ESCI 179     STELLAR ASTRONOMY           DR. LARSEN      SPRING 2008

OFFICE:NC606  (on the roof next to the Greenhouse and Observatory. Take the staircase next to the elevator on the 5^th floor. Only one of the elevators does go all the way up – press the 6 button.)
PHONE:832-2938    
OFFICE HRS: M noon-3 PM, TW 11-noon,  others by appt. Please be aware that I may be called away during office hours for a meeting. Call or IM ahead to make sure I am in my office.

EMAIL:larsen@ccsu.edu  
AIM: DrKrisLarsen

Text: Astronomy Today, 6th ed. Chaisson and Mc Millan (students with earlier editions of the book are responsible for making sure the homework problems assigned are the same as those in their edition)

Supplies: calculator - scientific notation helpful; NOTE: Only calculators will be allowed during exams. Laptops, cellphones, or other electronic devices which have calculator features will not be allowed.

Homework will be assigned but not collected. Solutions will be posted on the website listed above.

Grades will be based on:

best two out of three exams :                                                  25% each

                                  Labs:                                                  25% (Note: students must receive at least a 60 average in the lab to pass the course)

         Cumulative final exam:                                                   25%

Make up exams are given only with verified extenuating circumstances, and no claim is made on their level of difficulty.

The prerequisite for this course is MATH 101 (algebra) or equivalent. There will be math in this course! Students should be comfortable with algebra. The exams will be about 75% some combination of multiple choice, short answer, fill in the blanks, brief essay (exams may differ from one another as the course progresses) and 25% problems involving formulas (this will not change). A formula sheet will be provided at each exam. Understanding is more important than memorization for doing well in this course.

The final exam will be cumulative.

Students are encouraged to read the book, do the review questions at the end of the chapters, ask questions in class, and ask for extra help if needed.

Cheating, defacing of University property (including writing on desks), intolerance to others because of gender, race, age, sexual orientation or any other silly things (like my occasional bad dye job) and generally rude, disruptive behavior that prevents your fellow students from learning are not tolerated in my classes. Please respect the facilities, your classmates, and your own academic integrity.

TENTATIVE SYLLABUS       ESCI 179         SPRING 2008 - Revised

Suggested Homework Problems from the textbook (6^th edition!)