INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY: ASTRO 014-20171515 (FALL 2013)

Instructor: Dr. Celso Batalha ([email protected])

Course Starts: 09/03/2013 - Course Ends: 12/19/2013
Instructor: Batalha, Celso PhD
Office: AC231
Office Hours: M, 7:00 AM to 8:30 AM, in AC231
T,W,Th, 7:00 AM to 7:30 AM in AC231
T,Th, 11:30 AM to 1:45 PM in AD141 (Math and Science
Resource Center)
M, 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM at cccconfer.org (this is online. See
web address and access code below)
Office Telephone: x 6580
E-mail: [email protected] (best way to reach me)
Required Book Understanding our Universe Palen, Kay, Smith,
Blumenthal. The paper version of Understanding can be purchased in
the bookstore. An online ebook version valid for one year can be
purchased at http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?Id=24300.
Students are not required to purchase Smartwork (series of multiple choice
questions and animations) but I recommend if you want to spend some
extra dollars and improve your learning.
Mandatory Orientation: Online. Students are required to attend online
orientation to familiarize with the course management system (moodle).
Links to all required work will be shown therein. Enrolled students must
attend ONE of the suggested online orientation sessions, OR the face to
face orientation on Tuesday, September 3 at 4:00 PM in room LE232.
Students not attending any of the suggested orientations will be dropped
off the class roster during face to face orientation (September 3 4:00
PM) and replaced by student in the waiting list.

Course Description: Astro 14 - Solar System Astronomy is an

introductory course in general astronomy of the Solar System for nonscience majors. It describes planetary evolution and introduces main
results of current space missions to several objects in our solar system.
Additional topics include a complete and updated inventory of our solar
system and a description of planet formation, asteroids, Kuiper belt objects
and comets in general. Special attention is given to the physical
characteristics of planets and their orbiting satellites, and the search for
extraterrestrial life. This course satisfies the requirement for a general
education course in Physical Science without lab, and is fully transferrable
to CSU and UC.

Learning Outcomes: I do not expect that you became an expert on the

subjects outlined in the Course Description item above. I do expect that
you educate yourself on few astronomical topics, enabling you to express
an opinion about those topics long after the course is ended. My goals are
that you:
1. Identify the Different Steps of the Scientific Method Employed in the
Development and Testing of Astronomical Theories
2. Explain the Physical Processes Governing Astronomical Cycles in our
Solar System
3. Describe Astronomical Techniques Used to Estimate Chemical
Abundances, Surface Temperatures, and the Age of Planetary Bodies
4. Describe Chemical Differentiation and Explain how it occurs in Different
Planetary Bodies
5. Explain the Different Aspects of Volcanism in Terrestrial Planets and
Jovian Satellites
6. Describe the Outer and Interior Regions of the Sun, Planets and Main
Satellites
7. Outline the Processes Governing Energy Production at the Suns Interior
8. Describe Scientific Theories Explaining the Origin of Life in the Solar
System

Moodle This class is online and Moodle is our course management

system. You are required to check Moodle for updates in class grades,
homework assignments and general announcements. Students not making
use of Moodle will not access current class grades, online quizzes,
homeworks, and class lecture notes.
To access Moodle, type the address:
https://moodle.sjeccd.edu
You are taken to the Moodle entry login page. Enter your personal
information by typing your username and password. The username is the
first two letters of your first name, plus the first two letters of your last
name, plus the last four digits of your student id number (not the social
security number). The default password for all students is Changeme1
(all in lower case except C). You will be required to change the
Changeme1 password to one of your choice.

Daily Login on Moodle is required: I expect you to work steadily and

independently on one chapter every week. I will interact over the internet,
but success in this course depends mostly on your steadiness and
independent efforts. Poor academic performance is correlated with the
lack of interest and/or participation in class activities. Daily login on
Moodle and activities therein will amount 50% of your final grade, or
more. Most activities are displayed under Reading and Comprehension
(25%), Graphic Astronomy (25%), and Extra Credits, and will be
available during limited period. After due date is passed, I will not re-open
these activities. Reading and Comprehension is graded on a scale of
points added as well as Extra credits. Graphic Astronomy will make use
of images and software to enhance learning. Please, do not ask for extra
points, extra credits, or make-up assignments at last moment for I expect
that you work steadily during the semester.

Very important: Do not submit Assignments copying solutions from

books, Wikipedia, online webpages, or similar for I will grade the
assignment with negative points. I consider Cheating submitting work
that has been copied from published copyrighted sources, online blogs,
Wikipedia, etc. Student will be un-enrolled from Moodle if caught
cheating on a second time. Set aside 4-6 hours per week to read and work
on the recommended sections (see attached Calendar).
Online Midterms and Final: There will be 2 online midterms, and a face
to face final exam. They cover chapters previously tested in class
participation, assignments, and homework, emphasizing topics listed in
Learning Outcome above. There will be an online make up exam on the
week prior to final exam. The online midterms represent 25% of your
course grade. The final exam represents 25% of your final course grade.
Final exam is face to face. Make up exam is not mandatory. Final exam is
scheduled for the last day of class and students must be present in EVC
campus to complete it. Students can make arrangements for final exam to
be proctored at some official institution, as long as student is out of EVCs
area. I must be informed a month before final exam. The final exam
represents 25% of course grade and is comprehensive.
Observing Assignment: I will organize field trips to the Observatory,
weather permitting.
Grade Policy: The online midterms and final exam represent a total of
50% of your course grade; class participation (Reading and
Comprehension; Graphic Astronomy) is 50% of your final grade. The cutoff percentage to earn an A in this class is 90%. B is any grade larger than
75 %. C grade is more than 60% and D is more than or equal to 50%. F is
any grade point less than 50%. You must be present in the final exam to
pass this class.
Calendar: It is weekly displayed, with assignments and chapters
assigned on Mondays

Week of September 3: Introduction and Organization - Ch1: Our Place

in the Universe.
Week of September 9: Ch2: Patterns in the Sky Motions of Earth
Week of September 16: Ch2/3: Patterns in the Sky Moons Phases,
Keplers and Newtons Laws.
Week of September 23: Ch4: Astronomical Telescopes and Light,
Photometry and Spectroscopy.
Week of September 30: Ch5: Formation of Stars and Planets. Exam 1Chs 1,2,3
Week of October 7: Ch6: Terrestrial Worlds sections 6.1/6.2/6.3.
Week of October 14: Ch6: Terrestrials Worlds sections 6.4/6.5/6.6
Week of October 21: Ch7: Atmosphere of Venus, Earth, and Mars
sections 7.1/7.2/7.3Week of October 28: Ch7: Atmosphere of Venus, Earth, and Mars
sections 7.4/7.5/7.6
Week of November 4: Ch8: The Giant Planets sections 8.1/8.2/8.3 Week of November 12: Ch8: The Giant Planets sections 8.4/8.5/8.6 -
Exam 2 Chs 4,5,6,7
Week of November 18: Ch9: Small Bodies of the Solar System sections
9.1/9.2/9.3
Week of November 25: Ch9: Small Bodies of the Solar System sections
9.4/9.5/9.
Week of December 2: Ch 11: The Sun sections 11.1/11.2
Week of December 9: Ch 13: The Sun section 11.3 - Make-up Exam
Comprehensive
Week of December 16: Final Exam Chs 8,9,11 and few questions
from previous exams. It is face-to-face
FINAL The final exam that is also on the last day of class and is
online

Fall Regular 2013 Dates (Students enrolled in fall short term classes (less than 16 w
should drop by the first scheduled class meeting to avoid receiving a W and being
registration fees)

September 2 (Monday)
September 3 (Tuesday)
September 15 (Sunday)
September 16 (Monday)
September 16 (Monday)

September 17 (Tuesday)
September 27 (Friday)

October 14 (Monday)
November 9-10
November 11 (Monday)
November 28-29
November 30
December 1
November 22 (Friday)
December 13 (Friday)

Labor Day - campus closed

FALL REGULAR SESSION BEGINS
LAST DAY TO ADD via MYWEB or STAREG us
codes for Fall REGULAR Session classes (11:00 pm
Census Day
LAST DAY TO DROP Fall REGULAR Session c
withoutreceiving a W on record LAST DAY TO
REGULAR Session classes withoutbeing assessed
fees. LAST DAY TO DROP Fall REGULAR Sess
witheligibility for a refund of fees
FIRST DAY OF WITHDRAWALW period for
REGULARSession classes.
LAST DAY TO APPLY for a refund of enrollment
classes were dropped on or before September 16, 20
DAY TO SUBMIT Credit/No Credit forms to the O
Admissions and Records
Graduation/Certificate Petitions for Fall 2013 due in
Admissions and Records
No classes held
Veterans Day - campus closed
Thanksgiving Holiday campus closed
No classes held
No classes held
LAST DAY TO DROP a Fall REGULAR Session
receive a W on record
English final exams - no regular day classes meet. Fr
classes will meet as

ADA accommodations: If you have a learning disability or physical need

that requires special accommodation in this class, please make an
appointment with the Disabled Students Program in SC-120, and notify
me in writing (e-mail) of your accommodation needs by Monday,
September 9.