Astronomy
As eloquently argued by Isaac Asimov in “Beyond the Night Sky,” there is so much beauty in the universe for the eye and mind to behold. We derive visual pleasure from gazing at a majestic planet or a glowing nebula in the night sky and intellectual gratification from understanding a cosmic mystery through a process called science.
What distinguishes us from lower creatures if not our sense of wonder and curiosity, our compulsion to explore and discover? And what exemplifies this compulsion better than our quest for the knowledge of the universe and our place in it? Astronomy is ultimately the study of who we are and where we came from. Astronomy is the only science that truly acts as a mirror. To paraphrase our textbook authors,
“Astronomy is important, not just because it is about stars and galaxies, but because it is also about us. It tells us what we are, and once you know astronomy, you see yourself and your world in a different way. Astronomy changes you.”
Astronomy includes physics, chemistry, geology, meteorology, and even biology. It is an ideal subject to learn about humanity’s scientific endeavor. As such, the study of astronomy cultivates important scientific and mathematical skills required by a society with advanced technology. Understanding how we know what we know will enable us to discriminate among competing hypotheses and judge the reasonableness of ideas that are proposed. To know the workings of science is one of the most important tools we have for meeting the challenges of our technological society with all its benefits and problems.
What distinguishes us from lower creatures if not our sense of wonder and curiosity, our compulsion to explore and discover? And what exemplifies this compulsion better than our quest for the knowledge of the universe and our place in it? Astronomy is ultimately the study of who we are and where we came from. Astronomy is the only science that truly acts as a mirror. To paraphrase our textbook authors,
“Astronomy is important, not just because it is about stars and galaxies, but because it is also about us. It tells us what we are, and once you know astronomy, you see yourself and your world in a different way. Astronomy changes you.”
Astronomy includes physics, chemistry, geology, meteorology, and even biology. It is an ideal subject to learn about humanity’s scientific endeavor. As such, the study of astronomy cultivates important scientific and mathematical skills required by a society with advanced technology. Understanding how we know what we know will enable us to discriminate among competing hypotheses and judge the reasonableness of ideas that are proposed. To know the workings of science is one of the most important tools we have for meeting the challenges of our technological society with all its benefits and problems.
Links
Syllabus
Online Astronomy Textbook
Amateur Observational Links:
Faint Fuzzies ( Downloadable Observation Guides)
Messier Marathon
New Galactic Catalog Observation Guide
Deep Sky Hunter Star Atlas
An Introduction to Visual Deep-Sky Observing
The Brightest Planetary Nebulae Observing Atlas - 2nd Edition
Amateur Observational Software:
Cartes Du Ciel (Sky Charts or CDC)
Loaner Telescopes through the Ann Arbor Public Library:
Link
Online Astronomy Textbook
Amateur Observational Links:
Faint Fuzzies ( Downloadable Observation Guides)
Messier Marathon
New Galactic Catalog Observation Guide
Deep Sky Hunter Star Atlas
An Introduction to Visual Deep-Sky Observing
The Brightest Planetary Nebulae Observing Atlas - 2nd Edition
Amateur Observational Software:
Cartes Du Ciel (Sky Charts or CDC)
Loaner Telescopes through the Ann Arbor Public Library:
Link
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Day by Day (Homework/Lectures/Labs)
1: Course Syllabus
2: Lecture - Our Place in the Universe
3: Lab - The Scientific Method
4: Lecture - Motion / The Infinite Voyage
5: Lab - Intro to Sky Charts / Stellarium Online Astronomy / Lab
6: Film - Cosmos #1
7: Lecture - Measuring the Sky
8: Lab - Measuring the Sky part 1
9: Lecture - Earth's Motions / Seasons / Eclipses
10: Lab - Seasons Lab
11: Film - Cosmos #7
12: Test #1
13: Lecture - Ancient Astronomy
14: Article Review - Ancient Thoughts on the Universe / (Article review directions)
15: Lecture -Ancient Astronomy
16: Lab - Seeing the Sky and it's motions
17: Film - Cosmos #3
18: Lecture - Kepler's Laws / Mechanical Universe: Kepler
19: Lab - Kepler's Laws / Questions
20: Lecture - Kepler's Laws / Atoms / Elements
21: Lab - Elements
22: Film - Cosmos #2
23: Test #2
24: Lecture - Newton's Laws
25: Lab - Intro to Galaxy Zoo
26: Lecture - What is Light
27: Lab - Hubble's Law
28: Film - Cosmos #13
29: Lecture - Spectra
30: Lab - Galaxies and Spectra
31: Lecture - Light / Telescopes
32: Lab - Telescopes / Questions
33: Film - Cosmos #12
34: Test #3
35: Lecture - Modern Telescopes
36: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
37: Lecture - Intro to the Solar System
38: Lab - Exo Solar Planets
39: Film - Cosmos #5
40: Lecture - Inner Planets
41: Lab - Retrograde Motion / Questions
42: Lecture - Outer Planets
43: Lab - Atmospheric Retention Lab
44: Film - Cosmos #6
45: Test #4
46: Lecture - Meteors / Comets / Asteroids
47: Lab - Online Crater Creator / Questions
48: Lecture - Sun
49: Lab - Savage Sun
50: Film - Cosmos #4
51: Lecture - Sun
52: Lab - Sun Spots
53: Lecture - Sun
54: Article Review - Sun Climate Connection
55: Film - Cosmos #9
56: Test #5
57: Lecture - Stars
58: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
59: Lecture - HR Diagrams
60: Lab - HR Diagrams / Questions
61: Film - Cosmos #11
62: Lecture - Main Sequence
63: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
64: Lecture - Death of Stars
65: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
66: Film - Cosmos #8
67: Test #6
68: Lecture - Galaxies
69: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
70: Lecture - Quasars
71: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
72: Film - Cosmos #10
73: Lecture - Universe
74: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
75: Lecture - Big Bang
76: Article Review -Age of the Milky Way
77: Test #7
78: Review
79: Review
80: Exam
2: Lecture - Our Place in the Universe
3: Lab - The Scientific Method
4: Lecture - Motion / The Infinite Voyage
5: Lab - Intro to Sky Charts / Stellarium Online Astronomy / Lab
6: Film - Cosmos #1
7: Lecture - Measuring the Sky
8: Lab - Measuring the Sky part 1
9: Lecture - Earth's Motions / Seasons / Eclipses
10: Lab - Seasons Lab
11: Film - Cosmos #7
12: Test #1
13: Lecture - Ancient Astronomy
14: Article Review - Ancient Thoughts on the Universe / (Article review directions)
15: Lecture -Ancient Astronomy
16: Lab - Seeing the Sky and it's motions
17: Film - Cosmos #3
18: Lecture - Kepler's Laws / Mechanical Universe: Kepler
19: Lab - Kepler's Laws / Questions
20: Lecture - Kepler's Laws / Atoms / Elements
21: Lab - Elements
22: Film - Cosmos #2
23: Test #2
24: Lecture - Newton's Laws
25: Lab - Intro to Galaxy Zoo
26: Lecture - What is Light
27: Lab - Hubble's Law
28: Film - Cosmos #13
29: Lecture - Spectra
30: Lab - Galaxies and Spectra
31: Lecture - Light / Telescopes
32: Lab - Telescopes / Questions
33: Film - Cosmos #12
34: Test #3
35: Lecture - Modern Telescopes
36: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
37: Lecture - Intro to the Solar System
38: Lab - Exo Solar Planets
39: Film - Cosmos #5
40: Lecture - Inner Planets
41: Lab - Retrograde Motion / Questions
42: Lecture - Outer Planets
43: Lab - Atmospheric Retention Lab
44: Film - Cosmos #6
45: Test #4
46: Lecture - Meteors / Comets / Asteroids
47: Lab - Online Crater Creator / Questions
48: Lecture - Sun
49: Lab - Savage Sun
50: Film - Cosmos #4
51: Lecture - Sun
52: Lab - Sun Spots
53: Lecture - Sun
54: Article Review - Sun Climate Connection
55: Film - Cosmos #9
56: Test #5
57: Lecture - Stars
58: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
59: Lecture - HR Diagrams
60: Lab - HR Diagrams / Questions
61: Film - Cosmos #11
62: Lecture - Main Sequence
63: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
64: Lecture - Death of Stars
65: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
66: Film - Cosmos #8
67: Test #6
68: Lecture - Galaxies
69: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
70: Lecture - Quasars
71: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
72: Film - Cosmos #10
73: Lecture - Universe
74: Lab - Galaxy Zoo
75: Lecture - Big Bang
76: Article Review -Age of the Milky Way
77: Test #7
78: Review
79: Review
80: Exam