Home e-mail

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I have read and understand the entire contents of the AST 1002 Independent study syllabus and agree to make every effort possible to be successful in this course.

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