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Welcome to Astro 1102/1102 Sections 11 and 12!. Section 11: 1:25pm Thursdays Section 12: 2:30pm Thursdays TA: Shoshe Cole Office hours: Wednesday 12:30-2:30 425 SSB shoshe@astro.cornell.edu. What we need to cover today. Administrative stuff Policies Getting to know each other
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Welcome to Astro 1102/1102Sections 11 and 12! Section 11: 1:25pm Thursdays Section 12: 2:30pm Thursdays TA: Shoshe Cole Office hours: Wednesday 12:30-2:30 425 SSB shoshe@astro.cornell.edu
What we need to cover today • Administrative stuff • Policies • Getting to know each other • Significant figures • Units • Algebra • Trig • The Celestial Sphere
Administrative stuff • The course website is http://astrosun2.astro.cornell.edu/academics/courses/astro1102/ • No laptops • No phones/txting (it will affect your section grade) • Reviews 1 week before exams • Please read homework before coming to section • Get a section notebook (you will be taking notes) • Please email me ahead of time if you’re going to miss section
Assessment • 3 prelims • We’ll probably drop your lowest score • Section grade every week (10 points/week) • 6 homeworks • Worksheets, quizzes, attendance, participation, etc. • We drop your 3 lowest grades • No makeups • Don’t just skip the first 3 homeworks! If you do, you might have problems later on in case of illness, exams in other classes, sports, etc. • Final exam is Wed, May 12, 7-9 pm
Section Grade • We’re going to learn: • About the solar system • How science works • Critical thinking • If you think that there’s a chance that you’ll need to hand your homework in late, let me know ASAP • at least by 7pm the night before it’s due • Otherwise, you’ll lose 1 point per day • Cite facts/numbers that are from resources other than the lectures and textbook • Wikipedia cannot be used as a scholarly reference • it can be inaccurate and incomplete
My policies • You are all smart people! • You might not be used to thinking like a scientist, but you are all capable of it! • Discussion section is for discussion • Please ask questions! I’m here to help you learn. • If you have a question and are embarrassed to ask it in section, email me and I’ll discuss it during section (I won’t say who asked the question) • If you don’t understand an answer in the homework you just got back, please ask! Many other people have the same question. • If you have a serious grading question, please come to my office hours (Wednesday 12:30-2:30). Discussion section is not a time to try to get additional points on your homework. • No laptops, and turn phones off
Recommendations • Starry Night (or the planetarium software that comes with your textbook) • Google Earth (Sky, Mars) • Fuertes Observatory • Friday night lectures/stargazing • Mars at opposition! • http://www.astro.cornell.edu/research/projects/CAS/ • (607) 255-3557
Getting to know each other • Me • You
Sig figs, units, algebra, trig… • Calculating the area of a laptop computer • Mars Climate Orbiter • My house is 5.0 miles from Wegmans. How many m is this? • Bode’s Law and Kepler’s 3rd Law (homework) • SOH-CAH-TOA