Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2021 - PHYS 190 D100

Introduction to Astronomy (3)

Class Number: 1900

Delivery Method: Remote

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 8 – Dec 7, 2021: Tue, Thu, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

A survey of astronomy designed primarily for non-science students, with a strong emphasis on active learning outside the classroom. Covers the development of astronomy from the ancient Greeks through the Renaissance, to the modern view of the cosmos as revealed by the scientific method. Topics include naked-eye observation of the night sky, modern observational equipment and techniques, the solar system, stellar evolution, galaxies, the Hubble expansion, the Big Bang, dark matter, dark energy, and startling new theories of the origin and destiny of the universe. Experiential activities involve active observations of the moon, stars and planets, and introductory experiments in some of the basic physics that astronomers use to explore the cosmos. Students who have received credit for PHYS 121, 126, or 141 may not take PHYS 190 for further credit. Quantitative/Breadth-Science.

COURSE DETAILS:

Topics:
1. The night sky: the celestial sphere, constellations, angles, stellar brightness
2. The seasons, precession
3. Distances to the stars
4. The Sun as a star
5. Stellar evolution: birth, life and death
6. The Milky Way Galaxy and the Local Group
7. Distances to the galaxies
8. Galaxy evolution
9. Dark matter and supermassive black holes
10. Cosmology: Hubble-Lemaître expansion, dark energy, the Big Bang


Course Details:

Mode of Teaching:
Lecture: synchronous (recorded)
Laboratory: synchronous
Quizterms (3): online, dates: TBA

Expectation for participation:
Lectures:
Participation: optional, but strongly recommended
Time commitment: 1.5 hours, twice/week (4 hours/week are scheduled, but only 3 hours/week used)

Labs:
Participation: submission of work mandatory; attendance optional, but strongly recommended
Time commitment: 5 labs total, 80 minutes each.

Quizterms (3):
Participation: mandatory
Dates: TBA

Grading

  • Homework 20%
  • Labs 20%
  • Quizterms (best 2 out of 3) 40%
  • Final paper 20%

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Required Text:
OpenStax book: https://openstax.org/details/books/astronomy

Materials + Supplies:
● Access to reliable high-speed internet
● Computer with webcam and microphone
● Smartphone with camera

Department Undergraduate Notes:

Students who cannot write their exam during the course's scheduled exam time must request accommodation from their instructor in writing, clearly stating the reason for this request, within one week of the final exam schedule being posted.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2021

Teaching at SFU in fall 2021 will involve primarily in-person instruction, with approximately 70 to 80 per cent of classes in person/on campus, with safety plans in place.  Whether your course will be in-person or through remote methods will be clearly identified in the schedule of classes.  You will also know at enrollment whether remote course components will be “live” (synchronous) or at your own pace (asynchronous).

Enrolling in a course acknowledges that you are able to attend in whatever format is required.  You should not enroll in a course that is in-person if you are not able to return to campus, and should be aware that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who may need class or exam accommodations, including in the context of remote learning, are advised to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112) as early as possible in order to prepare for the fall 2021 term.