PHYSICS 1061 ``Stellar and Galactic Astronomy''  Spring 2013

Instructor: Dr. Jason Pinkney
Office hours:   in 111 Science Annex at  these times .
Email:  j-pinkney@onu.edu or call 419-772-2740.
Observatory Phone: 419-772-4028
Instructor's Home page: http://www2.onu.edu/~j-pinkney/
Class time and place:  MWF, 10:00-10:50 am, Meyer 114

This is a nice link about solving word problems.
An excellent web site for reviewing physics concepts: Hyperphysics.
Astronomy Picture of the Day

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Text: Astronomy Today, 7th Edition.  By Chaisson and McMillan. ISBN-10: 0321691431.  This is a 1-volume, hardcover book. Before you try to buy just the "Stars and Galaxies" part of the 2-volume softcover version, make sure that it contains all of the chapters that we are covering in the "tentative schedule".

Course Description:
Stellar and Galactic Astronomy is an introduction to astronomy.   This course deals with stars, galaxies and the universe. The details of our solar system are left to PHYS 1051.   We will begin with a survey of the naked-eye universe (mostly nearby objects) and end with cosmology (the distant universe).   In-between we will discuss such topics as the electromagnetic spectrum, the sunspot cycle, how stars are born and die, black holes, and galaxies.   A tentative calendar of topics is outlined below.

Physics 1061 fulfills a general education science requirement and so you will be encouraged to improve your science aptitudes. This includes critical thinking, problem solving, use of mathematics and the scientific method. Astronomy relies heavily upon physics and math in order to explain the universe. Since this is an introductory course, I will try to make the tests nearly math-free. But you will still be exposed to math in homework, lectures and activities.
The course is also tagged to fulfill a general education outcome (#3) called 'scientific and quantitative literacy'. At least one assignment will also be an 'artifact' showing how this outcome was met. Only students entering ONU on or after Fall 2011 have to be concerned with archiving the artifact.

Lab:
The lab for this class, PHYS 1091 (1 hr), is only taken by astronomy minors.  (You might consider being a minor if your major requires you to take a lot of physics.)  Minors should sign up for this lab and talk with me to set up meeting times. 

Schedule (approximate):

Grading:

I will not grade any "harder" than the above. However, if the class mean drops below 75, I will grade more leniently.

Other Course Policies

Attendance is important for doing well in this course.   Absenteeism can directly lower your grade if you miss a quiz or a graded in-class activity. I will record attendance on select days and I may use that information to determine final grades for boarderline cases. Let me know in advance (e-mail is good) if you plan to miss on a test/deadline day for a valid reason (e.g., your team is on the road, you are sick, you have a family emergency).  If you miss a quiz or exam because of an emergency, let me know as soon as possible, and provide proof of the emergency. "Proof" can consist of a name and phone number of a parent or authority figure who knows your situation. Make up any missed quizzes or exams before I go over them during the next class.

Graded Homework consists primarily of answering questions and problems from the textbook.   Homework will be accepted late, but will only receive 50% credit if it has already been returned. Try to turn it in before you have an excused abscence. Homework will be scored on completeness and correctness, but not every problem will be corrected. The "homework" part of your grade will include participation in activities.

Quizzes will be given on most non-exam weeks.  They will consist of 5-15 multiple choice/short answer questions.  They cover the assigned reading and especially the material discussed in class.  They may be given without notice.  You can only make up a quiz that was missed because of a valid conflict or emergency.  Also, you can only make up the quiz before the answers are revealed (usually the next period). For this reason, I will drop your lowest quiz score.

Exams will be given roughly every 4-5 weeks. These will weigh most heavily towards your class grade. The final exam will be comprehensive, but will emphasize the last 5-6 weeks of material. The final will occur on Wednesday of finals week. Do not schedule anything to conflict with this time! Do not ask to get out of this time! Drop now if this will be a problem.

Review Questions will be provided to help you prepare for quizzes and exams. They will appear under "NEW STUFF". Many of these questions will appear on the quizzes and exams and so it is strongly recommended that you use them to prepare.

Observing Projects consists of 2 constellation sheets and a primary observing project. The primary project will make up about 80% of the "Observing Projects" grade, with the remaining 20% being the constellation sheets. Visiting the observatory and signing the log will get you up to 5 extra credit points (1 grade pt per visit). You will choose your project from this list by the end of week 2.

Disruptions: You can ask questions during class, and talk during group activities, but in general you shouldn't talk while the professor is talking. Anything that distracts your teacher or your neighbors is hindering the learning process.  Class begins at 10:00 AM.  Don't be late or you may face public humiliation. You might also miss a quiz.   In general, do not disrupt the class or you may be asked to leave.

Academic Misconduct: The College of A&S has a Code for Academic Student Conduct and forms for reporting students. Academic integrity is one of the basic principles of a university community. Ohio Northern University encourages and expects the highest standards of academic honesty from all students. The A&S code states that cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary action. In PHYS 1061 (this class), the biggest temptation will be to look at another person's work during tests. Do not wear caps during quizzes or exams or store information on electronic devices. The penalty for cheating is a zero score for the quiz or exam.

Tutoring is available. You are welcome to drop by during my office hours, or you can try to make an appointment. Physics tutoring sessions should occur on Thursday evenings, starting at 7:00 PM.