Astronomy 100
Exploring the Universe

Spring 2008
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 29 -- Course Overview
Thu Jan 31 -- The Scale of the Universe
Tue Feb 5 -- Apparent Motions of the Sun and Stars  Homework 1 due
Thu Feb 7 -- The Seasons; Phases of the Moon; Tides; EclipsesQuiz 1
Tue Feb 12 -- Global Warming
Thu Feb 14 -- Planetary Motions  Homework 2 due
Tue Feb 19 -- No Class; today is a UMass Monday
Thu Feb 21 -- Gravity, Orbits; Birth of Modern Astronomy Quiz 2

 Tools of Astronomy 

Tue Feb 26 -- Light: The Electromagnetic Spectrum  Homework 3 due
Thu Feb 28 -- Atoms and Spectral Lines Quiz 3
Tue March 4 -- Stellar Spectra; Doppler Shift; Review  Homework 4 due
Thu March 6 --  EXAM 1 

Stars Tue March 11 -- Go over EXAM 1; The Sun's Atmosphere Thu March 13 -- Solar Activity Tue March 18 -- No Class -- Spring Break Thu March 20 -- No Class -- Spring Break Tue March 25 -- Properties of Stars Thu March 27 -- The HR diagram? Quiz 4 Tue April 1 -- Power Sources: How do Stars Shine? Homework 5 due Thu April 3 -- Stellar Life and Death Quiz 5 Tue April 8 -- Neutron Stars and Black Holes; Review Homework 6 due Thu April 10 -- EXAM 2 Galaxies and Cosmology Tue April 15 -- Go over EXAM 2; The Milky Way Thu April 17 -- How the Milky Way Was "Discovered" Tue April 22 -- Origin of the Milky Way Thu April 24 -- Galaxy Types Homework 7 due Tue April 29 -- The Hubble Law; Quiz 6 Thu May 1 -- The Evolution of Galaxies; Quasars Tue May 6 -- Cosmology and The Big Bang Quiz 7, Global Warming Project due Thu May 8 -- The Fate of the Universe; Review Homework 8 due Tue May 13 -- EXAM 3