Lecture Notes:

A list of lecture dates, topics, and links to PDF versions of my PowerPoint slides can be found at http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/murphy/astr124/syllabus.html

Text:

The Cosmic Perspective by Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, and Voit, 5th Edition, new copies are available at the University Bookstore. This version of the text comes bundled with the Mastering Astronomy access code and the Starry Night planetarium program. ISBN 0-321-50618-4. You must also purchase an i>clicker student response device. The version of the text for our section includes a $10 rebate certificate for the i>clicker.

Grades:

Your grade will be based on 3 quizzes, a final exam, 2 lab exercises, in class exercises, and weekly homework. On a 1000 point scale, each is worth:

Quiz 1	150 points	Friday, September 19
Quiz 2	150 points	Friday, October 17
Quiz 3	150 points	Friday, November 14
Final Exam	250 points	9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. Saturday, December 13 (Block 7)
Classroom Exercises	100 points
Weekly Homework Problems	100 points
Constellation Lab	50 points	Maximum possible grade declines during semester
Telescope Observing Lab	50 points	Maximum possible grade declines during semester

The final exam is fully comprehensive. It will be approximately twice as long as a quiz and in the same general style.

Grades will be posted on the UVaCollab site at http://collab.itc.virginia.edu. This will be the official gradebook for the course. Please let me know if any of the grades are incorrect or missing. Your final grade is based on 1000 points with letter grades assigned as follows:

Letter Grade	Point range	Letter Grade	Point Range
A+	970-1000	C	730-769
A	930-969	C-	700-729
A-	900-929	D+	670-699
B+	870-899	D	630-669
B	830-869	D-	600-629
B-	800-829	F	0-599
C+	770-799	Pass	600-1000

 

 

I will send official correspondence via electronic mail. Therefore, you should immediately activate your U. Va. e-mail account if you have not already done so. If you use a mail service other than the University's, be sure to have your University mail forwarded to it. You will be responsible for reading all materials sent via electronic mail.

Attendance Policy:

It is in your best interest to attend class regularly. During most classes you will be asked to answer a number of questions using the i>clicker. Credit will only be given for answers completed during class. You must attend the scheduled quizzes and the final exam. See me at least two lectures before an exam if you have a conflict. Makeup exams are given only at the discretion of the instructor.

You must turn off your cell phone before class begins.

Honor Code:

As a graduate of the University of Virginia, I take the honor code very seriously. I assume that all exams and labs are bound by your honor to be your own work, even if you did not explicitly sign the pledge. In class you will, at times, be asked to work in groups. In these cases, I expect everyone in the group to contribute to the answer. I would consider it an honor violation if you submit a group's answer but did not contribute to the discussion. If you are not sure what is allowed ask me to clarify.

Homework:

Each week, you will be assigned a few homework problems to complete using the online Mastering Astronomy system. To register, follow the directions in the Mastering Astronomy card that was bundled with your text and use the course number MAMURPHY35369 to enroll yourself in the course. Homework assignments will typically be due on Sunday evenings at 11:00 p.m. Late homework will be penalized 25% per day.

Laboratories:

You will be required to complete two labs this semester, the Constellation Lab and the Telescope Observing Lab.

Constellation Lab:

This lab consists of learning the names and locations of the brightest stars and constellations, completing a worksheet, and passing a short quiz. The lab can be completed in a single night and you may repeat it until you pass. The lab is graded pass/fail, and the number of points that you receive depends on the date that you pass the lab:

Dates	Maximum Percentage	Maximum Points
Sep 1 - Oct 2	100	50
Oct 6 - Oct 16	90	45
Oct 20 - Oct 30	80	40
Nov 3 - Nov 20	70	35
Nov 24 - Dec 4	60	30

 

You should complete the Constellation Lab as early as possible in the semester since the number of points that you receive will decline as the semester progresses, the lab gets very crowded as deadlines approach and you run the risk of being clouded out. There will be absolutely no exceptions to this schedule. See the Lab Information page for more details. You must sign up for an observing session in advance. Follow these links to get copies of the star maps for September, October, and November. You can also get very good star maps at SkyMaps.com and Heavens-Above.

 

Telescope Observing:

In this lab you will attend a single observing session at the historic Leander McCormick Observatory and sketch at least three objects as seen through the telescopes. See the Lab Information page for dates and times. You must sign up for an observing session in advance. The lab will also be graded pass/fail. The number of points that you receive for passing the lab depends on the date that you complete the lab:

Dates	Maximum Percentage	Maximum Points
Sep 8 - Oct 30	100	50
Nov 3 - Nov 20	80	40
Nov 24 - Dec 4	60	30

You should complete the telescope observing lab as early as possible since there are a limited number of opportunities, and cloudy weather may close the lab for a significant fraction of the available dates.

Classroom exercises:

During most classes, I will ask you to respond to a number of questions using the i>clicker student response system. At the beginning of the semester, you must register your device at http://www.iclicker.com/registration using the clicker ID found on the back of your device and your UVa email computing ID as your student ID (e.g. emm8x). I will use your responses to gauge the overall comprehension of the subject, to clear up any misunderstandings, and to learn your opinions on various topics. You will receive 1 point for each correct answer and 2 bonus points per lecture if you answer all of the questions during the lecture. Once you have earned 100 points, you will not earn any additional credit. I do not allow students to make up missed questions.

Weather pages

Current conditions at McCormick Observatory

National Weather Service forecast for Charlottesville

Clear Sky Clock for McCormick Observatory

Real-time satellite weather images