• 33%: Three one-hour exams (11% each)
• 20%: Homework
• 20%: Quizzes, mini-projects/lab reports, and oral presentations
• 20%: Final exam
• 7%: Attendance and class participation
• 100%: Total

NOTE: In the list of homework assignments below:

Textbook =

The Cosmic Perspective: Brief Edition (2000 Edition, Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.), by Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, and Voit

Final Exam Announcement:

• The Final Exam will be held on Tuesday, December 12 from 5 to 7 PM in Room 257 William James Hall. Bring your planispheres and the SkyGazer CD-ROM.

"Final" Assignments Due Wednesday, Dec. 6 (Last Class Day): (Assigned on Wednesday, Nov. 29).

• Complete the H-R Diagram Exercise handed out in class. NOTE: This exercise will count as a "take-home" Test #3.
• For extra credit: Complete the Stellar Evolution mini-lab exercise handed out in class.

Assignment Due Monday, Dec. 4: (Assigned on Monday, Nov. 27).

• Read Chapters 18 and 19 (Dark Matter and Cosmology) of the textbook, and complete the on-line multiple choice questions for these chapters. E-mail the results to G. Stacy.

Reading Assignment for the week of Nov. 27-30: (Announced on Monday, Nov. 27).

• Read Chapters 14 and 15 (Stars and Stellar Evolution) of the textbook, and be prepared to discuss their content in class.

Revision to Previous Assignment: (Announced on Wednesday, Nov. 15).

• NOTE: For those who have not been able to carry out the necessary observations for the Lunar Motion mini-lab assigned earlier, this observing project can still be carried out "virtually" by using the SkyGazer CD-ROM. Follow the instructions given on the handout, and "observe" the Moon from New to Full phase this month as it is seen from Baton Rouge. Construct a data table listing the following for the Moon for each day: RA, Dec, Azimuth, Altitude, Rise, Set, and Transit time, and percent illumination, and answer the questions given on the handout.

NOTE: The following assignments will take the place of our regular class during the week of Nov. 6-10, when Dr. Stacy will be out of town attending a conference.

• Due: Complete the "Black Body Radiation" exercise handed out in class.
• Due: Complete the "Solar Motion" outdoor observing mini-lab (using observations carried out at the HRPO).
• Due Monday, Nov. 13: From the handout of "Telescopic Objects Viewable from the Northern Hemisphere" determine those that will be viewable from Baton Rouge in the early evening for the rest of the semester. NOTE: Be sure to provide a description of the method you used to determine your list of viewable objects. (HINT: Your SkyGazer CD-ROM may be of use.)
• Due Monday, Nov. 13: For Extra Credit, complete the "Observer's Handbook" exercise handed out in class. You may use any relevant reference source to complete this "Scavenger Hunt / Trivia Question" exercise!
• Due Wednesday, Nov. 15: Complete the CLEA "Moons of Jupiter" computer lab handed out in class. Important Note: This lab will count as a "Take-Home" Test #2. Each individual must use his/her own dataset to complete the lab.
• Due Wednesday, Nov. 15: Read Chapters 11 and 12 of the textbook, and complete the on-line multiple choice questions for these chapters. E-mail the results to G. Stacy.
• Due Thursday, Nov. 16: Complete the "Lunar Motion" outdoor observing mini-lab (using observations carried out from new to full Moon this month).

Announcement: (Made in class on Monday, Oct. 30).

• Our regular observing session at the HRPO will be replaced this week by a special Chancellor's Distinguished Lecture on Thursday, Nov. 2 at LSU. The speaker will be Dr. N. Sleep of Stanford Univ. on the topic of "Asteroid Impacts and Life."

Assignment Due Monday, Oct. 30: (Assigned on Monday, Oct. 23).

• Read Chapters 9 and 10 of the textbook, and complete the on-line multiple choice questions for these chapters. E-mail the results to G. Stacy.

Assignments Due on Various Dates: (Assigned on Thursday, Oct. 19 at the HRPO).

• Due Thursday, Oct. 26: Complete the "Black Body Radiation" exercise handed out in class.
• Due Monday, Nov. 13: From the handout of "Telescopic Objects Viewable from the Northern Hemisphere" determine those that will be viewable from Baton Rouge in the early evening for the rest of the semester. NOTE: Be sure to provide a description of the method you used to determine your list of viewable objects. (HINT: Your SkyGazer CD-ROM may be of use.)
• Due date to be announced: Complete the "Spectrum" worksheet handed out in class and used to record the emission spectra observed in class using gas discharge tubes (including the "mystery" tube and lights to be identified).

Announcement: (Made in class on Monday, Oct. 16).

• Due to class conflicts, hourly Test #2 is postponed and will be held on a later date (stay tuned).

Assignment Due Wednesday, Oct. 18: (Assigned on Wednesday, Oct. 11).

• Read Chapters 7 and 8 of the textbook, and complete the on-line multiple choice questions for these chapters. E-mail the results to G. Stacy.

Assignment Due Monday, Oct. 9: (Assigned on Monday, Oct. 2).

• Read Chapters 5 and 6 of the textbook, and complete the on-line multiple choice questions for these chapters. E-mail the results to G. Stacy.

Reminder:

• The first hourly test will be held on Thursday, Sept. 28 at the HRPO.

Assignment Due Thursday, Oct. 5: (Assigned on Monday, Sept. 25).

• Select an article from a recent issue of Sky and Telescope magazine, and prepare a 5- to 10-minute oral presentation for discussion in class.

Assignments due on various dates: (Assigned on Thursday, Sept. 21).

• Angular measure using your hand, worksheet due on Thursday, Sept. 28.
• SkyGazer CD-ROM worksheet due on Thursday, Oct. 5.
• Solar motion mini-lab, worksheets due on Thursday, Oct. 19.

Assignment Due Wednesday, Sept. 27: (Assigned on Wednesday, Sept. 20).

• At astrospot.com review the chapter summaries for Chapters 3 and 4 of our textbook, and complete the on-line multiple choice questions for both Chapters 3 and 4. E-mail the results to G. Stacy.

Assignment Due Wednesday, Sept. 20: (Assigned via e-mail on Friday, Sept. 15).

• Acknowledge receipt of the homework assignment by return e-mail message.
• Find and familiarize yourself with the WWW pages for this course on the departmental server (www.phys.subr.edu).
• Go to the publisher's WWW site (www.astrospot.com) for our course textbook and fill out the "Student Profile" and the "Instructor's Information" (name and e-mail address).
• At astrospot.com review the chapter summaries for Chapters 1 and 2 of our textbook, and complete the on-line multiple choice questions for both Chapters 1 and 2. E-mail the results to G. Stacy.

Assignment Due Thursday, Sept. 14: (Assigned on Thursday, Sept. 7).

• Map assignment: Determine the longitude and latitude of the State Capitol Building in downtown Baton Rouge as accurately as possible from the two maps handed out in class: the USGS topographic map, and the Louisiana highway map. Be sure to provide estimates of your measurement errors in both instances!

Announcements/Reminder: (Announced and discussed in class on Thursday, Sept. 7).

• After discussion in class, it has been decided that the new meeting times for this class will be: MW 8:00-8:50 AM in Room 259, Wm James Hall, and Thurs. 5:00-8:00 PM at the Highland Road Park Observatory. These new meeting times will be in effect starting next week (September 11-15).

Assignment Due Thursday, Sept. 7: (Assigned on Tuesday, Sept. 5).

• The textbooks are in! Pick up your book (and make sure it contains the SkyGazer CD-ROM).
• Start reading Chapts. 1 and 2 in the textbook.
• Construct the "Dipper Finder" and "Star Clock" dials handed out in class. Be prepared to discuss their use and application.

gstacy@phys.subr.edu