Astronomy 111: Observational Astronomy Laboratory
Course Syllabus, Spring 2007
Section 0101: Tuesdays, 7:30-9:30pm
Section 0102: Wednesdays, 7:30-9:30pm
Meeting locations
(1) UMD observatory, Metzerott Road
(2) CSS 0201
(3) CSS 1220
(4) CSS 1109
Instructor: Megan DeCesar
Office: CSS 0224A
Office phone: 301-405-5096
Email:
Course website: www.astro.umd.edu/~astr100/astr111
Textbook: There is no course textbook. Instead, you should print the labs before coming to class each week. They will be available at www.astro.umd.edu/~astr100/astr111. I will be modifying the labs as we go, mostly according to weather, so please wait for an email from me before printing out the lab for a given week.
Also required: Night Sky Planisphere – will be provided for you
Class description, from the UM Testudo website:
Corequisite: ASTR100. Not open to students who have completed ASTR101. Credit will be granted for only one of the following: ASTR111 or ASTR101. Two hours of laboratory per week. Single evening laboratory projects plus semester-long observing projects involving work both in and out of class. Lunar surface features; the nighttime sky; changing positions of sun, moon, planets; stellar spectra; observations of stars and nebulae in our galaxy. CORE Physical Science Laboratory (PL) Course only when taken concurrently with ASTR 100.
My addition: I will try to have a logical order to the labs, so that you've hopefully learned the material in lecture prior to doing them in lab. I do not plan to work directly with ASTR100, however. I hope to teach you some enjoyable aspects of astronomy, like finding the constellations, as well as to show you some of what “real” astronomers do.
Grading: 85% Labs and pre-lab quizzes
– There will be 13 labs worth 100 points each. Points will be awarded for completion, attendance, participation, and correctness/thoroughness of answers which demonstrate your understanding of the material.
– We may have a quiz at the beginning of lab if I have assigned any pre-lab reading. You must be present when the quiz is given to receive credit. They will typically be worth 10-20 points.
– The lowest lab grade will be dropped.
15% Observing Project, due Friday, December 1
– This will be an individual observing project, which you will have to work on throughout the semester. Start early – you want to be sure to take advantage of as many clear nights as you can.
90-100% A
80-89% B
70-79% C
60-69% D
0-59% F
Extra credit: You will receive 10 points extra credit each time you attend Open House lectures at the UM Observatory. These lectures are held on the 5th and 20th of each month. They are given by professional astronomers, usually last 30-45 minutes, and are followed by telescope observing if the sky is clear. Go to www.astro.umd.edu/openhouse for details and observing dates.
Attendance Policy: Attendance is required, as attendance and participation are part of your lab grade. Please be here on time every week! If you know that you will be absent, contact me as soon as possible, and we will try to work something out. Except in the case of an emergency, you must tell me about your absence BEFORE your lab. The best way to contact me about this is through email.
Academic Integrity: You are certainly encouraged to work with partners, being this is a lab course. While you may talk with your partner to develop ideas, I expect the work you turn in to be your own. This means: 1) Do not copy anything, be it from your partner or your book, and 2) Do not let anyone copy from you. The best way to avoid academic dishonesty is to answer questions in your own words. (You may quote and cite textbooks in very small amounts, but the brunt of your answers must be in your own words.) Suspected acts of academic dishonesty may be brought to the Honor Council. A full definition of academic dishonesty and the consequences thereof can be found at www.studenthonorcouncil.umd.edu/code.html.
In case of poor weather: If we are scheduled to meet at the observatory and the weather is bad (ex. rain, snow, or completely overcast skies), we will be forced to do alternate labs. Whenever possible, I will email the whole class by 2pm if the lab location has changed due to bad weather. But whether you hear from me or not, if it is overcast and raining/snowing when you are on your way to lab, come to CSS 0201 regardless of where we were scheduled to meet.
Directions to the Observatory (from www.astro.umd.edu/openhouse): The Observatory is located on Metzerott Road between Adelphi Road and University Blvd in College Park. From the beltway (I-495) take the College Park/Route 1 exit. You will head south on Route 1 for about a mile until you see a sign for 193 West. You want to get on 193 West. The first light you come to will be Metzerott Road. Take a right onto Metzerott Road. Once on Metzerott, you will go through a stop light and the observatory is about a quarter of a mile on the left side of the road after the stop light. Our entrance is slightly hidden, but you should slow down to turn left as soon as you pass a large "System Administration" sign. The observatory is almost directly across the street from the UM System Administration (3300 Metzerott Road).
Transportation to the Observatory: I suggest that you carpool. You can also take the Powder Mill Village Shuttle-UM; it leaves at 6:15 from Regents Drive, and stops along Metzerott Road. See the full schedule at http://www.transportation.umd.edu/pdf/PowderMillVillage.pdf. You can also call NITE Ride at 301-314-NITE (6483) if you have no other way to get home. However, they've been unreliable in the past, so it's best to use them only if there's no other option. Of course, I won't leave you stranded out there – I'll drive you home if need be!
Lab Schedule (subject to change!)