Johnson, Erik

English

SPARK: Scholarship at Parkland | Parkland College

Parkland College
Astronomy Courses Natural Sciences Courses
2015
Astronomy 102 Stars, Galaxies, The Universe Fall
2015
Erik Johnson
Parkland College, ejohnson@parkland.edu
Open access to this Course Materials is brought to you by Parkland College's institutional repository, SPARK: Scholarship at Parkland. For more
information, please contact spark@parkland.edu.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Erik, "Astronomy 102 Stars, Galaxies, The Universe Fall 2015" (2015). Astronomy Courses. Paper 6.
http://spark.parkland.edu/ast_course/6
 
Astronomy 102 Stars, Galaxies, The Universe 2015 Fall 
 
Instructor: ​Erik Johnson ​Email: ​ejohnson@parkland.edu ​Phone: ​217­353­2096 
Office:​ L212 ​Observing hotline:​ 217­373­3782 ext. 6407# ​Observing texts:​ 815­683­6111 
 
Student contact hours:​ M 12 PM – 1 PM, T 10 AM – 1 PM, W 10 AM – 11 AM 
 
Course websites:  ​cobra.parkland.edu​ (assignments, announcements, quizzes, email) 
  bcs.whfreeman.com/deu5e​ (book companion site with animations, flashcards, practice quizzes) 
 
Textbook: ​Discovering the Essential Universe​ by Neil Comins, Sixth Edition (Fifth Edition is also acceptable) 
The textbook is available for purchase or rental in the bookstore, and the ebook is available for a 180­day rental at the 
bookstore or at ​macmillanhighered.com/launchpad/deu6e 
 
Clickers: We will use iClickers every day, and 10% of your overall grade will be based on using them. They may be used for                                               
several courses at Parkland and at other institutions. You may use the REEF Polling app as well. 
 
Lab packet: We've printed all the lab procedures and you can buy them at the bookstore. They are the cheapest way to                                           
print the procedures. Check the lab schedule and bring the appropriate procedure for each lab. 
  
Software:​ You will frequently use the free Stellarium planetarium software during this course. ​You must complete the 
tutorial by the end of the first lab​. Stellarium is available at​ stellarium.org​. 
 
Class room, days, and time: ​L146; Mon, Wed, Fri; 11:00­11:50 (001) or 1:00­1:50 (002) 
Lab room, day, and time: ​L146; Thu; 10:00­11:50 (001) or 1:00­2:50 (002) 
Final exam​: Dec 14 (Mon); 11:00­1:00 (001) or Dec 15 (Tue); 11:00­1:00 (002) 
 
Disabilities: ​If you believe you have a disability for which you may need an academic accommodation (e.g. an alternate                                     
testing environment, use of assistive technology or other classroom assistance), please contact: Cathy Robinson, Room                             
U260, 217­353­2082, ​crobinson@parkland.edu​. 
  
Courtesy: ​Do not bring food or drinks to the planetarium, and don’t turn on any lights when the dome is dark. Please set all                                               
cell phones to silent mode or off while you are in class. If you are concerned about possible emergencies, consider having                                         
people contact Public Safety (217­351­2369) on your behalf. 
  
Census date rosters and midterm: ​In the second week of class, I am required to assess your attendance. If you have                                         
not attended to that point, you will be dropped with no refund of tuition and fees. After this census date, you should not                                             
plan on an instructor withdrawal if you want to withdraw from the course. You are ultimately responsible for your own                                       
withdrawal by the withdrawal date. Non­attendance after the census date will result in a failing grade if you don't withdraw                                       
yourself. 
  
Veterans: ​I welcome student veterans of military service to join Student Veterans at Parkland (SVAP), a student group that                                     
meets Wednesdays at 3:00 PM in U299. For further information about veterans' issues, please contact Kristina Taylor,                                 
Financial Aid Advisor/Veterans Certifying Official, 217­351­2228 or ​ktaylor@parkland.edu ​or Lori Williams, Professor of                         
English/Student Veterans at Parkland Faculty Advisor, 217­373­3792 or ​lwilliams@parkland.edu​. 
  
Addenda: Please access Cobra to view the college­wide policies, which contain invaluable information to help you succeed                                 
at Parkland. Go to ​cobra.parkland.edu/shared/shared%20content%20files/syllabus_addendum.html​. 
 
Study groups: ​You are encouraged to work with other students on assignments, but all submitted answers must be in your                                       
own words, and each student must submit his/her own assignment. 
 
Email: ​Email is probably the quickest way to contact your instructors. I will often email you through your Cobra account, but                                         
you can forward those emails to another account of your choice. All assignments, labs, etc. must be submitted into the                                       
specific submissions dropbox for each assignment on Cobra in order to get credit for the assignment. 
 
 
   
 
Astronomy 102 Stars, Galaxies, The Universe 2015 Fall 
 
Grading: 900­1000 points A Pre­ and Post­Assessment and Syllabus Quiz: 15 points 
800­899 points B Quizzes (40 points each, seven): 280 points 
700­799 points C Participation (clickers and attendance): 100 points 
600­699 points D Lab Activities (20 points each, 13 of 14): 260 points 
0­599 points F Sky Drills (five points each, two): 10 points 
or < 60% (< 156 points) on labs Sky Quizzes (20 points each, two): 40 points 
  Observing session and report: 80 points 
  Course Project: 85 points 
  Final Exam: 130 points 
  Total: 1000 points 
  
Pre­ and post­course assessments: ​You must complete a thirty­question, multiple­choice quiz on Cobra within the first                               
couple days of class. It is ungraded, and you will receive five points upon completion of the assignment. You will also have a                                             
post­course assessment available with similar grading guidelines. 
 
Syllabus quiz: ​To ensure you have read through the syllabus, you must also pass the syllabus quiz to access certain                                       
portions of the course. You may take the quiz multiple times in the first week to ensure you know the material and earn all                                               
five points. 
  
Quizzes and final exam: ​There will be seven quizzes throughout the semester and will be taken on Cobra. You are given                                         
two chances to take each of the seven unit quizzes. Your total grade will be the average of the two quizzes, but you may                                               
choose to take the quiz once. You must take each quiz before the deadline, or your grade will be a zero. The quizzes cover                                               
the recent class material, while the final exam is cumulative. The date for the final exam is on the first page. 
 
Participation: ​Participation will be worth 100 points and is based on punctual attendance and using the iClicker. Your                                   
iClicker activity will be scored based on answering questions, not answering them correctly. If a student is late more than                                       
twice, it will be marked as an absence. If a student falls asleep or is repeatedly texting, they are not mentally present and                                             
may be counted as absent. ​Three or more unexcused absences will result in a 20 point deduction. 
  
Laboratory activities: ​Lab activities occur only one day a week, and can’t be made up. However, the lowest score of your                                         
labs will be dropped. The ​Lab Procedures​ have more information and will be covered in your first lab. 
 
Sky drills and sky quizzes: ​YouYou will be quizzed on constellations, asterisms, and other sky objects in the planetarium                                     
based on a provided list of ​objects​. A drill session will be given during class to prepare you for each Sky Quiz. Attendance at                                               
each drill is worth five points. Dates for these drills and quizzes are given in the schedule and on the Sky Quizzes page.                                             
Optional extra or make­up practices will be held and are also listed on the Sky Quizzes page. 
 
Constellation project: ​A research project will be completed during the semester. The project is worth 85 points. The                                   
project involves studying the stars contained within a certain constellation. It will include analysis of the data you collect, and                                       
a comprehensive poster. Here are the ​details​ of the project. 
  
Observing session: ​Stellarium is a wonderful tool, but nothing can compare to the real night sky. You will receive 60 points                                         
for simply attending the observation, ​but you will not receive any points until you submit a typed report about the session​.                                         
The report is worth 20 points, should contain at least 800 words, and must be turned in within one week of the observing                                             
session. The report should include a description of the observing conditions, a summary of what you did during the session,                                       
a description of each object observed, and a definition of each type of object observed (i.e. if you observe a planetary                                         
nebula, write a definition of a planetary nebula). 
 
The observing session takes place at the CUAS Observatory, about 20 minutes’ drive from Parkland. You will be required to                                       
sign up for the session you wish to attend. Dates and times for these observations will be provided in class and on Cobra.                                             
These are scheduled between the last quarter and new moon phases. See the ​Observing Schedule page for more                                   
information. All observing sessions are "weather permitting." Contact the hotline or me via text before coming to the session.                                     
Check the location on ​Google Maps​ as well. 
  
 
 
   
 
Astronomy 102 Stars, Galaxies, The Universe 2015 Fall 
 
Extra credit opportunities this semester (also listed on the ​website​): 
Saturday Physics for Everyone​ lecture every other Saturday at 10:15 AM, check the schedule for astronomy topics 
World of Science​ lecture first Friday of the month at 7:00 PM, check the schedule for astronomy topics 
Staerkel Planetarium​ shows Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PM all semester 
Prairie Skies​ shows at Staerkel Planetarium Fridays at 7:00 PM all semester 
Family Skywatch​ at CUAS Observatory on Saturdays around the first quarter Moon at 19:30 
Feel free to ask me about other potentially eligible events. 
 
Tentative Schedule: 
 
Week  Sections  Topics  Special Notes  Lab (*laptops) 
8/24  1­1 – 1­5; 1­11  The Night Sky  Planetarium (F)  Stellarium Tutorial* 
8/31  1­1 – 1­5; 
2­1 
Motion of Stars;  
Scientific Method 
  Stars of the Seasons* 
9/7  3­1 – 3­11  Light; Telescopes  Quiz 1  Scientific Method* 
9/14  3­12 – 3­18  Atoms; Spectra  Project Introduction (M); 
Planetarium (F) 
Telescopes 
9/21  9­1 – 9­10  The Sun  Quiz 2; ​Project part 1 due​ (M); 
Sky Drill #1 (F) 
Spectra 
9/28  10­1 – 10­3  Magnitude and Distance  Quiz 3; ​Sky Quiz #1 (F)  Solar Observing 
10/5  10­4 – 10­12  Stellar Spectra; 
Luminosity; HR Diagram 
Project part 2 due (M)  Stellar Parallax and Proper 
Motion* 
10/12  11­1 – 11­8  Nebulae: Stellar 
Birthplaces 
Sky Drill #2 (W)  Properties of Stars 
10/19  11­9 – 11­15  Stellar Lifespans and 
Deaths 
Quiz 4; 
Sky Quiz #2 (F) 
Project Part 3​* 
10/26   12­1 – 12­10  Supernovae    Distance to the Pleiades 
11/2  12­11 – 12­18  Black Holes  Quiz 5  Ages of Star Clusters 
11/9  13­1 – 13­7  The Milky Way    Monster of the Milky Way* 
11/16  13­8 – 13­18  Other Galaxies and 
Redshift 
Quiz 6; ​Project analysis due (M)  Distance to Galaxies 
11/23  13­19 – 13­23  Quasars and Active 
Galaxies 
   
11/30  14­1 – 14­15  Big Bang Theory  Project poster due (M);  
Poster session (W) 
Hubble Law 
12/7  15­1 – 15­6  Exobiology  Quiz 7  Life in the Universe* 
12/14      Final Exam:​ 11:00 Monday (001) or 
11:00 Tuesday (002) 
 
 
 


Astronomy 102 Stars, Galaxies, The Universe Fall 2015

Scholarship at Parkland

Parkland CollegeAstronomy Courses Natural Sciences Courses2015Astronomy 102 Stars, Galaxies, The Universe Fall2015Erik JohnsonParkland College, ejohnson@parkland.eduOpen access to this Course Materials is brought to you by Parkland College's institutional repository, SPARK: Scholarship at Parkland. For moreinformation, please contact spark@parkland.edu.Recommended CitationJohnson, Erik, "Astronomy 102 Stars, Galaxies, The Universe Fall 2015" (2015). Astronomy Courses. Paper 6.http://spark.parkland.edu/ast_course/6 Astronomy 102 Stars, Galaxies, The Universe 2015 Fall  Instructor: ​Erik Johnson ​Email: ​ejohnson@parkland.edu ​Phone: ​217­353­2096 Office:​ L212 ​Observing hotline:​ 217­373­3782 ext. 6407# ​Observing texts:​ 815­683­6111  Student contact hours:​ M 12 PM – 1 PM, T 10 AM – 1 PM, W 10 AM – 11 AM  Course websites:  ​cobra.parkland.edu​ (assignments, announcements, quizzes, email)   bcs.whfreeman.com/deu5e​ (book companion site with animations, flashcards, practice quizzes)  Textbook: ​Discovering the Essential Universe​ by Neil Comins, Sixth Edition (Fifth Edition is also acceptable) The textbook is available for purchase or rental in the bookstore, and the ebook is available for a 180­day rental at the bookstore or at ​macmillanhighered.com/launchpad/deu6e  Clickers: We will use iClickers every day, and 10% of your overall grade will be based on using them. They may be used for                                               several courses at Parkland and at other institutions. You may use the REEF Polling app as well.  Lab packet: We've printed all the lab procedures and you can buy them at the bookstore. They are the cheapest way to                                           print the procedures. Check the lab schedule and bring the appropriate procedure for each lab.   Software:​ You will frequently use the free Stellarium planetarium software during this course. ​You must complete the tutorial by the end of the first lab​. Stellarium is available at​ stellarium.org​.  Class room, days, and time: ​L146; Mon, Wed, Fri; 11:00­11:50 (001) or 1:00­1:50 (002) Lab room, day, and time: ​L146; Thu; 10:00­11:50 (001) or 1:00­2:50 (002) Final exam​: Dec 14 (Mon); 11:00­1:00 (001) or Dec 15 (Tue); 11:00­1:00 (002)  Disabilities: ​If you believe you have a disability for which you may need an academic accommodation (e.g. an alternate                                     testing environment, use of assistive technology or other classroom assistance), please contact: Cathy Robinson, Room                             U260, 217­353­2082, ​crobinson@parkland.edu​.   Courtesy: ​Do not bring food or drinks to the planetarium, and don’t turn on any lights when the dome is dark. Please set all                                               cell phones to silent mode or off while you are in class. If you are concerned about possible emergencies, consider having                                         people contact Public Safety (217­351­2369) on your behalf.   Census date rosters and midterm: ​In the second week of class, I am required to assess your attendance. If you have                                         not attended to that point, you will be dropped with no refund of tuition and fees. After this census date, you should not                                             plan on an instructor withdrawal if you want to withdraw from the course. You are ultimately responsible for your own                                       withdrawal by the withdrawal date. Non­attendance after the census date will result in a failing grade if you don't withdraw                                       yourself.   Veterans: ​I welcome student veterans of military service to join Student Veterans at Parkland (SVAP), a student group that                                     meets Wednesdays at 3:00 PM in U299. For further information about veterans' issues, please contact Kristina Taylor,                                 Financial Aid Advisor/Veterans Certifying Official, 217­351­2228 or ​ktaylor@parkland.edu ​or Lori Williams, Professor of                         English/Student Veterans at Parkland Faculty Advisor, 217­373­3792 or ​lwilliams@parkland.edu​.   Addenda: Please access Cobra to view the college­wide policies, which contain invaluable information to help you succeed                                 at Parkland. Go to ​cobra.parkland.edu/shared/shared%20content%20files/syllabus_addendum.html​.  Study groups: ​You are encouraged to work with other students on assignments, but all submitted answers must be in your                                       own words, and each student must submit his/her own assignment.  Email: ​Email is probably the quickest way to contact your instructors. I will often email you through your Cobra account, but                                         you can forward those emails to another account of your choice. All assignments, labs, etc. must be submitted into the                                       specific submissions dropbox for each assignment on Cobra in order to get credit for the assignment.       Astronomy 102 Stars, Galaxies, The Universe 2015 Fall  Grading: 900­1000 points A Pre­ and Post­Assessment and Syllabus Quiz: 15 points 800­899 points B Quizzes (40 points each, seven): 280 points 700­799 points C Participation (clickers and attendance): 100 points 600­699 points D Lab Activities (20 points each, 13 of 14): 260 points 0­599 points F Sky Drills (five points each, two): 10 points or < 60% (< 156 points) on labs Sky Quizzes (20 points each, two): 40 points   Observing session and report: 80 points   Course Project: 85 points   Final Exam: 130 points   Total: 1000 points   Pre­ and post­course assessments: ​You must complete a thirty­question, multiple­choice quiz on Cobra within the first                               couple days of class. It is ungraded, and you will receive five points upon completion of the assignment. You will also have a                                             post­course assessment available with similar grading guidelines.  Syllabus quiz: ​To ensure you have read through the syllabus, you must also pass the syllabus quiz to access certain                                       portions of the course. You may take the quiz multiple times in the first week to ensure you know the material and earn all                                               five points.   Quizzes and final exam: ​There will be seven quizzes throughout the semester and will be taken on Cobra. You are given                                         two chances to take each of the seven unit quizzes. Your total grade will be the average of the two quizzes, but you may                                               choose to take the quiz once. You must take each quiz before the deadline, or your grade will be a zero. The quizzes cover                                               the recent class material, while the final exam is cumulative. The date for the final exam is on the first page.  Participation: ​Participation will be worth 100 points and is based on punctual attendance and using the iClicker. Your                                   iClicker activity will be scored based on answering questions, not answering them correctly. If a student is late more than                                       twice, it will be marked as an absence. If a student falls asleep or is repeatedly texting, they are not mentally present and                                             may be counted as absent. ​Three or more unexcused absences will result in a 20 point deduction.   Laboratory activities: ​Lab activities occur only one day a week, and can’t be made up. However, the lowest score of your                                         labs will be dropped. The ​Lab Procedures​ have more information and will be covered in your first lab.  Sky drills and sky quizzes: ​YouYou will be quizzed on constellations, asterisms, and other sky objects in the planetarium                                     based on a provided list of ​objects​. A drill session will be given during class to prepare you for each Sky Quiz. Attendance at                                               each drill is worth five points. Dates for these drills and quizzes are given in the schedule and on the Sky Quizzes page.                                             Optional extra or make­up practices will be held and are also listed on the Sky Quizzes page.  Constellation project: ​A research project will be completed during the semester. The project is worth 85 points. The                                   project involves studying the stars contained within a certain constellation. It will include analysis of the data you collect, and                                       a comprehensive poster. Here are the ​details​ of the project.   Observing session: ​Stellarium is a wonderful tool, but nothing can compare to the real night sky. You will receive 60 points                                         for simply attending the observation, ​but you will not receive any points until you submit a typed report about the session​.                                         The report is worth 20 points, should contain at least 800 words, and must be turned in within one week of the observing                                             session. The report should include a description of the observing conditions, a summary of what you did during the session,                                       a description of each object observed, and a definition of each type of object observed (i.e. if you observe a planetary                                         nebula, write a definition of a planetary nebula).  The observing session takes place at the CUAS Observatory, about 20 minutes’ drive from Parkland. You will be required to                                       sign up for the session you wish to attend. Dates and times for these observations will be provided in class and on Cobra.                                             These are scheduled between the last quarter and new moon phases. See the ​Observing Schedule page for more                                   information. All observing sessions are "weather permitting." Contact the hotline or me via text before coming to the session.                                     Check the location on ​Google Maps​ as well.         Astronomy 102 Stars, Galaxies, The Universe 2015 Fall  Extra credit opportunities this semester (also listed on the ​website​): Saturday Physics for Everyone​ lecture every other Saturday at 10:15 AM, check the schedule for astronomy topics World of Science​ lecture first Friday of the month at 7:00 PM, check the schedule for astronomy topics Staerkel Planetarium​ shows Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PM all semester Prairie Skies​ shows at Staerkel Planetarium Fridays at 7:00 PM all semester Family Skywatch​ at CUAS Observatory on Saturdays around the first quarter Moon at 19:30 Feel free to ask me about other potentially eligible events.  Tentative Schedule:  Week  Sections  Topics  Special Notes  Lab (*laptops) 8/24  1­1 – 1­5; 1­11  The Night Sky  Planetarium (F)  Stellarium Tutorial* 8/31  1­1 – 1­5; 2­1 Motion of Stars;  Scientific Method   Stars of the Seasons* 9/7  3­1 – 3­11  Light; Telescopes  Quiz 1  Scientific Method* 9/14  3­12 – 3­18  Atoms; Spectra  Project Introduction (M); Planetarium (F) Telescopes 9/21  9­1 – 9­10  The Sun  Quiz 2; ​Project part 1 due​ (M); Sky Drill #1 (F) Spectra 9/28  10­1 – 10­3  Magnitude and Distance  Quiz 3; ​Sky Quiz #1 (F)  Solar Observing 10/5  10­4 – 10­12  Stellar Spectra; Luminosity; HR Diagram Project part 2 due (M)  Stellar Parallax and Proper Motion* 10/12  11­1 – 11­8  Nebulae: Stellar Birthplaces Sky Drill #2 (W)  Properties of Stars 10/19  11­9 – 11­15  Stellar Lifespans and Deaths Quiz 4; Sky Quiz #2 (F) Project Part 3​* 10/26   12­1 – 12­10  Supernovae    Distance to the Pleiades 11/2  12­11 – 12­18  Black Holes  Quiz 5  Ages of Star Clusters 11/9  13­1 – 13­7  The Milky Way    Monster of the Milky Way* 11/16  13­8 – 13­18  Other Galaxies and Redshift Quiz 6; ​Project analysis due (M)  Distance to Galaxies 11/23  13­19 – 13­23  Quasars and Active Galaxies    11/30  14­1 – 14­15  Big Bang Theory  Project poster due (M);  Poster session (W) Hubble Law 12/7  15­1 – 15­6  Exobiology  Quiz 7  Life in the Universe* 12/14      Final Exam:​ 11:00 Monday (001) or 11:00 Tuesday (002)    

https://spark.parkland.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&amp;context=ast_course

Astronomy 102 Stars, Galaxies, The Universe Fall 2015

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