Lecture Notes:

A list of lecture dates and topics can be found below.  PDF versions of my PowerPoint slides can be found in the Resources tab on the left side of the page.

Course Materials:

For my section of ASTR 1210, you are required to have three items:

1. The textbook "The Cosmic Perspective," 7th Edition, by Bennett, Donahue, Schneider and Voit published by Pearson Higher Education. Do not purchase the abridged version of the text called "The Essential Cosmic Perspective." Do not purchase the partial books "The Cosmic Perspective: Solar System" nor "The Cosmic Perspective: Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology." If you have a 6th edition copy of the textbook from a previous semester, you do not need to purchase the 7th edition. The 6th edition will be just fine. However, when registering for MasteringAstronomy, be sure to select the 7th edition since that is the version that the class is using. If the cost of the textbook will be a significant hardship, please let me know. I have a limited number of 6th edition textbooks that I can loan to you for the semester.
2. Access to the Learning Catalytics interactive classroom system. To use Learning Catalytics, you will need to bring an internet enabled device (smart phone, iPad, iPod Touch, tablet, or laptop) to every class. If you will not have access to an internet enabled device, please let me know.
3. access to the MasteringAstronomy online learning system. 

I also highly recommend that you download and install a free copy of the planetarium program Stellarium, but it is not required.

Your options for purchasing these are:

1. New textbook bundle from the University Bookstore: The textbook comes bundled with Mastering Astronomy and Learning Catalytics, cost $175.
2. Used textbook from the University Bookstore or online retailer: Cost is $80-$130. You will need to purchase access to MasteringAstronomy for $60 at http://www.masteringastronomy.com and access to Learning Catalytics for $12. NOTE: It may be less expensive to purchase a new textbook from the bookstore with MasteringAstronomy and Learning Catalytics included than it is to purchase a used text, access to MasteringAstronomy, and access to Learning Catalaytics separately.
3. Electronic version of the textbook that comes with access to MasteringAstronomy and Learning Catalytics. Cost about $91 and can be purchased at http://www.masteringastronomy.com  I believe this is the most cost effective option. 

Be careful with purchasing MasteringAstronomy. You can purchase access directly from MasteringAstronomy on their website for $60, or you can buy an access card at the University Bookstore for $75. It is more cost effective to purchase access directly from MasteringAstronomy on their website. Be VERY careful of purchasing an access code from an individual or online retailer. In some of these cases, the codes have expired, have already been activated, apply only to an earlier version of the textbook, or are fakes.

Grades:

Your grade will be based on 3 quizzes, a final exam, 2 lab exercises, in class exercises, and weekly homework. On a 1000 point scale each is worth: 

 

Quiz 1	125 points	Wednesday, September 17 from 2:00-3:15 p.m.
Quiz 2	125 points	Wednesday, October 15 from 2:00-3:15 p.m.
Quiz 3	125 points	Wednesday, November 12 from 2:00-3:15 p.m.
Exam	225 points	Friday December 12 from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Block 13)
Classroom Exercises	100 points
Weekly Homework Problems	200 points	Due most Sundays at 11:00 p.m.
Constellation Lab	50 points	Maximum grade declines during semester
Telescope Observing Lab	50 points	Maximum grade declines during semester

 

 

The final exam is fully comprehensive. It will be approximately twice as long as a quiz and in the same general style.

Grades will be posted on the UVa Collab site http://collab.itc.virginia.edu in the Gradebook tab on the left. Your final grade is based on 1000 points with letter grades assigned as follows:

Letter Grade	Point range	Letter Grade	Point Range
A+	970-1000	C	730-769
A	930-969	C-	700-729
A-	900-929	D+	670-699
B+	870-899	D	630-669
B	830-869	D-	600-629
B-	800-829	F	0-599
C+	770-799	Pass	600-1000

 

 

I will send official correspondence via electronic mail. Therefore, you should immediately activate your U. Va. e-mail account if you have not already done so. If you use a mail service other than the University's, be sure to have your University mail forwarded to it. You will be responsible for reading all materials sent via electronic mail.

Attendance Policy:

It is in your best interest to attend class regularly. During most classes you will be asked to answer a number of questions using Learning Catalytics. Credit will only be given for answers completed during class. You must attend the scheduled quizzes and the final exam. See me at least two lectures before an exam if you have a conflict. Makeup exams are given only at the discretion of the instructor.

You must turn off your cell phone before class begins.

Please do not hold conversations with other students during class. Regardless of how quiet you believe you are, it is very distracting to the students around you.

Since you will be bringing a smart phone, tablet, or laptop to class everyday, please be respectful of me and the other students in the class. I ask that you restrict your use to Learning Catalytics, class related note-taking and research. Working on non-class related projects is distracting to the students around and behind you and is distracting to me.

Honor Code:

As a graduate of the University of Virginia, I take the honor code very seriously. I assume that all exams and labs are bound by your honor to be your own work, even if you did not explicitly sign the pledge. In class you will, at times, be asked to work in groups. In these cases, I expect everyone in the group to contribute to the answer. I would consider it an honor violation if you submit a groups' answer but did not contribute to the discussion. If you are not sure what is allowed ask me to clarify.

MasteringAstronomy Homework:

Each week, you will be assigned a few homework problems to complete using the online MasteringAstronomy system. To register, go to MasteringAstronomy and follow the directions for a new student.  Use the course code MURPHY1210FALL2014 to enroll yourself in this course. Homework assignments will typically be due on Sunday evenings at 11:00 p.m. Late homework will be penalized 1% per hour up to a maximum of 50%. After two days late, there is no additional penalty and the maximum grade is 50%. The first homework assignment is not due until after the add deadline.

 

The homework assignments are worth 200 points. The total number of points that you will be the weighted average percentage of all the assignments. For example, if you average 85% on the homework assignments during the semester, you will earn 0.85x200=170 points.

 

You may use your textbook and lecture notes when completing the homework.  You are welcome to work with other students so long as the final answer that you submit is your own.  If you don't know the answer to a question, it is fine if your partner helps you to figure out the answer.  If another student tells you the answer, and you submit the answer without attempting to understanding why it is correct, I would consider that an honor violation.

Laboratories:

You will be required to complete two labs this semester, the Constellation Lab and the Telescope Observing Lab.

 

Constellation Lab:

This lab consists of learning the names and locations of the brightest stars and constellations, completing a worksheet, and passing a short quiz. The lab can be completed in a single night and you may repeat it until you pass. The lab is graded pass/fail and the number of points that you receive depends on the date that you complete the lab:

Dates	Maximum possible grade
Sep 01 - Oct 09 Nov 13	50 points
Oct 15 - Oct 30	45 points
Nov 13 - Nov 24	40 points
Dec 01 - Dec 04	30 points

 

You should complete the Constellation Lab as early as possible in the semester since the number of points that you receive will decline as the semester progresses; the lab gets very crowded as deadlines approach and you run the risk of being clouded out. There will be absolutely no exceptions to this schedule. The lab operates every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening at both 9:00 and 10:00 p.m. and lasts one hour.  The lab is operated in the garage area adjacent  to the Astronomy Building (to the left of the Astronomy Building as seen from the Observatory Hill Dining Hall).  You must sign up for an observing session in advance. See the Lab Information page for more details.  If you completed the lab in a previous semester for another astronomy class, you must complete the lab again this semester.

 

You will significantly increase your chances of passing the quiz if you learn the names and locations of the major constellations and bright stars in the night sky. You can get very good star maps at SkyMaps.com and Heavens-Above.  Go outside at night and use the star maps to locate the constellations and bright stars.  At the start of the lab, the teaching assistant will review their locations and names.

 

The  Constellation Quiz Lab will not operate if the skies are cloudy.  If you are in doubt, call the Astronomy Department Night Lab hotline at (434) 924-7238 after 7:00 p.m. to learn if the labs will be open.

 

If you pass the lab, your grade will appear in the Gradebook on Collab within a week. If you do not pass the lab, you will receive an email and you should schedule another lab session.

 

Telescope Observing:

 

In this lab you will attend a single observing session at the Leander McCormick Observatory and sketch at least three objects as seen through the telescopes. The Telescope Observing Lab operates only on Monday and Thursday evenings and runs from 9:00-11:00 p.m.  See the Lab Information page for more details. You must sign up for an observing session in advance. You should meet the teaching assistant at the left entrance of the Astronomy Building (as seen from the Observatory Hill Dining Hall) no later than 9:00 p.m. to get a ride to the Observatory.  The lab will also be graded pass/fail. The number of points that you receive for passing the lab depends on the date that you complete the lab:

Dates	Maximum possible grade
Sep 08 - Oct 30 Nov 24	50 points
Dec 01 Nov 03 - Dec 04	40 points

You do not need to do any work or studying prior to the lab.  The teaching assistants will have the telescopes pointed at interesting objects.  You must make a quick, but accurate, sketch of the object and write a brief description of its appearance. If you pass the lab, your grade will appear in the Gradebook on Collab within 10 days. If you do not pass the lab, you will receive an email and you should schedule another lab session.

 

Learning Catalytics Classroom Exercises:

During most classes, I will ask you to respond to a number of questions using the Learning Catalytics student response system. I will use your responses to gauge the overall comprehension of the subject, to clear up any misunderstandings, and to learn your opinions on various topics. You will receive 1 point for each question that you answer and 1 additional point if you answer the question correctly. Once you have earned 100 points, you will not earn any additional credit. I do not allow students to make up missed questions. You may not use another student's account to answer questions for them. Answering questions for another student, whether they are present or absent, is a violation of the honor code. To use Learning Catalytics, you will need to bring an internet enabled device (smart phone, iPad, iPod Touch, tablet, or laptop) to every class. Please let me know if you do not have such a device.

Additional Help:

I strongly encourage you to take advantage of my office hours. I am always happy to meet with you to discuss the material and answer questions. If the posted hours do not work for you because of a class, please schedule an appointment with me for another time. On cloudy evenings, when the night lab is closed, the teaching assistants are also available.

 Weather Pages:

Astronomy Department Night Lab weather hotline:  (434) 924-7238 (after 7:00 p.m.)

Current conditions at McCormick Observatory

National Weather Service forecast for Charlottesville

Clear Sky Clock for McCormick Observatory

Real-time satellite weather images

ASTR 1210 Introduction to the Sky and Solar System