HONORS PHYSICS 1050
Planetary Systems
Near and Far
Spring 2005
Monday, Wednesday & Friday
9:00 – 9:50 AM
Dr. Mike Fanelli
COURSE INFORMATION & SYLLABUS
OFFICE: 310M EESAT Building
OFFICE PHONE: 940 - 369 - 7653
OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday 2-3 PM, also try email or an appointment
EMAIL:
WEBPAGE: www.phys.unt.edu/~fanelli/p1050_s05.html
PREREQUISITES: Proficiency in algebra.
TEXT: “Astronomy Today” by Chaisson and McMillan, 5th Edition.
Either purchase (1) the full hardback book OR
(2) the paperback VOLUME I, “The Solar System”
DO NOT BUY BOTH, unless you intend to take both courses.
ATTENDANCE: I expect students to participate in the class, as a general rule, students who attend class perform better on tests than those who do not attend. I do not take roll on a regular basis, and attendance is not factored into your grade. Note that a substantial amount of material will only be presented during lectures. That material will be included in the exams.
LABORATORY: A one-credit laboratory course, Physics 1051, is offered to complement this lecture course. Most students take the lecture and laboratory simultaneously. You must register separately for the lab -- you are not automatically registered for the lab when you sign up for the lecture. The lab is graded separately from the lecture.
CLASS WEBSITE: www.phys.unt.edu/~fanelli/p1050_s05.html. Much additional information is provided on the website. Look here for updates, exam details, lecture notes, etc.
CONTACTING ME: If you have questions about the course material, test policies, grading, etc, the best method for contacting me is to send an email query to or visit during office hours. If you leave a phone message, please state your return phone number slowly and clearly. Email gets answered within a few days.
CLASS FORMAT: The format for this class will be lectures and discussion accompanied by audio/visual material (power point, videos, Internet-based material). See the syllabus for the list of chapters to be covered. I will generally follow the text, highlighting important points and relationships. Make an attempt to read material prior to class so that you will be familiar with the material when it is discussed. Material from the text will be supplemented by lecture notes, especially towards the end of the semester. Please note that the lectures are not a substitute for reading the text, nor is just reading the text a substitute for the lectures. Video material is an essential element in an astronomy survey course. Given our 50 minute class length, we will use the Media library to view video material several times during the semester. I will place videos on reserve, and you can view them individually or in small groups. Video viewing will often replace a Monday or Friday class – please check the course web page for details.
CLASS CONTENT: Physics 1050 is the first half of a two-semester survey course covering astronomy at an introductory level. This course describes patterns and objects visible in the night sky, reviews experimental techniques and physical principles important in astronomy, then examines the worlds, large and small, that comprise our corner of the universe. During the last few weeks of the semester, we will focus on the emerging subject of astrobiology, specifically, we will look at the recent evidence for planets beyond our own solar system. I will also supplement the textbook with current science events relevant to the exploration of the solar system, and provide background on what I refer to as the “societal” aspects of astronomy. While this course is a largely descriptive survey, some mathematical relationships will be presented. An important goal of any science course is learning to reason quantitatively.
ASSIGNMENTS: The basic assignment is to read one or two text chapters per week and complete the questions at the end of each chapter. These questions are designed to improve comprehension of the material and prepare you for exams. Additional readings from web-based sources may be assigned; the links will be provided in class. I will also assign 1-3 math problems from the list at the end of each chapter. Solutions to the math problems will be posted on the web page and discussed in class. You will also complete a 10-page “Planetary Exploration” report, and submit a shorter, web-based article on astrobiology, both for credit.
GRADING FORMAT: Your grade is based on the total points accrued from the hourly exams, a comprehensive final, the two items mentioned above, and any extra-credit work which may be offered. Your final letter grade is based on a total of 1200 points. All assigned reading and material discussed in class, including audio/visual presentations, may show up in an exam. I will call attention to any material not explicitly discussed in the text for which you will be responsible.
Item / % Total / TotalPoints
3 Exams / % / 600
Planetary Exploration Report / % / 250
Astrobiology Report / % / 150
Final Exam / % / 200
Tests will consist primarily of multiple choice questions and a few calculations (answers also expressed in a multiple choice format). Test questions are derived directly from the review material at the end of each chapter and from class notes.
The “Planetary Exploration Report” will be a 10+ page report which you will craft based on your review of a specified recent, active, or planned planetary exploration mission. Most of this information will be obtained from on-line mission web pages. Details will be provided during Week 2; the report is due Wednesday, March 10. The Astrobiology report will be your summary of a web-based news item or article on astrobiology, and will be due on April 27.
Exams will take a class period and be a combination of material from the text and class notes.
The Final Exam will be comprehensive.
Letter grades will be assigned by taking your total points, dividing by 12, and applying this grade scale:
A = 100 - 87, B = 86 - 77, C = 76 - 67, D = 66 - 56, F < 56
IMPORTANT DATES:
Hourly Exams: / Feb 16, March 29, April 29Planetary Mission Report / Due: Mar 10
Astrobiology Report / Due: Apr 27
Final Exam
/ May 9, 2005 @ 8:00 AMDrop Deadline: / March 29, 5:00 PM
MAKE-UP POLICY: READ THIS CAREFULLY !!
If an exam date coincides with a scheduled, University-approved activity, you may take the exam prior to the time when exams are returned (generally one week later). You MUST notify me BEFORE the exam to schedule a makeup. Otherwise, if you have a reasonable excuse, a make-up exam may be permitted; these will be determined on a case-by-case basis. If a make-up exam cannot be taken before graded exams are returned, it may be made up during the study week at the end of the semester. Note that in the case of a chronic medical problem, which affects a student’s academic work for a significant portion of a semester, the appropriate action is to withdraw from the course. Incompletes cannot be assigned unless the student has completed a significant portion of the work in a class.
THE ASTRONOMY ENTERPRISE: Most of you are taking this course to meet a science requirement. “Astronomy” should be viewed not just as a science but as an exploration of nature—humanity’s search for the nature and operating principles of the universe in which we find ourselves. This exploration is an ongoing enterprise; there are many unanswered questions “out there”. Some of the material in your text is already outdated, replaced by new knowledge gained through the endeavors of astronomers, geologists, and planetary scientists. I will emphasize this ongoing activity during the course, highlighting the various space missions and new Earth-based observations that promise to continue to rewrite the textbooks for many years to come. Through this class you will gain an appreciation of the astronomy enterprise and follow these missions and new discoveries in the future.
UPCOMING ASTRONOMY & SPACE SCIENCE EVENTS:
Jan 12 / Launch of NASA's Deep Impact Discovery missionJan 14 / Hugyen’s Probe lands on Saturn’s moon Titan
Mar 21 / Spring Equinox
Apr 08 / Partial eclipse of the Sun, visible in Denton.
Apr 24 / Penumbral eclipse of the Moon, visible from Denton.
Jul 04 / Deep Impact smacks comet Tempel I
The Department of Physics will make reasonable adjustments to ensure equal opportunity for qualified persons with disabilities to participate in all physics programs and activities. Please see the instructor if special accommodations are required.