ASTR 211 -- all sections

ASTR 211/211A, ASTR 211/111A

Prof. Rosenfeld, Instructors Page & Overcash

See your Prof. as soon as possible for a contract if you did not take ASTR 111 on this campus

OBJECTIVE:

1.   1.Students will be able to successfully answer over 80% of questions Students will be able to successfully answer over 80% of questions, based upon additional the material you cover in this course, posed on the following:

a.          Scientific description of the night sky and how time determines what is visible.

b.          The physical laws that determine the orbits of the planets and who, when, and how these laws were determined

c.          The nature of light and descriptions of telescopes.

d.          The methods used to determine the nature of stars and their distances.

2.     Students will successfully complete at least five of the remaining two-hour or three-hour laboratories related to the listed objectives of the course.

3.    Exact requirements for grades are given in the syllabus

GOALS:

1.     Students, building on their understanding from ASTR 111, will continue to improve their understanding of the nature of astronomy as a science and the distinction among science, pseudoscience and non-science.

2.     Students will more deeply understand how physical laws were discovered

And how this knowledge has enabled astronomers to construct a worldview of the nature of the universe.

3.     Students will understand astronomerÕs current construct of the universe from the Earth, through the solar system, our galaxy and the distant universe. They will also understand the methods used.

 

4.     Students will more deeply understand astronomerÕs current construct of the universe from the Earth, through the solar system, our galaxy and the distant universe. They will also understand the methods used.

Materials needed – you may have them all from ASTR 111

TEXT:

DISCOVERING ASTRONOMY—USC   SHAWL, LoPRESTO, SAFKO  4TH

STUDY GUIDE:

SELF-PACED STUDY GUIDE AND LABORATORY EXERCISES IN ASTRONOMY, J. L. Safko, 11th Ed.

CALCULATOR

needed for laboratories -- (one with logs and trig functions — such as TI 25X or better is required)

SYLLABUS:

This handout

EMAIL ADDRESS

An email address at which you read mail sent to username@mailbox.sc.edu

STUDENT ID

You must have a USC Student ID with you at all times in the Astronomy Center.
I. INFORMATION THAT IS COMMON TO ALL TERMS

Astronomy 211 is  a continuation of Astronomy 111. Since you should know the course rules and procedures, there are no class meetings scheduled. (Transfer students should see the instructor as soon as possible.)  Continue using the same text and study guide you used in ASTR 111. If you no longer have these, use the text and study guide list above. The last page of this syllabus gives the number of units required. You must use different units than you used for the ASTR 111 grade. Extra units completed will count towards 311 if you are enrolled in the next term.  Partly completed units (masteries) will not carry over.

NOTE:  Any of units 1-7 and 44 not listed as previously used must be completed as part of your 211 requirements.

Only units listed on the AVAILABLE FOR CREDIT line of the progress screen count towards your grade for the term.

OBSERVATORY

The optical observatory with its 40 cm reflector is open to the general public Monday evenings (weather permitting) 8:30-10:30 EST (9:30-11:00  EDT).  You are welcome to drop in anytime during these hours.  Units 49/50 and 60 require activities at the Observatory on nights other than Monday, and Units 55 and 59 require daytime activities at the Observatory.  The schedule of Observatory sessions will be posted in the hall outside of room 007C. You may sign up for observatory units at http://boson.physics.sc.edu/~melton/.   Units 49, 50, 55, 59, and 60 do NOT count as laboratories.

LABORATORIES

Astronomy is a laboratory science for either 3 or 4 hours credit. If you take a unit which has a laboratory listed as part of its mastery, you must do the laboratory to receive credit for the unit, no matter what your enrollment. Some of the advanced laboratory units (9, 24, 27, 30, 58, 16, 39-43) are required for a grade of C or better. We will start offering these labs around midterm. Any of these laboratories done in ASTR 111 will reduce the lab (but not your Unit) requirements in ASTR 211 on a one-for-one basis. Contact your instructor if you have questions. We will offer lab sections during the last half term. You can sign up and reserve a seat for the labs as was offered in ASTR 111. These labs will meet weekly S-Th. for 5 days and do the laboratories 9, 24, 27, 30, 58. A few early labs MAY be offered during the first half of the term — check the notice board to see. Lab16 and 39-43,will be offered only a few times during the term. Please remember what happened last term -- don't wait until the last days to try to do all your labs. Any of the advanced laboratory units (9, 24, 27, 30, 58, 16, 39-43) done in ASTR 111 will reduce the number of laboratories needed for 211 even if they were used for your 111 grade. However, if they were used for the 111 grade, they will only count towards the number of laboratory units needed but will not count as units for your grade. Before each laboratory meeting, you must pass a brief, simple prelab showing that you are familiar with the terminology of the laboratory experiment. This prelab may be taken in the EV room anytime during the week preceding the laboratory. It will have 6 questions, with 4 correct responses needed for credit. Do not wait until just before your scheduled laboratory to attempt the prelab. Evidence of prelab mastery will be verified on our computer system you are permitted to do your laboratory. YOU MUST BRING A PENCIL, CALCULATOR, AND LAB SHEETS TO ALL LABS. You will be asked to leave the lab if you do not have those items with you.

Incompletes

Incompletes are given only for UNANTICIPATED illness, accident, family or work related responsibility. Requests must be in writing, in detail, and clearly explain how the circumstances fit the eligibility requirements.  It must be submitted no later than reading day and must be submitted to your instructor in person.  A request will not be considered if you did not show proportional progress towards a passing grade during that portion of the term not covered by your exigency.  If your college permits, these courses may be taken on a pass/fail option.  A grade of D or better is a satisfactory grade. See your dean's office for permission forms.  Your instructor does not sign the request form.  Print the instructor's name in the space on the form. Do not contact the instructor. 

 

Additional supporting material is on the WEB at

http://astro.physics.sc.edu, http://spastro.physics.sc.edu/

GO TO http://astro.physics.sc.edu to get

Syllabi

Copies of Units 56,57,59,60

Access astronomical images

General information(staff photos etc.)

 

GO TO http://spastro.physics.sc.edu to get

Laboratory schedules

Reserve laboratory space

Check your progress

Information on center hours, special events, sample questions

 

USC Code of Academic Responsibility

It is the responsibility of every student at the University of South Carolina to adhere steadfastly to truthfulness and to avoid dishonesty, fraud, or deceit of any type in connection with any academic program.  Any student who violates this rule or who knowingly assists another to violate this rule shall be subject to discipline.  The discipline referred to in the above is separate from any grade penalty that we may impose (Usually an F and cancellation of all the work done for the term).

GRADING SYSTEM — ASTR 211/211A or 211/111A

FOR CREDIT UNITS MUST APPEAR ON THE PROGRESS SHEET ON THE LINE
ŌAVAILABLE FOR CREDITĶ.

Any of the units 1-7 missing on the previously used posting must be completed as part of ASTR 211. They will count as units, but do not count as List Y units.

3 hours (ASTR 211)

 

Grade

Required Units

Total Units

A

5 from List Y + 2 from List X

15

B+

5 from List Y + 1 from List X

14

B

5 from List Y

12

C+

5 from List Y

11

C

5 from List Y

9

D+

5 from List Y

8

D

5 from List Y

6

 

The difference between required and total units may be chosen from any other units that are available -- provided the unit has not been previously used.

 

List X: Review Units 11, 15, 21, 25, 29, 33

List Y: Laboratory Units (9, 24, 27, 30, 58, 16, 39, 40, 41, 42,
               43) Units on this list done in ASTR 111 will reduce the
               number of List Y units needed in ASTR 211

4 hours (ASTR 211/211A or 211/111A)

 

Grades

Required Units

Total Units

A/A

5 from List Y + 2 from List X

20

A/B

5 from List Y + 2 from List X

19

B+/A

5 from List Y +1 from List X

18

B+/B

5 from List Y + 1 from List X

17

B/B

5 from List Y

16

B/C

5 from List Y

15

C+/B

5 from List Y

14

C+/C

5 from List Y

13

C/C

5 from List Y

12

C/D

5 from List Y

11

D+/C

5 from List Y

10

D+/D

5 from List Y

9

D/D

5 from List Y

8

 

*Please note, if you do not take some observatory units throughout the semester you may have to take more than the required review units to obtain the total units desired for an A/A

 

II. INFORMATION FOR THE CURRENT TERM

IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES – Fall 2008

21-22 Aug.

Choose laboratory time -- before first lab meeting

24 Aug.

Center opens for EVÕs and ASTR 111 Laboratories start meeting

31 Aug.-1 Sept.

Center closed for Labor Day Holiday

5-17 Sept..

Planetarium lectures – Unit 51 credit – choose one – only offers for the term.  Schedule posted.

5 Sept.

1st Milestone. Unit 1 must be mastered by this date -- you are advised to drop the course if you cannot master the first unit by this date.

26 Sept.

2nd Milestone. Mastery of at least three of the required units(not counting unit 1) or a mastery of an equivalent combination of partial units(labs or masteries will each count as 1/2 unit for this purpose) by this date.

2 Oct.

DROP DATE -- Students in 111 who have not mastered at least: Unit 1 and a total of 3 Units from 2-7  are strongly urged to withdraw (Labs or masteries will each count as 1/2 unit for this purpose).  Students in 211 or 311 should have completed 3 units.  Students in 1 or 2 hours should have completed at least one unit per hour.

8 Oct.

Schedule of makeup labs for Units 2-7 and advanced (211/311) lab schedule available on the WEB. Signup within one week after prelab.

9 Oct..

Midpoint of semester — use grading information to calculate your midterm grade.  One-half the work needed for a passing grade is considered satisfactory for midterm.  Evidence of attendance for Unit 51 must be submitted by this date.

9-12 Oct.

Center Closed for Fall Break

17 Oct.

111 Labs finish basic cycle.  Bonus Unit 54 if all 111 Labs completed by closing

19 Oct.

211 Labs and 111 makeup labs begin

4 Nov.

Center Closed for Election Day(Go Vote!)

26-30 Nov.

Center Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday

26 Nov.

Deadline for Incomplete Request

3 Dec.

211 Labs complete cycle

3 Dec.

Last offers of makeupÕs for all labs Not all labs available this or the preceding week.

5 Dec.

Last day to attempt test. Center closes for term at usual hour -- requests for Incompletes must be in. You should check your progress before the center closes and report any errors in recording your work.

6 Dec.

Final grades should be posted by noon on the wall outside the center entrance – Not on the WEB

NUMBER OF TRIES PER DAY

You may take as many different units per day as desired; however, you may attempt any given Unit or PreLab only two (2) times per day with at least a 30 min. study period between tries. After 4 attempts on any of Units 1-7 you should bring your lists of missed objectives to your instructor or a senior student staff member and about the unit.  (Staff in the EV can help only if the center is not busy.)  After discussing your problems you may make additional attempts.

CELL PHONES MUST BE TURNED OFF IN ASTRO CENTER.