Course Information
Prerequisites: None.
Catalog description: Introduces the night sky, astronomical scales, gravity, light, telescopes, the solar system, stars, galaxies, and cosmology. Laboratory work develops naked-eye observing, telescope use, sky coordinates, simple image capture, and scientific notebook practice.
Instructor: To be assigned.
Course role: First-year foundation for astronomy majors and a gateway into observational practice, quantitative reasoning, and scientific communication.
Learning Outcomes
- Use sky coordinates, angular measure, timekeeping, and seasonal geometry to describe and predict observable sky phenomena.
- Explain how gravity, light, matter, and telescopes connect observations to physical models of planets, stars, galaxies, and the universe.
- Apply order-of-magnitude reasoning, units, graph interpretation, and simple equations such as \(v = H_0 d\), \(F = L/(4\pi d^2)\), and Kepler's third law in introductory astronomical contexts.
- Plan and document basic naked-eye, binocular, or telescope observations with attention to uncertainty, conditions, calibration, and ethical observing practice.
- Interpret astronomical images, spectra, charts, and simple datasets while distinguishing observation, inference, model, and speculation.
- Communicate astronomical reasoning in clear prose, labeled figures, worked calculations, and concise lab reports.
Required and Recommended Resources
- OpenStax, Astronomy 2e. Free online textbook.
- Stellarium Web or Stellarium desktop for sky simulation and observing preparation.
- NASA Solar System Exploration and NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database pages as guided reference resources.
- Instructor-provided observing forms, star charts, datasets, and safety guidance.
Assessment
| Component | Weight | Standards |
|---|---|---|
| Problem sets | 25% | Conceptual reasoning, units, diagrams, short quantitative work, and evidence-based explanations. |
| Observing and lab portfolio | 25% | Observing logs, lab reports, image/chart interpretation, uncertainty, and scientific notebook practice. |
| Midterm examination | 15% | Foundational sky geometry, scale, gravity, light, and telescope concepts. |
| Final examination | 20% | Cumulative synthesis across solar system, stars, galaxies, cosmology, and observational reasoning. |
| Participation and in-class reasoning | 10% | Prepared engagement, peer discussion, clicker or short written responses, and lab readiness. |
| Final observing synthesis | 5% | Short report connecting a semester observation or dataset to course concepts. |
Course Policies
Collaboration
Students may discuss concepts, observing strategy, and general problem-solving approaches. Submitted calculations, prose, plots, code, and observing logs must be each student's own work unless a group artifact is explicitly assigned.
Academic Integrity and References
All external information, images, datasets, software, and AI-assisted drafting must be acknowledged according to instructor guidance. Fabricated references, unverifiable claims, copied work, or undocumented code are serious defects.
Observing Safety
Never point optical instruments at the Sun unless using instructor-approved solar observing equipment and procedures. Night observing must follow campus safety rules, weather guidance, and buddy-system expectations where applicable.
Accessibility
Students should contact the instructor and appropriate campus office early for disability accommodations, alternative observing arrangements, or accessible formats for visual materials.
Schedule
The authoritative week-by-week trajectory is maintained in schedule.html. Later slides, lecture notes, labs, and problem sets must follow that schedule unless a correction is routed back to the syllabus stage.