AST 1020 - INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY

credits: 3.0
Introduction to Astronomy will give students a comprehensive survey of the beginning of the universe, the formation of all bodies within the universe and the predicted fate of the universe. Beginning with the most familiar bodies in the universe: the earth, moon, sun and other planets in the solar system, the course will explore the physical processes behind the formation of these bodies. Building upon this foundational scaffold, the origin, classification and fate of stars in the universe will be surveyed. Finally, the subject matter of the course will grow to astronomical scales with discussions on galaxies and the universe itself. No prior experience with astronomy or other physical science is required. Objectives: A) Identify the various motions of the earth within the solar system that lead to the seasons experienced on earth; B) Describe the major contributions of Copernicus, Tycho, Kepler, Galileo and Newton to modern day astronomy; C) Compare the distribution of astronomical bodes within the solar system and develop hypotheses on why specific objects exist in different regions of the solar system; D) Explain the energy generation mechanism of all stars including the sun; E) Classify the distribution of stars throughout the Milky Way galaxy and predict the fate of each star class based on stellar properties; F) Recognize the overall structure of our universe, including describing the basic size and structure of our own galaxy, the Sun’s place in it and identifying to which of the four basic types of galaxies it belongs; G) Compare modern cosmological hypotheses on the origin/fate of the universe. Method of Instruction: Lecture, discussion, demonstrations student presentations, field observations, and videos. Method of Evaluation: One research paper 20%; Participation in all classroom activities 10%; Daily conceptual quizzes 20%; Final Exam 20%; Three Exams 30%.