SYLLABUS--PHYSICS 162H--ELEMENTARY ASTRONOMY Honors Section Fall 2019 Faraday West 227 Mon-Wed-Fri 2:00-2:50 Satisfies general education requirement (Origins and Influences Pathway) David Hedin, LaTourette Hall (FW) 224, hedin@niu.edu nicadd.niu.edu/~hedin/162/162h.html Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday 1:00-1:45 Observatory: manager Christopher Marshall cmarshall3@niu.edu www.physics.niu.edu/physics/observatory/index.shtml No book is required. One can use Discovering the Essential Universe, N.F. Comins, 4rth, 5th or 6th Ed. Two lectures/week with the Friday class having in-class activities Book Chapter Section EssentialUniverse Ed 6 1 View of Universe and the Sky 1 2 Gravitation and Planet Motion 2 3 Light and Telescopes 3 4 The Sun 9 5 Characteristics of Stars 10 6 The Lives of Stars 11 7 The Death of Stars 12 8 Formation of the Solar System 4+5 9 Astrobiology 15 10 The Galaxies 13 11 Cosmology 14 Test 1. Sections 1,2,3,4 Friday 10-4 Test 2. Sections 5,6,7 Friday 11-1 all exams: Test 3. Sections 8,9,10,11 Wednesday 12-4 50 minutes Test 4. optional final all sections Monday 12-9 2:00 Grading: Each test will count 100 points and the lowest test score will be dropped. There will be no makeups allowed after the day of the test; a missed test will be considered as the lowest score and dropped. You can choose to skip the final and just count the first three tests. The Friday section will count for 100 points based on the in-class activities. A project is required which will include a presentation the last week of the term, and will count for 100 points. You can turn in up to two extra credit papers each worth up to 10 points reporting on the movies shown in class. An extra credit paper should be from 1-2 typed pages. I will not accept papers e-mailed to me. The deadline is before the final (not 3 hours later). You can also get 10 extra credit points by volunteering for STEMfest in October (submit a very brief report on what you did). Class Curve 400+ A The letter grades posted on Blackboard are 325-399 B meaningless. If you take 4 exams, Blackboard 250-324 C does not drop the lowest exam and so the 200-249 D Blackboard sum of points is incorrect There will not be any "minus" grades in this class. I will award "plus" grades (like B+) as appropriate and will determine how to do so at the end of the term. The learning goals of this course are an introduction to the components making up our Universe. The learning outcome of this course is the student being able to explain some of the components of the Universe, and include a) analyze issues that interconnect human life and the natural world and b) collaborate with others to acheive specific goals. NIU is committed to providing an accessible educational environment and any student requiring an academic accommodation due to a disability should let their faculty member know as soon as possible, and are encouraged to contact the DRC at 815-753-1303 or drc@niu.edu. Non-Discriminatory Language: This class will promote non-discriminatory language practices. Cell Phones/Computers in Classroom: Cell phones and computers can not be used in class during exam periods, or in a way which is disruptive to the class. Class Visitation Policy: Due to liability concerns, only NIU students are allowed to attend at classes at NIU. Guests, including family members and NIU students not registered for the course, will not be permitted to attend class except with prior arrangement with the instructor. Academic Misconduct: For a detailed description of the university's definition of academic misconduct, and the process by which it is adjudicated, please refer to the Student Code of Conduct. Sanctions (consequences) for committing academic misconduct include but are not limited to, failure of the assignment, failure of the course, and suspension or expulsion from Northern Illinois University. Cheating and plagiarism of one's own or another's work will not be tolerated. Academic integrity and civility in the classroom are expected of every member of the NIU community. Please review the Undergraduate Catalog for more information on this topic. Religious Observances: NIU does not observe religious holidays. It is the university's policy, however, to reasonably accommodate the religious observances of individual students in regards to class attendance, scheduling examinations, and work requirements. Religious observance includes all aspects of religious observance and practice as well as belief. Absence from classes or examinations for religious observance does not relieve students from responsibility for any part of the course work required during the period of absence. To request accommodation, students who expect to miss classes, examinations, or other assignments as a consequence of their religious observance shall provide instructors with reasonable notice of the date or dates they will be absent.