Astronomy 100
Exploring the Universe

Spring 2009
Tu/Th 1:00 - 2:15 Hasbrouck 134

University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Instructor:
Neal Katz
532 Graduate Research Tower
Phone: 545-2085
Office Hours: Tu/Th 2:15 - 3:15 or by appointment

SYLLABUS



 Naked-Eye Astronomy 

Tue Jan 27 -- Course Overview
Thu Jan 29 -- The Scale of the Universe
Tue Feb 3 -- Apparent Motions of the Sun and Stars  Homework 1 due
Thu Feb 5 -- The Seasons; Phases of the Moon; Tides; EclipsesQuiz 1
Tue Feb 10 -- Global Warming
Thu Feb 12 -- Planetary Motions  Homework 2 due
Tue Feb 17 -- Gravity, Orbits; Birth of Modern Astronomy Quiz 2

 Tools of Astronomy 

Thu Feb 19 -- Light: The Electromagnetic Spectrum  Homework 3 due
Tue Feb 24 -- Atoms and Spectral Lines Quiz 3
Thu Feb 26 -- Stellar Spectra; Doppler Shift; Review  Homework 4 due
Tue March 3 --  EXAM 1 

Stars Thu March 5 -- Go over EXAM 1; The Sun's Atmosphere Tue March 10 -- Solar Activity Thu March 12 -- Properties of Stars Tue March 17 -- No Class -- Spring Break Thu March 19 -- No Class -- Spring Break Tue March 24 -- The HR diagram? Quiz 4 Thu March 26 -- Power Sources: How do Stars Shine? Homework 5 due Tue March 31 -- Stellar Life and Death Quiz 5 Thu April 2 -- Neutron Stars and Black Holes; Review Homework 6 due Tue April 7 -- EXAM 2 Galaxies and Cosmology Thu April 9 -- Go over EXAM 2; The Milky Way Tue April 14 -- How the Milky Way Was "Discovered" Thu April 16 -- Origin of the Milky Way Tue April 21 -- No Class; today is a UMass Monday Thu April 23 -- Galaxy Types Homework 7 due Tue April 28 -- The Hubble Law; Quiz 6 Thu April 30 -- The Evolution of Galaxies; Quasars Tue May 5 -- Cosmology and The Big Bang Quiz 7, Global Warming Project due Thu May 7 -- The Fate of the Universe; Review Homework 8 due Tue May 12 -- EXAM 3