COURSE SYLLABUS

Astronomy 1 Lab

Instructor: Pimol Moth, Ph.D.

Office:N5

Phone:(831) 755-6893

Email:

Office Hours: Tues: 4:30-5:30pm, Weds & Thurs: 9:30-10:30am or by appointment

Astronomy Webpage:

MAKE SURE TO READ ALL SECTIONS OF THIS SYLLABUS

Course Description:

Laboratory course in astronomy that uses a combination of experiments, NASA data, and computer software to teach the basic principles and methods of modern astronomy. Students will make their own measurements and use astronomical data to identify objects in the night sky and to learn about the properties of light, telescopes, stars, and galaxies. A field trip to an observatory and extensive use of the digital Planetarium is included.

Important Note: In order to take the Astronomy laboratory class, students must be currently enrolled in or have taken the Astronomy lecture class during a previous semester.

Course Objectives:

Upon satisfactory completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. apply the principles of the scientific method.
2. / recognize and apply scientific procedures for making observations and measurements typical of modern astronomical research.
3. / maintain a laboratory notebook for recording observations and experimental results.
4. / identify sources of error in data and estimate the impact of errors on results.
5. / locate and identify objects in the night sky using star charts and celestial coordinates.
6. / sketch the apparent paths of the stars and the Sun in the sky to understand the three main Earthly motions.
7. / determine astronomical parameters such as the focal length of lenses, period of rotation of the Sun, the angular size of objects, and the temperature and chemical composition of stars.
8. / explain the operation of common telescopes and describe their key characteristics.
9. / explain the importance of spectroscopic analysis in astronomy.
10. / recognize the differences between continuous, emission, and absorption line spectra.
11. / discuss the differences between terrestrial and Jovian planets.
12. / interpret the spectra of stars.
13. / understand the nature of binary stars.
14. / develop a classification system for galaxies and compare with Hubble's Tuning Fork diagram.
15. / identify and explain the differences between Messier objects.
16. / generate and interpret graphs.
17. / use equations and perform basic calculations.

Student Learning Outcomes:

  • Given equations of physics, students will apply them to obtain numerical results
  • Given results, students will generate and interpret plots
  • Given a planisphere, students will identify and locate significant objects in the night sky and determine when they rise and set
  • Given stellar spectra, students will determine the composition of stars and their surface temperatures

Required Materials:

  • Astronomy Laboratory Manual
  • Binder
  • Lined paper for laboratory write-ups
  • Planisphere
  • Scientific calculator
  • Ruler (with cm scale) (recommended)
  • Stapler (recommended)
  • Flashlight with red light (recommended)

Laboratory Guidelines:

  • You will be doing an experiment or exercise each week in this course. You are required to turn in a lab report by the end of the class unless an extension is given.
  • Although you will be working in groups, each person must turn in their own work, answer the questions in their own sentences, perform their own calculations, and write their own purpose and conclusions. Work that is copied from lab partners will not be given credit.
  • The lab reports should be hand written in complete sentences, should be organized, and should be neat.
  • The lab reports MUST have all the required sections in order to be accepted for grading. If it does not, I will send you back to include the missing section.
  • Everyone should be able to earn full credit for a complete and accurate lab write up. I will check the lab write up after you are finished and will give you the option of rewriting the lab if I think that it will receive less than 10 points so that you can have the opportunity to earn full credit.

For each lab report you should include:

Your name, your partner’s names, date, and class meeting time on the upper right portion of the report and include the following information:

Complete Title of the Experiment

Purpose: The purpose should be a brief explanation of the important information you are trying to obtain from the lab. In order to receive credit for this part, you should write the purpose in your own words and not copy the objectives from the lab modules. You should be able to write your own purpose from the introductory lecture that I give before doing the lab. This section should be short. Only 1-3 sentences are required.

Sample Calculations (if needed):If the lab requires you to use equations, you must include this section in your lab report. Only one sample calculation for each different equation that you use is needed. That is if you are using the same equation several times, you only need to show the work one time for each equation. When performing the sample calculations, write out the equations that you used, define all the variables in the formula, and show all your work, including plugging in the appropriate numbers from your data.

Conclusions:The conclusion is a very important part of the lab because it shows whether or not you understood the lab. Here you will summarize some important information you learned from the lab. Points will be taken off if your conclusion is too short or does not include the following important information:

  • Discuss the major results of the lab and calculations.
  • Include at least 3 important and specificfacts that were covered in the lab.
  • Discuss whether your results turned out as expected. Why or why not?
  • Describe the sources of errors, difficulties in measurement, or challenges faced (if any).
  • What was your opinion of the lab?

Laboratory Grading Policy:

Although you will be working in a group, each person must turn in their own individually written lab reports.

The labs are worth 10 points each. I will assign grades based on the following guidelines: The labs will count for 65% of your grade.

11points: The lab must have all the appropriate headings listed and underlined. The lab must be legible, neat, and organized. It must contain all the required information on it. All the questions and calculations must be answered correctly. All sample calculations must include equations written out with all the variables defined. All work must be shown for all the calculations. The conclusion must also demonstrate a solid understanding of the lab and include all the information on the bulleted list described above. That is to say that you can receive11 points only if I think you did an IMMACULATE job on it.

10 points: In order to receive this grade, the labs must be organized, neat, and all questions and calculations of the lab should be answered correctly with relevant work shown for all calculations. The purpose and conclusions need to be thorough and accurate and written uniquely by the student (not just a rephrasing of the laboratory module objectives).

8-9 points: A questions is omitted; a question is answered incorrectly; or not much work is shown for the calculations; or formulae are not written out; or did not include all the data; or all required sections are included, but the lab is not neat and organized; or the purpose or conclusions are weak, too short, or just a rephrasing of the laboratory objectives; or no purpose.

6-7 points: Some questions are omitted; or some questions are answered incorrectly; or no sample calculations shown; or missing some of the data; or no conclusion

5 points: Lab is poorly done. Several questions omitted or answered incorrectly. Did not complete all sections of the lab.

0: Missed lab or if you come to class more than 15 minutes late without attempting to notify me beforehand.

Lab Module 1: The Observing Project: The Observing Project is considered the first lab, although you will need to do it outside of class. It will be worth 15 points, whereas the other labs are worth 10 points. You have a choice between doing the Sun Project (includes + 5 points of extra credit), going to Fremont Peak Observatory (includes +5 points of extra credit), or going to Salinas High Observatory. This project must be turned in on time. No late projects will be accepted. The observing project must be done on your own (no working with a partner). If two observing projects have the same data or sketches, no credit will be given for them.

If you decide to do the Sun Project and go to Fremont Peak Observatory or Salinas High Observatory, the Sun Project will count for 10 extra credit points.

Laboratory Final:THERE WILL BE A FINAL IN THIS CLASS. The laboratory final will be cumulative and will cover ALL the material from your lab. It will count for 25% of your grade. In order to pass the class, the final must be taken. You may use your Astronomy Laboratory Manual, notes taken during the laboratory class, and lab write-ups during the final. No other resources such as cell phones, old exams, astronomy books, or notes from other classes are allowed. It is in your best interest to make sureto show all your calculations and make your lab write ups as neat, organized, and easy to understand as possible so that you may easily find the answer during the final.

In addition, the final must be taken individually, not in a group. Thus it is in your best interest to understand every lab thoroughly and not depend upon your partners to do all the work.The date of the final cannot be changed. If you need to take the final earlier and have good reason, you must inform me several weeks before the final. However, I have the discretion to deny the request. The earliest that the final can be taken is 1 week before the actual date of the final, absolutely no exceptions.

The date and time of the final for this class is: ______

Quizzes: Since tardiness in the lab is an extreme inconvenience to the instructor and to your lab partners, I have decided to give quizzes at the beginning of each lab period. Each quiz will be worth 10 points. You will receive 8 points just for being on time and turning in the quiz, regardless if you answer the question correctly or not. You will receive 10 points if you answer the question correctly. The question will cover material in the lab manual that you will be performing that week. This means that you will need to read the lab module prior to coming in the lab.

As soon as time for class starts, I will ask the question and collect the quiz. Once time is up, you must turn in your answer. If you do not make it by the time I ask the question (for whatever reason, even if it is sickness etc.), then you will not receive points for that day. Quizzes will be worth 10% of your grade so don’t be late or absent. Furthermore, if you are more than 15 minutes late to class without prior informing me, you will NOT be allowed to participate in the lab.

Final Grades:

  • Laboratory write-ups: 65%
  • Final: 25 %
  • Quizzes: 10%
  • + Any Extra Credit

Final grades are based on the following percentages:

Percentage / Grade
90-100 % / A
80-89 % / B
70-79 % / C
60-69 % / D
< 60 % / F

Make-up Labs:

Labs can only be made up if you know ahead of time that you will have to miss a day of class and talk to me AND we can arrange to have you make up the work in the other lab section, otherwise THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP LABS ALLOWED, ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS! During the last week of class, I will offer an extra credit activity during lab class. This extra credit activity will be worth 10 points.

Late Labs:On occasion, the lab might run longer than expected. On those days I will allow for the entire class to turn in the lab late. Students will not be penalized under this scenario. Sometimes a group mightbe running behind because of some unexpected problems. If this situation arises, you must let me know and I will write an OK on your lab. If these situations arise, you will not be penalized. If you however turn in a lab late without notifying me beforehand or I do not deem it a valid excuse, you will NOT get credit for the lab. You must notify me beforehand and must have an OK on your lab in order to not be penalized for a late lab.

Attendance Policy: It is very important not to miss too many classes. Your grade will suffer if you miss too many lab activities. You will not only lose credit for the lab, you will lose quiz points also and will not have the lab writes-ups for the missed lab to use during the final. I have the discretion to drop a student from the class upon missing one more class meeting than the number of class meetings in two weeks (including non-consecutive absences). However, it is your responsibility to drop yourself from the class if you want to be dropped.

Academic Honesty Policy: All students enrolled in the course are bound by an academic honesty code. Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, in-class cheating, out-of-class cheating, plagiarism, knowingly assisting another student in cheating or plagiarism, furnishing false information to College staff, faculty, administrators, or other officials. No credit will be given for labs or projects that have been copied. If there are any questions that were copied on the final exam, you will receive a failing grade in the class. No cell phones are allowed during the Final. If any of your answers on the Final Exam questions resemble answers taken from the internet (as opposed to the lab write-up and laboratory notes), you will receive a 0 on the Final. If you are having trouble in the class, I urge you to talk to me about how you can improve instead of resorting to dishonesty.

Classroom Disruption Policy:I expect you to take your education seriously and respect your classmates and me. This means coming to class on time, waiting until I’m finished before packing up, turning off cell phones, and being absolutely quiet while I am lecturing.Because classroom disruption interferes with the learning process of your classmates, it will not be tolerated in this classroom. I will follow a firm policy:

  1. First offense, you will receive a warning.
  2. Second offense, you will be told to leave the classroom.
  3. Third offense, you will be dropped from the class.

Laboratory Content:

  1. Lab Module 1: The Observing Project (to be done on your own, outside of class)
  2. Lab Module 2: How to Use a Planisphere
  3. Lab Module 3: Navigating the Night Sky
  4. Lab Module 4: The Rotation, Revolution, and Precession of the Earth
  5. Lab Module 5: Angular Size
  6. Lab Module 6: Lenses and Telescopes
  7. Celestia Education Activity: The Inner Solar System
  8. Celestia Education Activity: The Outer Solar System
  9. Lab Module 7: Low Velocity Impact Craters
  10. Lab Module 8: The Spectroscope
  11. Lab Module 9: The Classification of Stellar Spectra
  12. Lab Module 10: Solar Rotation
  13. Lab Module 11: Classification of Galaxies
  14. Lab Module 12: Classification of Messier Objects
  15. Lab Module 13: Large Scale Structure of the Universe
  16. Extra Credit Activity

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