ASTRONOMY 211
GENERAL ASTRONOMY

Monday, Wednesday, Friday - 11:00 a.m. - Astronomy 265
Schedule Numbers 900F4 and 9002E
Craig Sarazin

Prerequisites:

MATH 121 or 131, PHYS 151 or 231, or instructor permission

Instructor:

Craig Sarazin; office: 238 Astronomy Building; phone: 924-4903; office hours: MWF 1:30-2:30 or by appointment or any other time you can catch me; E-mail: sarazin@virginia.edu. Please feel free to E-mail me with any course questions. There is a WWW webpage for this class, which is
http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/sarazin/astr211/

Teaching Assistant:

Ryan Lynch, office: 267 Astronomy Building; phone: 924-0686; also 304 Stone Hall (NRAO); phone 244-6868; office hours: TR 11-12 a.m. or by appointment; E-mail: rsl4v@virginia.edu

Discussion Session:

Friday, 4-5 p.m., 265 Astronomy Building. Discussion of lectures and homework, led by Teaching Assistant

Text:

Hannu Karttunen, et al., Fundamental Astronomy, Fifth Edition, ISBN 978-3-540-34143-7, Springer. The text in the book will be supplemented with material on recent developments in astronomy. This material will appear on homework problems and exams, so class attendance is highly recommended.

Homework:

Passed out on each Monday, due the following Monday. Late problem sets will have grades reduced by 50% and must be turned in by December 7. The homeworks are an important part of the class, as they reinforce the ideas discussed in class and help to develop problem solving skills.

Tests:

There will be two in-class tests during semester, and a final exam. The format of the exams will be a combination of problems (similar to those on the homework), short answers, and multiple choice. All tests must be taken at the scheduled time unless you submit a written excuse from your parent or doctor explaining the necessity of your absence. The excuse must be submitted within 10 days after the test. Late tests taken without excuse count for 1/2 of the normal credit based on the score.

First In-Class Test: Monday, October 15, in class
Second In-Class Test: Monday, November 19, in class NOTE CHANGE OF DATE
Final Exam: Tuesday, December 18, 9:00 a.m., Astronomy 265

Grading:
		Percent of Grade
	Homework	25% total
	Two In-Class Tests	20% each
	Final Exam	35%

Course Outline

I. Introduction [Chapt. 1]

II. Coordinates, Time, and Telescopes [Chapts. 2 & 3]

III. Motion and Gravity [Chapt. 6; Chapt. 7, pp. 131-138]

IV. Electromagnetism and Light [Chapt. 5]

V. Basic Stellar Properties [Chapt. 4]

VI. Binary Stars [Chapt. 9]

VII. Atomic Physics and Stellar Spectra Stars [Chapt. 8]

VIII. The Sun [Chapt. 12]

IX. Stellar Structure [Chapt. 10]

X. Stellar Evolution [Chapts. 11 & 13]

XI. The Death of Stars [Chapt. 14]