Prof. Irv Robbins office: 1N-233 ---OFFICE::- 982-2818 -
E-mail: PROFIROBBINS@AOL.COM
ASTRONOMY 100 COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS updated November 8, 2007
A WORD TO THE WISE: NATIONAL STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THOSE WHO WERE SUCCESSFUL IN COLLEGE DID TWO THINGS.
1. THEY REGULARLY ATTENDED CLASS
2. THEY READ MATERIAL PRESENTED
SO! WARNING: READ AND STUDY THIS DOCUMENT CAREFULLY!
NOT READING AND UNDERSTANDING CAN
RESULT IN YOUR GRADE SUFFERING SIGNIFICANTLY. Prof. Irv Robbins office: 1N-233
---OFFICE::- 982-2818 - E-mail: PROFIROBBINS@AOL.COM
SEND EMAIL TO ME AS STATED BELOW.
I: SEND EMAIL if you miss the signature sheet in class TO ME -BY LINKS ON THIS PAGE
Before THE 2rd CLASS FOR SEAT REQUEST TO BE HONORED, FRONT OF ROOM OR SPECIAL NEEDS
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING IN THE E-MAIL
1. LAST NAME and Class Ast 100
2. STUDENT ID (4 DIGIT ONLY!!!)
3. Your E-Mail Address if you are not using yours to send this E-MAIL!
4. STATEMENT if you missed the signature SHEET IN CLASS USE THIS INFORMATION (COPY AND PASTE ) If you want grades and progress reports to be posted or distributed by 4 digit ID.
STATEMENT: I have read the information on GRADING POLICY BELOW for Astronomy 100 and understand what is expected of me for obtaining a grade . AND I GIVE PERMISSION TO HAVE ALL MY GRADES AND PROGRESS in Astronomy 100 AND in Astronomy 101 if you are my teacher POSTED SO THAT I CAN SEE HOW I AM DOING DURING THE TERM using my 4 digit ID number only as identifier. My Final grades may also be posted on campus, online or distributed via email.
5. Your SEATING PREFERENCE in Lecture Hall, Front of Room , HONORED AT THE END of the first week! OR SPECIAL SEAT PLEASE EXPLAIN!
WHO ARE YOU? WHEN EMAILING ME OR ANYONE ELSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS THEN PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF! NOT BY ID OR SEAT BUT BY YOUR FULL NAME ...PLEASE!!!
IF I GET AN E-MAIL FROM 'X0XSEXYREDEARSOX' or SEXYKNEECAPS... I CANNOT EASILY LOOK UP WHO YOU ARE SO USE YOUR FULL NAME ON ANY CORRESPONDENCE WITH ME..THANKS?
II: Purchase from Bookstore material below immediately AND NOTE the following items.
1: Course Text: The Solar System BY MICHAEL SEEDS BROOKS/COLE PUB...5TH ED (OR THE FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY BY SEEDS 9TH ED IF YOU PLAN ON TAKING AST 102 LATER)
2: Laboratory Texts: Astronomy 101 Solar System Laboratory Manual 4TH Ed. - by Robbins John Wiley Pub
3: Purchase a 3 ring binder to hold the laboratory text to keep yourself organized.
4: Additional Material : Packet of SCAN-TRON forms: 882-ES OR EQUIVALENT
III: IF YOU DO NOT HAVE E-MAIL GO TO THE LIBRARY 1L-204 AND GET A CSI ACCOUNT.
IV: FOR INTERNET ACCESS ON THE CSI NETWORK YOUR ID IS FIRST.LAST NAME AS USER WITH YOUR DATE OF BIRTH AS A SIX FIGURE NUMBER. YOU NEED THIS INFORMATION FOR LABORATORY WORK IN ASTRONOMY!
V: IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A COMPUTER AT HOME (THIS IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR NOT DOING WORK!) THEN YOU MIGHT WANT TO OR HAVE TO USE OUR OPEN COMPUTER LABORATORIES (VERY FAST INTERNET CONNECTIONS) IN THE CAMPUS CENTER OR THE LIBRARY OR THE 3N BUILDING OR COMPUTERS IN MOST BUILDINGS OPEN TO STUDENTS.
THE
PROFESSOR NOTE: IF YOU CHANGE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS PLEASE E-MAIL ME ASAP-THANKS
OVERALL REQUIREMENTS: (FOR GRADES)
LOOK THIS LIST OVER CAREFULLY AND READ MATERIAL THAT FOLLOWS.
YOUR GRADE AVERAGE(GA) = 70% MID TERM AND FINAL EXAM( in class) average + 15% on-line CHAPTER EXAMS AVERAGE + 5% OBSERVING REQUIREMENT + 10% HW+Extra Credit Points(MAX. of 8 PTS ON FINAL AVERAGE (YES THIS PROFESSOR IS CRAZY!) - excessive absence penalty points and/or - disruptive penalty points
MY GRADE SCHEME: GA>=93=A; GA<92 &>=89 =A- ; GA <89 &>=85 =B+ ;GA <85 & >=82 =B ;
GA <82>=79 =B- ; GA<79 >= 74 = C+ ; GA < 74&>=68 = C; GA <68&>= 55 =D; GA< 55 = F;
YOU WILL FIND ON THIS WEBSITE:
1. SPECIAL LECTURE material on each Chapter with practice exams
2. CHAPTER EXAMS will be posted as needed on the previous web page and should be taken timely (Usually within a week): these are take-home exams (15% OF YOUR GRADE)
DETAILS ON THE GRADE COMPUTATION
MIDTERM AND FINAL EXAMS
ARE 2 HOURS LONG BASED ON CHAPTERS COVERED. AND SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL COVERED IN THE LECTURES AS WELL AS THE ONLINE EXAM MATERIAL FOR EACH CHAPTER THE FINAL EXAM MAY OR MAY NOT BE COMPREHENSIVE-70% THESE EXAMS CARRY THE MOST WEIGHT FOR YOUR GRADE AND THE REST IS DESIGNED FOR YOU TO LEARN THE MATERIAL TO DO WELL IN THIS COURSE.
On-line Chapter EXAMS:
INTERNET EXAM ON EACH CHAPTER(15% OF GRADE) AT THE COMPLETION IN CLASS OF A CHAPTER YOU TAKE THE EXAM AND IT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO AN EXAM GRADER or me via E-mail. You must take the exam within the time it is posted else you will not get no credit for it (that is a Zero score). Once you submit the exam for grading you can not re-submit it..Sorry. Be careful to submit only when you are ready to take it. Ideally, this is done by reading the chapter ,doing the Homework, Review your class notes, Study the online Chapter review on my website with a practice test, study the publishers online material linked via the last web page. SEE INFO BELOW.
Keep the receipt you have as proof you took the exam else if the record of it should get lost or, improperly posted by me, you will have no proof you took it!
NOTE: Progress reports will be available on line approximately monthly for all those who send in the posting permission email above.
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS (DETAILS FOLLOW BELOW)
(10% of Grade)are designed for you to master the material.
TO GET THE BEST GRADES ON THE ON-LINE EXAMS AND ULTIMATELY ON THE MIDTERM AND FINAL AS A MINIMUM DO THE FOLLOWING ASSIGNMENTS
HOW TO STUDY ASTRONOMY check out THIS LINK ON HOW TO STUDY SUCCESFULLY!
A. READ THE CHAPTER CAREFULLY
B. DO THE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
C. GO OVER ANY CLASS NOTES
D. REVIEW THE CHAPTERS AND PRACTICE TEST THAT COME WITH THE ONLINE CHAPTER NOTES
E. NOW HOPEFULLY YOU WILL BE READY FOR THE ON-LINE TESTS YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE EXAM --IT IS ESSENTIALLY A TAKE HOME! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUBMIT IMMEDIATELY STUDY THE QUESTIONS, USE YOUR BOOK TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT SUBMIT YOU CAN LOG IN AGAIN TO GET THE EXAM. ONLY ONE SUBMIT IS ACCEPTABLE
KEEP THAT RECEIPT AS PROOF... PRINT IT OR SAVE IT ON YOUR COMPUTER!
Observing Report
5% OF YOUR GRADE
A: Observing Report: The observing report is done on FORMS. see BELOW TO PRINT FORM OR the laboratory manual appendix A, for the observing "FORMS" to be used for each object WHENEVER POSSIBLE. Be sure to fill in the form for full credit. That is: sketch the object, describe what you see and define what the object is! HAND IN OBSERVING FORMS WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THE OBSERVATION (THEY MAY BE DATE STAMPED) ELSE THEY HAVE NO VALUE!
you can print a form from the link: Observing Report Form
NOTE: Please write your Name and Seat Number when submitting
THE REPORTS REQUIRED IS TWO CELESTIAL VIEWS (TRY TO GET A VIEW OF THE MOON AND PLANET)
ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS ARE EXTRA CREDIT : SEE BELOW.
16 inch Schmidtt Cassegrain Telescope at CSI....ALWAYS FOCUS AS YOU USE any telescope..usually done with a focus knob ( USUALLY ON OUR TELESCOPE A SMALL SILVER CYLINDER NEAR THE PLACE YOU LOOK INTO THE TELESCOPE!!!!
OBSERVING
PLACES:
Astrophysical Observatory (just before it opened)
see also link: HOW TO OBSERVE AND Observatory sites
The CSI Observatory: Open monthly day and evening openings SEE THE WEBSITE FOR THE SCHEDULE. New Jersey Observatories listed below and AAA field setups on Staten Island, Brooklyn and other metropolitan sites.
PLEASE NOTE for the CSI observatory: The other nights of the month observing time is devoted to tracking Near Earth Asteroids that pose a danger to our Earth. Research funds are obtained by NASA and the NSF. The CSI observatory is an official observatory of the the International Astronomical Union and is known as IAU Observatory #294
Additional objects you can observe for extra credit are: Deep sky objects are Galaxies, Various Nebula (like star nurseries, dying stars), Star Clusters (old globular or young open). Deep sky objects can seen in the large CSI observatory Telescope or the Large telescopes at the Sperry and Robinson observatories listed below. Addition views of the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn, crescent Venus are particularly interesting! So is Mars when it is nearest the Earth. Note that Solar observing is also possible at CSI and other AAA sites below ... see links!
Other observing sites are, check schedule by linking to the following:
Amateur Astronomers Association of New York
City observing done at following locations
Some New Jersey observing locations (click on name to visit web site):
EXTRA CREDIT TO
MAXIMUM OF 10 PTS( Hand in to the Professor)
In a nut shell these consists of or
extra observing mentioned above or in class assignments.
* Great Kills Park, Hylan Blvd, S.I. (model airplane field).
* Cadman Plaza Park, Brooklyn.
* Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn.
* Carl Shurz Park (promenade), Manhattan (upper East side). Also: Solar Observing
during some days
*SPERRY
OBSERVATORY run by the Amateur
Astronomers, Inc. Union College, Cranford, NJ.
Close by and easy to get to! Usually open FRIDAY nights.
* Robinson
Observatory N.J , Voorhees State Park, NJ.
* United Astronomy CLubs of
New Jersey Jenny Jump State Park Observatory., United Astronomy Clubs
of New Jersey runs the Jenny Jump Observatory- use the Public
Program link for the lecture series and also the
UACNJ CLUBS link for numerous astronomy club links throughout New
Jersey
NOTE: Please write your Name and Seat Number when submitting
B. > Museum Report Up to 5 extra credit points per field trip. you can take one or both of the suggested field trips to the American Museum of Natural History. ASK FOR STUDENT PRICES!!!
NOTE: Please write your Name and Seat Number when submitting
American Museum of Natural History Field Trips. (located on west 81 street and Central Park West)
Two trips to the museum are detailed in appendix A of the laboratory Manual.
Detailed questions to answer are found also at link: Museum Trip Options
You have to answer the listed questions found. Talk to your instructor if you need further clarifications.
Trip I: Planetarium Field Trip Report. TO THE HAYDEN PLANETARIUM in the museum:
Trip II: General overview of life and our planet at the museum.
C:> Term Paper: a 10 page term paper whose details are found in appendix of the laboratory manual and the link that follows should be handed in by the Final Exam can be worth 8 points
Term Paper Option see details at this link:
HOW TO WRITE A PAPER see also this link on how to write a paper in general successfully:
D: Additional Extra Credit tasks suggested in class are to be handed in within 2 weeks of the assignment thereafter they have no value!
E: WATCH TV GET EXTRA CREDIT
See also the following link: STUDENT OBSERVING~ AND ~EXTRA-CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES
THREE POWERFUL STUDY TOOLS _______________________________________
Notes to relatively new students:
Your not in High School anymore we expect performance and you are mostly on your own.
Professors ..profess...we lecture...we are not trained teachers!!! Some of us can and some of us cannot! Most of the time only 25% of the class you entered CSI with will Graduate .. in some fields it is as low as 13%. CSI dismisses many of these because of low performance..(ie very low GPA's)
_________________________________________
STUDY TOOLS
ARE GENERAL NOTES FOR YOU AS AN OVERVIEW
II. INTERACTIVE ON-LINE TOOL
While Studying a chapter your new text comes with several on-line educational tools (See the text inserts with your starting "passcodes" to register for two educational programs). The first is ACE-ASTRONOMY which is an excellent tool to review and study the chapter. Key tools available are REVIEWS, FLASHCARDS, ACTIVE FIGURES (cool!!), EXERCISES, CHAPTER SUMMARIES, CHAPTER OUTLINES, LEARNING OBJECTIVES, PRACTICE TESTS AND ASTRO GAMES.
USE THE TEXT BOOK INSERT CARD TO REGISTER FOR ACE-ASTRONOMY
ALSO AVAILABLE IS A TOOL FOR LABORATORY WORK. VIRTUAL ASTRONOMY LABORATORIES ASK YOUR LABORATORY TEACHER IF THEY WOULD TAKE THE RESULTING LABORATORY REPORT FOR EXTRA CREDIT.. I WILL IF YOU ARE IN MY "LAB" CLASS. They are also reachable from the ace astronomy web page
III. CHAPTER REVIEW FOR THE SEEDS SOLAR SYSTEM TEXT Directly accessible from this page similar to ace-astronomy but not as fancy can be reached via this link SOLAR SYSTEM CHAPTER REVIEW
ESPECIALLY, GO OVER THE "CHAPTER TUTORIAL QUIZ". You get to the chapter tutorial quiz by following the previous link and choosing the chapter you are reviewing. Take the quiz till you get a good score then after studying the chapter take the CHAPTER EXAM found at the ASTRONOMY 100 LECTURE MATERIAL link.
ASSIGNMENTS (SUBJECT TO CHANGES)
(REMEMBER TO TAKE ON-LINE EXAMS-- AFTER EACH CHAPTER IS COVERED IN CLASS they will be posted in the last web page) YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED BY EMAIL WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE AND FOR HOW LONG!
ALL HOME WORK ASSIGNMENTS ARE DESIGNED FOR YOU TO MAXIMIZE YOUR ABILITY ON THE ONLINE EXAMS AND DO WELL ON THE CLASS EXAMS
GENERAL ABBREVIATIONS USED: NT=New Terms, RQ = Review Questions; DQ = Discussion Questions; P = Problems; CIW =Critical Inquires for the Web; EXC = Extra Credit Assignment; ES = EXPLORING THE SKY Assignment
TO GET THE MOST BENEFIT: In general, you are to define briefly for yourself all "New Terms"(NT) unless indicated otherwise AND DO NOT HAVE TO HAND THESE NEW TERMS IN, but hand in INDICATED Review Questions(RQ) and selected discussion questions(DQ), problems(PR)and web assignments (CIW's) listed in outline below. IT IS EXPECTED THAT YOU DO ALL OF THE "SKY" (EXPLORING THE SKY(ES)) EXERCISES in the text from the CD provided with the text.
(GRADED 0 TO 1) LATE ASSIGNMENTS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY PENALIZED.
NOTE: Please write your Name ASSIGNMENT NUMBE and Seat Number ON THE HW when submitting
TOPIC--GROUP/ASSIGNMENT NUMBER ------READING ASSIGNMENTS
----------HOMEWORK
ASSIGN. #1:-Our Place in Space- The Big Picture Read: XI-XIII Chapter 1+APPENDIX Ap.677-679
HW: All NT's RQ-2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 ; PR-2,3, 4,5,7,8,9,10; CIW-3; ES
ASSIGN #2--Motions of Sun & Planets, Stars Read: Chapter 2
HW: ALL NT's RQ-2,3,5,6,7,9,10,11,12 ;DQ-2; PR-8,9; CIW-3 ES
ASSIGN #3- - Celestial Coordinates, Eclipses, Lunar Phases Read: Chapter 3
HW: ALL NT's RQ-1,2,5,6,8,9,11,12 ; DQ-1,3; PR- 1,2,3,4,5,8,9,10 ES :
ASSIGN #4-Galileo, Copernicus, Kepler Read: Chapter 4
HW: ALL NT's RQ-1,2,3,4,9,10,12,13; PR-1,5,6,7 CIW- 2 ES
ASSIGN #5- The Nature of Light, Atoms and Radiation,
NOTE: Special Reading and HW assignment Read Chapter6 SECTION 6-1 ONLY and Chapter 7 Sections 7-1,7-2,7-3, "Atomic Spectra" image pages located after sec 7-3
HW: Chapter 6 NT's from "electromagnetic radiation" to "atmospheric window" .RQ-7, 8 DQ-1,2 PR 1,2 CIW-3 ES
Chapter 7 NT's from "temperature" to "Paschen series" RQ-1,2,4,5,7,8 PR 1,2 ES
ASSIGN #6- The Sun READ: Chapter 8
HW: ALL NT'S RQ-1,5,6,8,11,12,13,15,16,17 DQ-1 PR -5,6,7,8,10; CIW-2
ASSIGN #7- The Planet Earth- Our Home, it's History, interior Read: Chapter 20
HW: ALL NT's RQ-1,2,5,7,8,9,11,12,13,14,15
; DQ-1, 2; PR-1,3,4 CIW-4 and 5
ASSIGN #8- Meteorites, Asteroids, and Comets; Death by Asteroid? Read Chapter 25
HW: ALL NT's RQ-1,2,4,10,11,12,13,15 ;DQ-1,3; PR-1 CIW-1,2,3,4; ES;
ASSIGN #9- Life evolving on Earth: Life on other Worlds? LGM's? Read: Chapter 26 + "Afterword" just after Chapter
HW: ALL NT's RQ-1,2,3,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,13,14,15 DQ-2; PR- 2,3,8 CIW- 1,2 ;
ASSIGN #10- Venus and Mars Read: Chapter 22
HW: ALL NT's RQ-1,2,4,7,9,10,11 DQ-1; PR-1,3, 5; CIW-2 ES;
ASSIGN #11 Jupiter and its moons and Saturn and its rings Read: Chapter 23
HW: ALL NT's RQ-1,3,6,9,10,11,13,14,15 DQ-2 PR -2 CIW-2; ES;
FINAL EXAM
EXTRA CREDIT HW ASSIGNMENTS IF NOT COVERED IN CLASS (UP TO 1 POINT EACH ON FINAL AVERAGE)
1- Our Moon and the Planet Mercury Read: Chapter 21
HW: ALL NT's RQ-1,2 3,7, ; DQ-1; PR 7, 5,10 CIW-1 ; ES
2-- Uranus, Neptune and Pluto READ: Chapter 24
HW: ALL NT'S RQ-2,7,8,11,12,13; DQ-1,2 PR -2,10 CIW-4,6
3- Newton, Einstein, Escape from Planet Earth Read Chapter 5
HW: ALL NT's RQ- ,2,3,4,5,9,11,13,14,15,16 ; DQ-2 PR- 1,3,5,9,10,11 CIW-1,2;
4- The Origin of the Solar System READ: Chapter 19
HW: ALL NT's RQ-1,2,3,4,9,10,13,16,17,18,19,20 DQ-2 PR-4,6,9 CIW-1 or CIW-3 ES;