This course reviews the historical observations, ancient and modern investigative techniques, and recent space missions bearing on present-day knowledge of our solar system and distant star systems. Course material will be presented through a series of lectures, reading assignments, in-class activities, Internet examples, computer tutorials, and movies. Students will reinforce their knowledge through hands-on astronomical observations / measurements, visits to astronomical observatories, and personal "stargazing," activities.

Be prepared to take notes in color! It will be helpful to annotate the illustrations/handouts distributed in lecture. Please keep all work in an organized notebook.

Required Text Please purchase: Bennet, J., Donahue, M., Schneider, N., and Voit, M., 2007, The Solar System: Selected Chapters from the Cosmic Perspective (4^th Edition); Pearson Education, Inc.--Addison Wesley The book includes a CD with "Voyager Sky Gazer" software and online access privileges to "The Astronomy Place." These features will compliment the lectures and text, and should facilitate your learning of the course materials.

Prerequisites None

Textbook, standard writing materials, graph paper, colored pencils, ruler, protractor, calculator, and inexpensive compass for determining geographic direction. Internet access will also be useful and pertinent.

Classroom Activities and Associated Homework (200 pts)

Instructor will frequently collect student work for credit. Much of this work will be introduced and carried out during class time through interactive exercises. Unfinished portions of activities may be assigned for homework. Missed classroom activities may not be made up for credit.

Each student must find time outside of class to carry out a personal astronomical observation. A written summary, complete with supporting graphs and drawings, is due at the end of Week 10.

Each student must complete one of the following extracurricular activities by the end of Week 10:

(1) Visit one of many astronomical observatories or museums in southern California to view the displays and associated presentations or

(2) Participate in one of the hands-on stargazing activities conducted by the instructor. One or two will be offered this quarter or

(3) Attend a special lecture related to astronomy or

(4) Research a relevant topic in astronomy, then write a short report in your own word (or present a talk to your classmates!). See supplementary handout for guidelines and formatting requirements.

Classroom Activities and Homework 20%

Personal Astronomical Observations (Term Project) 20%

Independent Activity (Observatory Visit, Special Lecture, Stargazing, or Research Report) 10%

Midterm Exam 25%

Final Exam 25%

-Computer Aids; Web Sites of Interest; Preliminary definitions and concepts

-Cosmic observations by ancient astronomers

-Visualization tools: Side views and top views of solar system bodies

-Measurements of Sun or Moon altitude, inclination, and azimuth

-Sun-Earth relations; connection to sun angle variation and star visibility

-Earth-Moon relations; Lunar Phases; Tidal effects; Solar and lunar eclipses

-Phases of Venus and Mercury; greatest western and eastern elongation

-Famous ideas, observations, and discoveries by the Babylonians, Aristotle, Eratosthenes, Hipparchus, Ptolemy, Copernicus, Galileo, Tycho Brahe, Kepler, Newton. Evolution from "geocentric" to "heliocentric" thinking

-Meteorites, asteroids, and comets—implications for age-dating and terrestrial atmosphere evolution

-Terrestrial bodies: Mercury and Venus, Earth and Moon, Mars

-The outer planets plus many moons and rings

-Past and current exploratory missions by NASA and others

-Integrated model for solar system formation and evolution

-The nature of light; Electromagnetic spectrum

-Distances to nearby stars from stellar parallax

-Apparent star magnitude; Absolute star magnitude (luminosity)

-Temperature and chemical composition of stars

-Stellar fingerprints from emission/absorption spectra

-Comparison of data from stars; the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram

-Inferred distances to far away stars

-Stellar mass; methods of determination

-Life cycles of typical stars; Nuclear fusion; Creation of special elements

-Red giants, white dwarfs, supernovae

-Other Solar Systems; Search for life elsewhere;

-Course Review