Lecture 1

1. Lecture 1 ASTR 111 – Section 002 Introductory Astronomy: Solar System Dr. Weigel

2. Outline • Course Overview • Course Logistics and Syllabus • Angular Measurements • Accuracy vs. Precision

3. Course OverviewTopics

4. * Note * I will send a link to these lecture notes later today Some slides will appear in lecture that are not on your print-outs.

5. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

6. Gasses to gasses, stardust to stardust?

7. How did the solar system form? There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another which states that this has already happened. Douglas Adams (1952-2001)

13. What are the differences between planets? www.mattjonesblog.com/img/scale/SolScaleC.jpg http://www.mattjonesblog.com/img/scale/SolScaleB.jpg

14. How does the sun interact with Earth?

15. Why does the sun follow a certain path in the sky? http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap071222.html

16. Why do we have eclipses? Why are some eclipses different? http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0604/eclipse2006_seip.jpg

17. http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080808.html

18. What causes the moon’s phases?

19. Why do we have seasons? http://www.whisperedhope.com/Images/seasons%20Of%20Life%20Large.jpg

20. Course OverviewGeneral Information • Astronomy 111 is designed to give you an overview of the solar system and the methods of astronomy. • It has been developed for non-science majors who wish to gain a better understanding of the known universe, ancient and modern astronomy, and methods for interpreting astronomical observations and measurements. • A mathematical background including high school algebra, geometry, and trigonometry is necessary to do well in this course.

21. Course OverviewHow to succeed • Come to class and participate • 70% of success in life is just showing up – Woody Allen • Do the reading assignments • The reading for this week is Chapter 1 (all) and Chapter 2 (section 2.1-2.2 only). • Take the quizzes • The quiz for this week will only cover topics discussed in lecture

22. Course OverviewKey goals • I want you to understand the basic principles of astronomy • I want you to think critically • Perspective of any employer: Baseline knowledge of facts is helpful. But baseline knowledge will not help you in new and unusual situations. • I want you to be able to think like a scientist • Simplify the complex by using basic principles • Interact with other people to solve a problem

23. Outline • Course Overview • Course Logistics and Syllabus • Angular Measurements • Accuracy vs. Precision

24. Course Web Page, etc. • I use both Blackboard and a separate web page. • Lecture notes and syllabus: http://aurora.gmu.edu/astr111 • Quizzes: http://gmu.blackboard.com. Assigned Thursday, due Tuesday before class. • Announcements via your regular GMU email. If you do not receive an email before 10 pm tonight, send me an email at rweigel@gmu.edu. • You should receive an email from me every Monday and Wednesday.

25. Step 1: Log-in

26. Step 2: Click Assessments

27. Exams and Quizzes • Three exams + a final exam all of equal weight • Lowest score is dropped • Quizzes count for 10% of final grade • Best three exam scores count for 30% each • Letter grades are • A = 93-100 • A- = 90-93 • B+ = 87-90 • B = 83-87 • B- = 80-83 • C+ = 77-80 • C = 73-77 • C- = 70-73 • D = 60-70 • F = 0-60

28. Make-up Exams No make-up exams

29. Contact rweigel@gmu.edu 703-993-1361

30. The Office Hour • After class (Tues/Thurs 10:15-?) • By appt. (send me email)

31. Lecture notes posted the day before class. I will send an email to your GMU account when it is posted. I suggest printing out the lecture notes (or at least the in-class exercises) prior to class. Lecture Notes

32. Do you need to take the lab? • Probably • See your academic advisor! http://www.bio.psu.edu/people/faculty/strauss/anatomy/misc/Lab%201943.jpg

33. Textbook 8th Edition Cover 7th Edition Cover

34. Honor Code • Student members of the George Mason University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal, or lie in matters related to academic work. http://ndn.newsweek.com/media/36/071005_SO02_vl-vertical.jpg

35. Lecture Structure “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” http://www.thequoteblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/confucius.jpg

36. Attendance

37. Outline • Course Overview • Course Logistics and Syllabus • Angular Measurements • Accuracy vs. Precision

38. Angular Measurements • Subdivide a circle into 360 degrees 1 degree

39. Astronomers use angles to denote the positions and apparent sizes of objects in the sky =Observer’s Zenith • Astronomers use angular measure to describe the apparent size of a celestial object—what fraction of the sky that object seems to cover • The angular diameter (or angular size) of the Moon is ½° or the Moon subtends an angle of ½°.

40. If you draw lines from your eye to each of two stars, the angle between these lines is the angular distance between these two stars

41. The adult human hand held at arm’s length provides a means of estimatingangles

42. Angular Measurements • Subdivide a circle into 360 degrees • Subdivide one degree into 60 arcminutes • minutes of arc • abbreviated as 60 arcmin or 60´ • Subdivide one arcminute into 60 arcseconds • seconds of arc • abbreviated as 60 arcsec or 60” 1° = 60 arcmin = 60´ 1´ = 60 arcsec = 60” 1 degree

43. What is 0.5 degrees? • Using arcminutes and arcseconds?

44. What is 0.5 degrees? • Using arcminutes and arcseconds?

45. What is 0.5 degrees? • Using arcminutes and arcseconds?

46. What is 0.5 degrees? • Using arcminutes and arcseconds?

47. Group Questions • Form groups of exactly 4 • Optimal configuration is two students in one row and two students in another row No Yes No

48. http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0808/moongames_lavederN080717_9416.jpghttp://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0808/moongames_lavederN080717_9416.jpg

49. Turn in one card per group … if you disagree on answer, write down what you disagreed about • Question 3 Answer • Question 4 Answer • Name, seat #, and height • Name, seat #, and height • Name, seat #, and height • Name, seat #, and height • Question 1 Answer • Question 2 Answer Front side Back side

50. Turn in one card per group … if you disagree on answer, write down what you disagreed about Row 1, seat N Row 1, seat 1 Row 2, seat 1 Row 2, seat N • Question 3 Answer • Question 4 Answer • Name, seat #, and height • Name, seat #, and height • Name, seat #, and height • Name, seat #, and height • Question 1 Answer • Question 2 Answer Me Front side Back side