Date
|
Topic
|
Reading
|
Assignment
|
Mon, Aug 24th
|
Introduction; Learning Goals of Course
|
|
Course Topics, Expectations, Requirements
|
Wed, Aug 26th
|
Intro to Stars (distances and luminosities)
|
B Chapters 1 and 2.1
|
Read!
|
Fri, Aug 28th
|
Measuring Cosmic Distances
|
B Chapters 1 and 2.1
|
Read!
|
| Mon, Aug 31st |
Motion, Forces, Gravity, Orbits
|
B Chap 4
|
Homework #1 due (in class)
|
| Wed, Sept 2nd |
Orbits, Keplerian motion, Escape Velocity
|
B Chap 4
|
Read!
|
| Fri, Sept 4th |
Light and Matter
|
B Chap 5
|
Read!
|
| Mon, Sept 7th |
No class (Labor Day)
|
|
|
| Wed, Sept 9th |
Light, Color, and Spectra
|
B Chap 5
|
Read!
|
| Fri, Sept 11th |
Spectra and the Quantum Structure of Atoms
|
B Chap 5
|
Writing #1 due (in class)
|
| Wed, Sept 14th |
Telescopes; Detecting Light at all Wavelengths
|
B Chap 6
|
|
| Wed, Sept 16th |
EXAM #1 (Chaps 1, 2.1, 4, 5, 6)
|
|
In-class exam
|
| Fri, Sept 18th |
Our Sun: Structure, Nuclear Burning Processes (Fusion and Nuclear Energy)
|
B Chap 14
|
Read!
|
| Mon, Sept 21st |
The Sun as a Star (evolution, lifetime)
|
B Chap 14
|
Read!
|
| Wed, Sept 23rd |
Observed Properties of Stars (Star Clusters
and Stellar Associations)
|
B Chap 15
|
Read!
|
| Fri, Sept 25th |
Stellar Mass, Radius, Temperature, Color,
Luminosity (Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram)
|
B Chap 15
|
Homework #2 due (in class)
|
| Mon, Sept 28th |
Star Formation (from Interstellar Gas Clouds)
|
B Chap 16
| Read!
|
| Wed, Sept 30th |
Stellar Evolution and Advanced Stages of Nuclear Burning
|
B Chap 17
|
|
| Fri, Oct 2nd |
Endpoints of Stars' Lives (Red Giants,
Planetary Nebulae, Supernovae)
|
B Chap 17
|
Writing #2 due (in class)
|
| Mon, Oct 5th |
Bizarre Stellar Graveyard (White Dwarfs,
Neutron Stars, Black Holes)
|
B Chap 18
|
Read!
|
| Wed, Oct 7th |
Collapsed Stars: Pulsars, Gamma-Ray Bursts,
Stellar Black-Hole Binaries
|
B Chap 18
|
Read!
|
| Fri, Oct 9th |
EXAM #2 (Chaps 14-17)
|
|
In-class exam
|
| Mon, Oct 12th |
The Milky Way Galaxy |
B Chap 19
|
Read!
|
| Wed, Oct 14th |
The Galactic Eco-System |
B Chap 19
|
Read!
|
| Fri, Oct 16th |
The Galactic Center and its Supermassive Black Hole
|
B Chap 19
|
Read!
|
| Mon, Oct 19th |
External Galaxies in the Universe
|
B Chap 20
|
Homework #3 due (in class)
|
| Wed, Oct 21st |
Distances of Galaxies and Expanding Universe
|
B Chap 20
|
Read!
|
| Fri, Oct 23rd |
Hubble's Expansion Law and the Age of Universe
|
B Chap 20
|
Read!
|
| Mon, Oct 26th |
Galactic Structure
|
B Chap 21
|
Writing #3 due (in class)
|
| Wed, Oct 28th |
Galactic Evolution
|
B Chap 21
|
Read!
|
| Fri, Oct 30th |
Active Galactic Nuclei (Quasars and Supermassive Black Holes)
|
B Chap 21
|
Read!
|
| Mon, Nov 2nd |
Clusters of Galaxies and Large-Scale Structure
|
B Chap 21
|
Read!
|
| Wed, Nov 4th |
Class Discussion: Review of Galaxies
|
B Chaps 20-21
|
Come with Questions
|
| Fri, Nov 6th |
EXAM #3 (Chaps 19-21)
|
|
In-class exam
|
| Mon, Nov 9th |
The Origin of the Universe
|
B Chap 22
|
Read!
|
| Wed, Nov 11th |
Evidence for the Big Bang:
Cosmic Microwave Background, Nucleosynthesis, Hubble Expansion,
Evolution of High-Redshift Galaxies)
|
B Chap 22
|
Read!
|
| Fri, Nov 13th |
Fiske Planetarium Show
|
B Chap 22
|
Read!
|
| Mon, Nov 16th |
Matter and Energy Content of the Universe
|
B Chap 23
| Homework #4 due (in class)
|
| Wed, Nov 18th |
Accelerating Universe (Dark Matter and Dark Energy)
|
B Chap 23
|
Read!
|
| Fri, Nov 20th |
Class Discussion: Observations of the High-Redshift Universe
|
B Chap 23
|
Writing #4 due (in class)
|
| Mon, Nov 23rd |
No Class (Fall Break)
|
|
|
| Wed, Nov 25th |
No Class (Fall Break)
|
|
|
| Fri, Nov 27th |
No Class (Fall Break)
|
|
|
| Mon, Nov 30th |
Space and Time (Einstein's Special Relativity)
|
B Chap S2 (pages 398-416)
|
Read!
|
| Wed, Dec 2nd |
Spacetime and Gravity (Einstein's General Relativity)
|
B Chap S3 (pages 420-439)
|
Read!
|
| Fri, Dec 4th |
Building Blocks of the Universe (The Quantum
Revolution in Cosmology)
|
B Chap S4 (pages 443-458)
|
Homework #5 due (in class)
|
| Mon, Dec 7th |
Origin of the Universe (Inflationary Cosmology)
|
B Chap 22.3 (pages 657-661)
|
Read!
|
| Wed, Dec 9th |
Special Topics: Origin and Evolution of the Universe
|
Special Lecture
|
Writing #5 due (in class)
|
| Fri, Dec 11th |
Course Review (Last Class of Term)
|
|
Read!
|
Thur, Dec 17nd
|
FINAL (4:30-7:00 pm)
|
|
Enjoy Your Holiday Break!
|