Astronomy 4: Solar System Astronomy with Laboratory

Instructor: Gary Fouts Office: DH 314Q Office Hours: TBA Phone: (310) 434-4796

Welcome to this descriptive and geological survey of the planets and moons of our solar system. We will cover both the ancient and historical views as well as current observations in planetary science. We will include observational data on Halley's Comet, the Voyager 2 flyby data of the outer planets, along with current spacecraft updates. Class time will include discussions, physical demonstrations, and possibly a planetarium visit. The laboratory portion includes using star charts, computer programs to simulate telescope usage, and other exercises leading to a basic understanding of astronomy.

Please see my web site (http://homepage.smc.edu/fouts_gary) for examination rules, school policies, link to student services, and other pertinent information.

Foundations of Astronomy (Custom Package -Astronomy 4 SMC) by Seeds/ Backman, 13th edition (required)

TESTS:

There will be three multiple-choice tests which could also include short-answer, fill-in, matching, or essay questions. Exams cannot be taken early. Nothing can be used on the exams! Bring a blank green and white #882 Scantron test form (or compatible, with A through E choices) and a #2 pencil (available at the campus book store). WARNING: Do not fold, bend, or mutilate your Scantron test forms - this is your responsibility! I will not be responsible for poor erasures of answers. No extra time will be given to students who arrive late to an exam. In fact, if you arrive after a person has finished the exam and left the classroom, you will not be allowed to take the exam. You now fall in the makeup exam category and you will need a Doctor's excuse (see below). Please see my web site for exam rules. Please be polite to others, TURN OFF all phones and pagers when entering the classroom.

The student will be responsible for the Pages and Appendices of the text listed in the outline below as well as for the material covered in the lectures (lectures are of highest priority). Your best study guide in this class will be your lecture notes; the most efficient way to study for the exams will be to attend lectures with an alert, open mind, and a busy pencil. Our tests will deal mostly with concepts, understanding of planetary principles and descriptive knowledge of planets, moons, solar system debris and history. Attention should also be given to the bold-faced definitions in the text. A true understanding of these definitions leads to understanding the concepts of the text. Remember, however, the lecture notes are of highest priority. The text is a supplement to the class.

MAKEUP EXAMS:

Makeup exams will be given only to those with a Doctor's excuse or other official documentation (accident report, court paperwork, etc.). A family note is NOT sufficient. Also, I must be notified by you or a family member on the day of the exam why you missed. Failing to do this will get you a zero grade on the test, and may lead to a drop fail grade. WARNING: The makeup exam will be a different exam and therefore no beneficial curve can be applied. The format of any makeup will be at the discretion of the instructor and may include a 10% late penalty. Do NOT miss an exam! Makeup exams will be at the convenience of the instructor. I will not allow more than one makeup during the semester. No makeup exam is allowed for the final exam. The final exam must be taken at the time and date designated by the administration (stated on 1st day). See the published class schedule. Therefore, DO NOT make arrangements to leave town early. GRADING:

The course grade will be based on your performance on the three exams, the three homework assignments, and for points earned in the laboratory section. Any points missed on the syllabus quiz (handed out on the first day) will be deducted from the first exam results. The weight given to the exams, the homework, and the laboratory section are shown in the outline below. The final exam is M ANDATORY.

Course Scale: A = 90% - 100%, B = 80% - 89.9%, C = 70% - 79.9%, etc.

Homework and exams will be due at a specific date and time. The minute this deadline passes, no extra time will be given for transcribing answers onto the scantron. No late assignments. If sick, arrange to have someone deliver your assignment for you.

It is the student's responsibility to drop a course, to file an incomplete, or to become reinstated in the class if they have been dropped because of poor attendance. It is your responsibility to complete the proper paperwork through Admissions and Records BEFORE the deadline has passed. It is SMC Board Policy that a student be present and on time to class meetings. Absences may hinder your grade. Please do not be late to class; this is a distraction to others. If you are late, you must notify me immediately after class; I will not change marked absences at a later date. Excessive tardiness may also hinder your grade. Please keep the instructor informed why you are tardy. You are responsible for all information given in class whether you are there or not. It is a good idea to exchange phone numbers with one or two people in the class, so you can plan to get a copy of their notes if you miss a lecture.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY

A student can withdraw themselves from class, online, until the 75% point of the term. The student has the ultimate responsibility for knowing this deadline date and dropping the course. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to drop, or run the risk of an F grade. The College Catalog states: “A student enrolled in any class at SMC who does not attend ALL of the sessions for that class that meet during the FIRST WEEK of the class RISKS BEING DROPPED from the class by the instructor, or may receive an F (0.0) for nonattendance.” If you do not show up, I will probably drop you and give your seat to a student trying to add. The College Catalog states: “A student may also be dropped from a class when, in the instructor’s judgment, the student’s number of absences has become excessive or the student is no longer participating in the course. …Faculty will determine the consequences of absences and late arrivals.” Regular attendance in class is absolutely mandatory and is important to your success in class. I will consider two late arrivals to class as an absence, & I will consider 4 absences (excused or not) as excessive. Warning, on the fourth absence, I may withdraw you, give you a W/F grade, or reduce your class grade.

DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR:

Please be polite to others in the class. Please turn off all phones, laptops, and electronic devices when entering the classroom. If I see you using a messaging or sound device, I will warn you not to use it and make a note of your usage. If I see you do it a second time, I will expel you from the classroom, take 10% off your next exam, and send you to the campus disciplinarian. If it happens again, more drastic measures will be applied. If one goes off during an exam, a penalty (up to 10%) may be applied to your exam. Please do not speak while I am lecturing and please raise your hand when you have a question. If you arrive late, please enter quietly, and do not walk between me and the students that I am lecturing to. Instead, walk quietly to the back of the room and then to your seat. If you have a problem with another student, please do not bring the problem to the classroom. Disruptive students will be sent to the campus disciplinarian with the necessary forms that will be submitted into the students' folder. Please read the SMC Student Conduct Code. HONOR SYSTEM: As a student of Santa Monica College, you are on the honor system. ANYONE caught cheating will automatically be given a grade of "F" and turned in to the Dean for further disciplinary action. No “smart watches” can be worn during an exam. Please read the ACADEMIC CODE OF CONDUCT. Tape or video recording will NOT be permitted, since note-taking is an important learning skill. People with known learning disabilities should see me immediately at my first office hour. No auditing is allowed by SMC, formally or informally. Please be warned that my lecture material is protected under copyright law.

COURSE OUTLINE:

The following arrangement of subject material should serve as a preliminary reading guide and test schedule for the course. It will be left largely to you to correlate intelligently your reading efforts and the classroom discussions. The appendices and the glossary should also be studied. Dates are tentative, and the school mandates the final exam date (please confirm date via your instructor & class schedule).

PAGES TOPICS TEST # and DATE

Ch. 1 Intro, Scale of Cosmos, Temp. Scales, Constellations, Star Naming Conventions, Ch. 2 and Celestial Motions.

Inferior/Superior Planet Configurations,

Ch. 4 History of Astronomy Ch. 5 Stonehenge to Einstein's Relativity #1 (21%) ______

Homework assignment #1 due at start time of 1st exam ... ( 4%) ______

p. 91-94 again Ch. 3 Moon's Orbit, Phases, Tides, & Eclipses Ch. 20 Earth Science, p. 469-482 Lunar Science, Ch. 19 Planetary Principles & Solar System Origins, Ch. 8 & the SUN . . . . . #2 (21%) ______

Homework assignment #2 due at start time of 2nd exam ... (4%) ______

Earth Science & Lunar Science again! p. 482- 491 The Planets from Mercury to Neptune, Ch. 22, 23 and their moons, planetary concepts Ch. 24 & 25 and descriptions. Dwarf planet Pluto. Also Solar System Debris. If time allows we may cover other astronomical subjects...... #3 (30%) ______

Homework assignment #3 due at end of last lecture ... (5%) ______REMAINING LABORATORY WORK ...... (15%) ______

ASTRONOMY 4: LABORATORY SECTION

MEETINGS:

This lab meets every week. It is designed to be self-contained. All work must be completed and turned in during the allotted class period. No group work will be allowed UNLESS it is announced. If I specify that you are to work by yourself, and I catch you working with someone else, then that will be considered cheating. You must be ON TIME for the labs. Points will be taken off if you are late! Points will also be taken off if you leave early. This lab session is three hours. You can NOT use calculators or anything else on an exam; however, during laboratory sessions you CAN use your notes, the textbook, and a calculator is definitely suggested. In fact, I suggest you buy a calculator with a square root function, a long transparent metric ruler (need mm's), a transparent protractor, a simple compass (divider), a staple remover, and plenty of pencils.

GRADING:

Most lab exercises will be graded on a 10 point scale. A few exercises will require two class meetings. The two lowest lab scores will be dropped. The points from all of the labs (with exception of the two lowest) will be totaled and be considered equivalent to an exam which will represent 15% of your Astronomy 4 course grade. There will be NO make up labs! Please verify the lab grades the day they are returned; once the lab grade is input into the computer, I will not make changes. It is advised you keep all class documents for your own records. All labs not picked up will be discarded at the end of the semester.

Because of certain state requirements, Santa Monica College is implementing Student Learning Objectives. The Astronomy Program is under the Earth Science Department of Santa Monica College. Below, you will find a list containing some of the Institutional, Departmental, and Astronomy Program SLO’s.

Through their experiences at SMC, students will: acquire the self-confidence and self-discipline to pursue their intellectual curiosities with integrity in both their personal and professional lives; (PERSONAL ATTITUDES & BEHAVIORS) obtain the knowledge and academic skills necessary to access, evaluate, and interpret ideas, images, and information critically in order to communicate effectively, reach conclusions, and solve problems; (ANALYTIC & COMMUNICATION SKILLS) respect the inter-relatedness of the global human environment, engage with diverse peoples, and acknowledge the significance of their daily actions relative to broader issues and events; (APPLIED SOCIAL KNOWLEDGE & VALUES) take responsibility for their own impact on the earth by living a sustainable and ethical life style. ( APPLIED KNOWLEDGE & VALUATION OF THE PHYSICAL WORLD)

From Earth Science Department SLOS:

Earth Science students will acquire and develop knowledge and skills that will equip them to be informed, engaged, and productive global citizens, capable of leading humanity toward a more sustainable and adaptable future.

Earth Science students will recognize Earth as (1) the natural and cultural home of human beings, a continually evolving species; and (2) as a four-and-a-half billion-year-old planet within an equally evolving and ever-changing universe.

From Astronomy Program SLOs:

Students will explain key principles of astronomy using applicable vocabulary and by employing the scientific method to organize, prioritize, and problem solve.

Students will explain how and where the human species fits into the immense, complex, and evolving, ever- changing universe.

From Astronomy 4 SLOs: Students will be able to identify the various phenomena seen in the sky including, the rising and setting of the sun, moon, planets and stars, the seasons, constellation patterns, precession, the phases of the moon, lunar tides, eclipses, and define the basic principles of celestial navigation.

Students will be able to describe our current theories and evidence for the formation of the solar system.

Students will demonstrate this knowledge through exam assessment.