Astro 120: Spring 2008

The Sky and the Solar System

Prof. Martin Pohl and Prof. Steven Kawaler

In Astro 120, an introductory course in modern astronomy for non-scientists, we begin with a study of the sky (night and day): we will learn the constellations, study the motions of the Sun, moon, and planets, and review the reasons for the seasons, and the genesis of the modern calendar. The development of astronomy over the millenia will serve as an illustration of the history of science itself. We will explore the phenomena of eclipses and tides. We then begin exploring the bodies of our solar system -- the sun, the planets and their satellites, and comets, asteroids, and meteorites. We then address the bigger questions about the origin and evolution of our solar system, and discuss the hundreds of recently-discovered other solar systems in our Galaxy. We conclude with a brief discussion of the possibility of life beyond the Earth. Throughout the course, we will be looking at the many exciting results from NASA probes, as well using the ISU planetarium.

A poem...

Announcements

Third Exam was Monday, May 5, 4:30-6:30PM:
- Grades should be done by early Wednesday, May 7
Have a great summer!

"Everyday" things for class...

Homework assignments (new ones issued on most Thursdays during the term)
Electronic versions of lecture notes
Reading Assignments
The Astro Help Room.
Here is the syllabus for Astro 120 this term.
related links
Course Info
Constellation and Star list
Predictions for visible satellite passages for Ames, IA

Items from earlier in the course

Exam 3 was on Monday, May 5, from 4:30-6:30PM
- Exam 3 is in Physics 5 (our regular lecture hall) and Physics 3
- Here is the essay for exam 3
- Review sheet for material since Exam 2
- Sample questions for Exam 3 - be sure to review your first two exams as well - these sample questions concentrate on the last part of the course.
  - answers to sample Exam 3
Homework 11 was due in recitation on April 24, 25, or 28th
Is Global Warming Affecting Hurricanes?: Lecture by Dr. Kerry Emanuel (MIT). Tuesday, April 22 - 8PM, Sun Room, Memorial Union
An outdoor observing session was on Tuesday, April 15: starting at 9:15 PM on the roof of Zaffarano Hall.
Exam 2 was Thursday evening, April 10. - Same place as last time (LeBaron lecture hall.)
- Sample exam questions for Exam 2
  - Multiple choice part will be graded on Friday; essays by early next week.
  - answers to MC sample questions
- Here is a review sheet
- The essay question is here. Please use this opportunity to think about and plan your answer - you will need to write it fresh at the exam on the answer sheet.
Homework 10 was due in recitation on April 17, 18, or 21st
TV Program of interest: Tuesday, April 8, 8PM: the History Channel; a program on the Wildest Weather of the Cosmos.
Homework 9 was a bit different than the other homeworks - click on the link to see what is up. It counts as two homeworks. It was due in recitation on 4/3, 4/4 or 4.7, and your participation in recitation was strongly advised...
Television special about Cassini at Saturn/Titan: On Tuesday, April 1, Iowa Public Television broadcast Nova: Voyage to the Mystery Moon at 7PM. Excellent timing!
Arthur C. Clarke: 1917-2008, Science fiction author and visionary.
Homework 8 was is due in recitation on March 27/28/31
Looking for water on Mars
Roving Mars - an IMAX movie about the Mars Exploration Rovers now being shown at the Science Center of Iowa in Des Moines.
Counting craters... on Mercury
Homework 7 ws due in recitation on March 13, 14, or 24.
Homework 6 was due in recitation on March 6,7, or 10.
Homework 5 was due in recitation on February 28, 29, or March 3. Solutions are now available.
Video clip of a milk drop - analogy to a crater formation with a central peak
A terrific computer planetarium program, Stellarium is a free download - it is the same program we use to run the planetarium projector, so you might find it a useful program to run on your own computer.
EXAM 1: was on February 21, from 6:30-7:45PM in LeBaron Hall's Auditorium (LeBaron 1210).
- NOTE the test turned out to be more difficult than we had anticipated; we will take this into account in the final course grade.
total lunar eclipse, Wednesday, February 20. (weather permitting). 7:30-10:00PM
Homework 4 was due in recitation on February 14, 15, or 18. Solutions are now available.
Homework 3 was due in recitation on Feb 7, 8, or Feb 11. Solutions have been posted.
Homework 2 was due in recitation on Jan. 31 / Feb. 1 / Feb 4. Solutions have been posted.
What really makes the world go 'round...
Homework 1 was due in recitation on January 24 / 25 / 28. Solutions have been posted.

General Course Info

Course Info
Course Outline
EXAMS
The exam dates and times are as follows. Please note them in your calendars:
- Exam 1: Thursday, February 21, 2008; 6:30-7:45PM
- Exam 2: Thursday, April 10, 2008; 6:30-7:45PM
- Exam 3: Monday, May 5; 4:30 - 6:30 PM
A word about the textbook for this class: it can be one of several versions of The Cosmic Perspective, Fourth Edition, by Bennett et al:

If you are taking only Astro 120 then buy just The Solar System, which is Volume 1 of The Cosmic Perspective.
click for a bigger version
Or if you have an interest in other astronomical topics, you might want to buy the complete The Cosmic Perspective, as the complete version includes the contents of Volume 2 - Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology

click for a bigger version

Note: the "Media Update" version is okay, too.

To Prof. Martin Pohl's page

To Prof. Steven Kawaler's page

To ISU Astronomy