Astro 100-05
Spring 2022 Syllabus
ASTRONOMY 100: PRINCIPLES OF ASTRONOMY
Section 5 : On Campus Monday and Wednesday 10:10 to 11:35 AM. Due to school being closed for Covid 19 we have Synchronous
And asynchronous online until Feb 28 when we go back to Campus room 60-124.
Instructor Contact Information
· Instructor: Sina Sadjadi
· Email: Canvas Inbox (preferred method of contact) or ssadjadi@swccd.edu
· Zoom Room: https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/6015893456
· Office MailBox: Dept of Math Science and Engineering (mailbox in 60-129 )
Office Hours and Response Time
·
· Online (via Canvas Inbox and ConferZoom video conferencing): Tuesdays 3-4 p.m.
· Questions outside of office hours? I will respond to your emails message within 24 hours, M-F. If you do not get a response after 24 hours, please resend.
Course Location & Technical Support
This course is taught in person, on Canvas and on Zoom. To access our course, log in via MySWC.. On Campus Room 60-124 from 10:10 to 11:35 AM.
On Zoom https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/6015893456
Questions about Canvas are best handled by the Online Learning Center and Canvas Support (1-844-629-6835), although I will try to assist you with technical questions when possible. The Canvas Guides are an excellent resource for you as well.
Course Description
Introduction to the concepts and methods developed in astronomy to describe and understand the physical nature and processes on astronomical phenomena. Topics include the sky, the solar system, stars and stellar evolution, nebulae, the Milky Way Galaxy, galaxies, and cosmology. [D; CSU; UC]
Course Objectives:
· Student will describe qualitatively the physical causes for the apparent motions of the sky, and explain correctly the physical cause for seasons on Earth.
· Student will identify the implications of Kepler's laws of orbital motion, and both qualitatively and quantitatively describe the results of Newton's laws of motion and the Universal Law of Gravitation.
· Student will describe conceptually the properties of light and the nature of the electromagnetic spectrum.
· Student will explain the primary uses of different types of telescopes and will describe the nature and uses of modern astronomical detectors.
· Student will explain the major differences between the Jovian and the Terrestrial plants, and the physical reasons for these differences.
· Student will compare and describe the natures of the minor bodies within the solar system.
· Student will describe qualitatively the nature of the Sun, the proton-proton chain, and the random walk.
· Student will compare the observational and physical bases for the classification of stars, and will describe qualitatively the nature of stars and their physical properties.
· Student will infer the physical properties of stars from the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram.
· Student will interpret qualitatively the causes and results of stellar evolution and stellar death.
· Student will describe qualitatively the nature of the Milky Way Galaxy and its physical properties including the different stellar populations.
· Student will describe qualitatively the morphological classification of galaxies, their associated stellar populations, and methods of establishing an extragalactic distance scale.
· Student will describe and apply Hubble's Law and interpret its implications on the nature and behavior of the universe.
· Student will summarize and explain the major forms of observational and theoretical evidence that support the Big Bang theory.
· Student will accurately compare and contrast the potential fates of the cosmos and state the limiting physical parameters.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to . . .
Upon successful completion of principles of Astronomy, the student should be able to: effectively communicate their ideas with others by assessing and contrasting physical principles and methods of analysis.
Prerequisites and Recommended Preparation
MATH 45 or the equivalent skill level as determined by the Southwestern College Mathematics Assessment or equivalent; RDG 54 or the equivalent skill level as determined by the Southwestern College Reading Assessment o equivalent.
Required Materials
SWC email account
TEXTBOOK : OpenStax Astronomy. (any version, available online, downloadable PDF, iBOOK all versions are free, ), Paper copy available at SWC Bookstore and online.
80 Page Notebook.
Software to save documents in Microsoft Word (.docx)—Get Office 365 free with your SWC email address!
Software to read PDF (Adobe Reader is free).
Reliable, high-speed Internet access on a desktop or laptop computer.
A WebCam.
Please go to my Google Drive and Open Up a Folder using LAST NAME, FIRST NAME.
This is the Link : Sina's Google Drive (See link on your Canvas Home Page) You can then send me large files or folders.. Please email me and let me know you did this IF I DO NOT EXPECT IT.
Attendance and Participation
Regular attendance and class participation is as vital in an online asynchronous or synchronous class as it is in a traditional classroom. Your presence will be counted not by taking a traditional roll but by Online Canvas Quizzes and Discussions. You will be considered present if there is evidence of your participation in our Zoom meetings and required course activities including, but not limited to, submitting an assignment and or taking a quiz. You will be considered absent if there is no evidence of your participation in the Zoom room or academic activities of this course. On Campus we have the Traditional roll call.
Students who do not complete the first week’s online assignments or are absent for 4 weeks or more of this 16-week course may be dropped. However, if you choose to drop the course you will need to do so officially through Admissions and then notify your instructor.
Instructor Communication: Regular Effective Contact
I am looking forward to working closely with you this semester, and you can expect me to play an active role in our course. I will teach the class in person on Campus beginning on Feb 28.
I will post announcements every week, teach course material through Zoom online and Canvas course lectures. I will join you in class office hours on ZOOM to help you understand course concepts.
Please let me know when you need help—that’s why I’m here!
For most weeks, this will be your work flow:
Our Class meeting from 10:10 AM to 11:35 PM on Monday Jan 31 in Sina’s Zoom room. Sina’s Zoom Room
2. Please check your email at least once a day. If the class stays online, I will email you when a Quiz or an Exam opens and also when it closes. Please Don’t miss these announcements. Please write down these dates and times somewhere safe and visible to remind yourselves.
3. Use the home page link to go to the new week’s module. (Mobile users: select the week’s module.) Work through the content, activities, and assignments for the week. Use the “Next” button at the bottom of each page to progress through the module.
After a few weeks, you will fall into the rhythm and it will be easier to schedule your time and reduce the chance that a deadline of Assignment Closures will sneak past you.
Assignments/Home Work
There will be some short videos or images and diagrams that will help you get ready for the Quizzes and Exams. The videos are followed by a few questions. These have points that count as your home -work assignments. There are also some night/day time observing assignments that can be done from anywhere like sunset studies.
SEE THE COURSE CALENDAR AT THE END OF YOUR SYLLABUS FOR ALL TEST AND QUIZ DATES and other activity dates in general.
Quizzes and Exams
Exams and Quizzes are taken in Class and possibly on your CANVAS course, you need a scantron for the Exams and Quizzes on Campus. On Canvas you Simply go to QIZZES on CANVAS and chose the appropriate Quiz or Exam please.
I will keep in touch with you regarding Exams and Quizzes Via EMAIL and Announcements in class and possibly on Canvas.
Please check your email INBOX at least ONCE A DAY during the semester work days. (M to F)
Grading
Each student's final grade is calculated by the percentage of total points possible earned by that student, using a standard scale: 90-100%=A, 80-89%=B, 70-79=C, 60-69%=D, 0-59%=F. The instructor reserves the right to add/change/delete points during the semester.
Assignment
% of Total
3 Exams.
70%
Assignments.
30%
Total Points Possible
100%
Late Work
Assignments, Quizzes and Exams for this course should be completed on time so that we are all moving through the class together. Sometimes, though, life gets in the way of learning. In unexpected situations leading to late work, please contact me to discuss a plan for success. The best way to do this is to come to my Office Hours, I’ll work with you and will have your back. There may be a penalty if you repeatedly miss your work or Quizzes and Exams.
Upon the 2nd failure 10% will be subtracted from the scores each week that you are late. Excused absences are however not subject to any penalty.
Communication is KEY to avoiding any misunderstanding or failure. I have your back.
academic Integrity
Academic dishonesty of any type by a student provides grounds for disciplinary action by the instructor or college. In written work, no material may be copied from another without proper quotation marks and appropriate documentation.
By enrolling in a distance education course, you agree that you are the person accessing and completing the work for this course and will not share your username and password with others.
Plagiarism is the act of using another person's words or ideas as if they were your own. Sources of quotations, paraphrases, and summaries must be properly documented according to MLA format. This applies to all writing, including discussions. Plagiarism is considered academic theft because it is stealing someone else’s words or ideas, but the plagiarizer robs himself or herself as well. This course will provide you with the opportunity to improve your reading, thinking, and writing skills—don’t rob yourself of that chance.
Unfortunately, I am very practiced at both identifying and locating the source of plagiarized writing. In addition, plagiarism detection software in Canvas will be used to scan written submissions. Because plagiarized work typically earns failing grade and puts the plagiarizer at risk of failing the course and/or facing misconduct charges (see Southwestern College Catalog), please discuss source use with me whenever you have any concerns about correct citation—I am here to support your success. When in doubt, always ask first!
Diversity Statement and Respectful Conduct
I would like our class to be a supportive learning environment that values and builds on the richly diverse identities, perspectives, and experiences of our group. Please help me develop this environment by honoring the diverse identities of your classmates and letting your instructor know (via anonymous surveys or email, for example) if an assignment, comment, etc. makes you feel uncomfortable.
Both in the readings and in discussions, you will likely encounter cultures, ideas, and values that differ from your own. These are valuable opportunities to learn more about different perspectives and where they intersect with yours. We all see the world from a point of view informed by our experiences and backgrounds, and what we read and discuss can open new windows through which to understand both our texts and world around us. You are encouraged to contribute your ideas about our readings freely, but please remember to demonstrate respect for the works as well as your classmates and instructor. We all have unconscious biases that stem from our experiences, and recognizing and discussing them can lead to unexpected insights.
Conversely, disrespectful or threatening responses tend to shut down conversation and insight, and so these kinds of comments will be promptly addressed by your instructor. To keep our interactions safe and productive, please know that anyone who repeatedly engages in disrespectful or otherwise inappropriate behavior will be locked out of the discussion for the week and/or face student misconduct charges. Please join me in creating a comfortable and productive learning environment for us all.
Netiquette
Netiquette is a set of guidelines for respectful behavior in an online environment. It is etiquette for the Internet, and knowing these social rules can help you have a more rewarding semester. The netiquette guidelines here are ones that are especially important in our online classroom.
1. Participate. Reading the posts of others is helpful for you, but you must also do your part to be helpful for the group. Share your ideas to strengthen our discussion, and don’t wait until the last minute to contribute. Encourage others to participate by responding to their ideas. Be involved, but do not dominate a discussion with too many posts.
2. Remember the human. This common Internet mantra means that even though we may not be face to face, there is a real person behind each discussion post. Do not write something that you would not feel comfortable saying in a face-to-face classroom setting. Discuss ideas, not people. In other words, do not attack a classmate for expressing his or her opinion; instead, discuss your position on the ideas that have been presented. Be kind and understanding with your classmates to keep our environment positive and productive.
3. Help others. We will be working together all semester, so let’s try to be a good team. If you can help a classmate with a question, please do! Your efforts will be appreciated by both students and instructor.
4. Respect other people’s time. Your posts should be focused, organized, and clear so that your classmates can quickly see your point and evidence. Another way to respect people’s time is to look for answers before asking for help. For example, if you can’t find something or you don’t remember when an assignment is due, look through the syllabus and other course documents for the answer. Only ask for help when you truly need it.
5. Edit and proofread before posting. We have lots of posts to read, so yours needs to be as clear as it can be. It should be organized and written in standard English. Unfamiliar abbreviations or easily fixed misspellings may tell your readers that you don’t value their time, and this does not build good will.
6. Don’t shout. TYPING IN ALL CAPITALS MEANS YOU ARE SHOUTING AT US! Please try not to do it, it is bad practice but is not Forbidden. The same can be said of repeated exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!
7. Use emoticons sparingly. Social networking and texting have given us lots of fun keyboard shortcuts to add tone to a message. Because a smiley face or wink can help to establish the intended tone of a comment, you are welcome to use common emoticons occasionally. Too many emoticons can make your writing look more casual than academic, so don’t overdo it. :-)
8. No flaming. “Flaming” is an angry message, often directed at another person. When another person responds in anger, we have a “flame war” taking over the discussion. Personal attacks are unacceptable in the classroom, whether in person or online. If you see a conflict developing, try to calm things down if you feel comfortable doing so. If you feel attacked, contact your instructor rather than responding to the flaming student. We all have biases, and sometimes we are not aware of how what we say may be viewed by others, so let’s all try to be generous and kind in our responses to one another. Everything we do in Canvas is permanent, so please think very carefully about your tone before submitting a post. If you don’t, that mistake might haunt you for the rest of the semester.
Student Support Services
Student support services are available both on campus and online. For a complete list of services, including the library, tutoring, and counseling, visit the Student Services and Campus Resources webpage.
Free online tutoring is available to all currently enrolled Southwestern College students through SWC’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) and the Western eTutoring Consortium.
When you have questions about Canvas and online learning at SWC, the Online Learning Center is ready to assist you.
A wide range of well-being and supportive services are available to students through SWC Cares.
Students with Disabilities
If you have a learning disability, physical disability, or any other circumstance that needs special accommodation, please discuss it with your instructor, in person or via email. Please send me your DSS papers within the first 2 weeks of class. I want you to be successful and am happy to work with you. Here is additional information provided by our college’s DSS office:
Southwestern College recommends that students with disabilities or specific learning needs contact their professors during the first two weeks of class to discuss academic accommodations. If a student believes that they may have a disability and would like more information, they are encouraged to contact Disability Support Services (DSS) at (619) 482-6512 (voice), (619) 207-4480 (video phone), or email at DSS@swccd.edu. Alternate forms of this syllabus and other course materials are available upon request.
Emergency Plan
If our course or instructor unexpectedly becomes unavailable, continue following the schedule to complete assignments, which will be submitted when access is restored. In emergency situations, college updates will be provided via the emergency notification system and social media.
Course Map
Here is an overview of the key areas of the course, each of which can be accessed from the course menu:
· Announcements houses—you guessed it!—my announcements.
· Syllabus contains course information that you will use throughout the semester. A list of course assignments with due dates can also be found here.
· Modules contains everything you need for each week of our course. Simply click “next” to move from one item to the next in the week’s module.
· Quizzes provides one-click access to weekly quizzes and Class Exams and occasional surveys.
· Assignments offers a list of essay and project assignment as well as other graded assignments. You will find each of these items in its module as well.
· Grades lists your scores and the points possible for all assignments. Most quiz grades are posted immediately after completion, while other assignments requiring instructor grading will be posted 3-7 days later. You can access your graded work and my feedback by clicking on the item and/or rubric. You will also see your current total points and percentage. You can even see how your total grade will change with future scores using the “What if” feature!
· Inbox (global menu) is where you can send messages to me and receive responses.
· Help (global menu) connects you to the Canvas Guides, our support hotline, and a variety of other support options.
Course Calendar and Learning Objectives
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE EXAMS AND QUIZZ DAYS ARE ALWAYS in CLASS OR POSSIBLY ON CANVAS. THESE WILL BE OPEN FOR A PERIOD DETERMINED BY YOUR INSTRUCTOR ON CANVAS OR GIVEN TO YOU IN CLASS. YOU NEED SCANTRONS FOR EXAMS AND QUIZZES IN CLASS.
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WEEK 1
JAN 31 FEB 6:
Part 1: Class Orientation.
Part 2 : Introduction to Astronomy :
Learning Objectives:
1- The structure of universe from the very small to the very large.
2- What is the goal of science.
3- How science depends on Theoretical and observational work.
4- angular measurements.
5- The metric system.
6- How to express large numbers.
7- The Laws of Nature.
WEEK 2
FEB 7 to FEB 13 :
Module 1:
Observing the Sky : The Birth of Astronomy
Learning Objectives:
1- The apparent shape of the sky.
2- The celestial sphere.
3- Latitude and Longitude of the Earth.
4- Location of North and South Celestial Poles.
5- How the visibility of the Celestial Poles determines your Latitude on Earth.
6- How much of the sky (Celestial Sphere) is visible from a given location.
WEEK 3
FEB 14 to FEB 20 :
Module 1:
Earth, Moon and The Sky.
Learning Objectives:
1- Please Review the Celestial Sphere.
2- Constellations.
3- The Circumpolar constellations.
4- The motions of the Earth: Rotation.
5- The motions of the Earth: Revolution.
6- Zodiacal Constellations.
7- The seasons.
8- The motions of the Earth.: Precession.
9- The phases of the Moon.
10- The eclipses.
WEEK 4
FEB 21 to Feb 27:
Module 2:
Historical Astronomers and their work:
Learning Objectives:
1- Aristotle and the shape of the Earth.
2- How Eratosthenes measured the circumference of the Earth.
3- Ptolemy and his geocentric model of the universe.
4- COPERNICUS and his heliocentric model of the universe.
5- Tycho Brahe and his work.
6- The work of Galileo.
WEEK 5
Feb 28 MAR 6:
Module 2:
Orbits and Motion.
1- Kepler and his work.
2- Speed, velocity and acceleration.
WEEK 6
Mar 7 Mar 13
Module 3:
Orbits and Gravity.
3- Newton’s laws.
4- Universal law of Gravitation.
WEEK 7 CHAPTER 5 will be covered after the first Exam.
MAR 14 MAR 20:.
Module 4:
Astronomical Instruments.
1- Important parameters of telescopes.
2- Telescope optics.
3- Properties of the telescopes. Magnification, Light Gathering and Resolution.
4- Telescope mounts.
5- Astronomical seeing.
8- Photon collectors.
9- Space Telescope.
WEEK 8
MAR 21 Mar 27 :
Review of Exam 1 on Mar 21.
EXAM 1 on Mar 23
WEEK 9 IS SPRING BREAK. NO CLASSES FROM MAR 28 - APR 3
WEEK 10
Apr 4 Apr 10
Module 5:
Radiation and Spectra:
Learning Objectives:
1- The nature of light..
2- The electromagnetic spectrum.
3- Black Body radiation.
5- Structure of atoms. (Protons, Electrons and Neutrons) Page 568
6- Quantum Leap and The emission and absorption spectra and their cause.
7- Formation of Spectral Lines.
8- The Doppler effect.
12- Ionization and recombination.
13- Collisional Excitation.
14- The inverse-square law of light.
WEEK 11
Apr 11 to Apr 17 :
Module 6:
The Sun.
1- The physical properties of the sun.
2- The various parts of the sun's interior. (Pages 576-583)
3-Learn about fusion. (Pages 171)
4- The Interior of the Sun.
5- Solar atmosphere.
6- Granulation, sunspots, solar plagues, prominences, filaments,
Solar flares and their relationship to solar cycles.
7- The nature of the solar wind.
8- Sunspot Cycle.
9-The Maunder Minimum.
10- The neutrino story.
WEEK 12
APR 18 to APR 24:
Module 7:
The Stars: A Celestial Censes. (page 637)
1- The H-R diagram.
2- The difference between brightness and luminosity.
Module 8:
Stars From Adolescence to Old Age. (Evolution of Stars.)
3- Lifetimes on the main sequence.
4- Evolution of low mass stars vs. High mass stars.
WEEK 13
APR 25 to May 1:
Module 8 and Module 9: (EVOLUTION OF THE SUN and STARS)
Module 8
1- Evolution of the Sun.
2- Internal pressure vs. gravity.
3- Hydrogen shell burning.
4- He core burning. (HE FLASH)
5- Red giant stage.
6- Planetary Nebula.
7- White Dwarf stage.
Module 9:
1Evolution of massive stars.
2- Internal pressure vs. gravity.
3- Shell and core burning.
4- Red Supergiant stage.
WEEK 14
May 2 to May 6:
Module 9 and Module 10: (EVOLUTION OF MASSIVE STARS)
5- Supernova stage.
6- Core collapse, Super Nova Type II.
7- Neutron stars and pulsars.
8- General Relativity.
9- Black holes and Curved Space and Time.
10- The Crab nebulae
11- Evolution of Binary Stars.
12- The differences between novas and supernovas.
13- Super Novas Types Ia and II.
14- Gravitational Waves.
Review for Exam 2.
WEEK 15
EXAM 2 May 7
May 7 to May 13:
Module 11.
The Milky Way Galaxy.
1- The structure of the milky way galaxy.
2- The different populations of the galaxy.
3- The differences between globular clusters and open clusters.
4- Dark matter and the milky way.
5- Birth of stars in dusty clouds of gas.
6- Dark matter.
WEEK 16
May 14 to MAY 20 :
Module 12 and Module 13:
Galaxies.
1- The Hubble classification.
2- The galaxies on the Hubble diagram.
3- The local group of galaxies.
4- The Virgo Cluster of galaxies.
5- The supercluster of galaxies.
6- Laniakea.
WEEK 17
MAY 21 to MAY 25 :
Module 14:
The Big Bang.
Introduction to Cosmology.
Hubble's Expanding Universe.
1- The theories of the origin of the universe.
2- The Big Bang.
3- Alternative Theories to the Big Bang. (The Branes and the steady State Theories)
2- The cosmic background radiation.
3- Dark matter and Dark energy and the fate of the universe.
4- Multiverse?
Review for Exam 3 on May 21
EXAM 3 May 23.