GSCI 101: Astronomy I
GSCI 101: Astronomy I
Professor: Dr. J. Best
Office: Byrd Science Center 115
Office Hours: MWF 9a-11a
Required Text: Foundations of Astronomy, by Seeds
Required Lab Manual: GSCI 101-102 Manual, by Best
Course Overview: This is an introductory survey course in
astronomy covering aspects of observational astronomy and the solar
system. Historical developments, discoveries, and advances also will
be discussed, compared, and contrasted.
Course Objectives and Outcomes: I want students to be able to:
understand basic astronomical concepts and methods; understand cause
and effect relationships in astronomy; utilize charts, graphs, and
equations to represent functional relationships and explain their
meanings; analyze and solve problems in astronomy, and
develop insight into the nature of the Universe. Among the specific
content areas to be addressed are:
· science in theory and in practice. This includes defining the power
and limitations of scientific enterprises, the importance of science
in the modern world, techniques used by practicing scientists, and the
process of peer review as the mechanism of oversight and correction.
· the sky from a two-dimensional perspective. This includes
understanding apparent magnitudes, the celestial coordinate system,
lunar, solar, and planetary motions.
· the specific interactions among the Earth, Moon, and Sun. This
includes understanding tides, lunar eclipses, and solar eclipses.
· the evolution of philosophical thought in astronomy. This includes
understanding the work of Aristotle, Ptolemy, Copernicus, Digges,
Galileo, Kepler, Newton, and Einstein.
· gravitational theory. This includes understanding
the models of Newton and Einstein, and the evolution of thought in
18th and 19th century astronomy connecting the two models.
· the tools of astronomy. This includes understanding
the types of radiation generated by astronomical objects, and the
properties and limitations of the various telescopes and other
devices used to collect information from these astronomical objects.
· radiative theory. This includes understanding the interaction between
atoms and the radiation these atoms generate, as well as the
generation and use of the spectra of stars.
· the planets. This includes understanding the origin of the solar
system as a whole, the physical properties of the individual planets,
the evolution of the various planets and solar system objects over
time, and the connection of these objects through comparative
planetology.
Semester Lunar Project Links
The Lunar 100 article (download and print)
The Lunar Republic Interactive Maps Of The Moon
Astronomical Applications Department of the U.S. Naval Observatory
Sky and Telescope Interactive Sky Map for Shepherd University Observatory