Phys 105: Stars & Cosmology Lecturer: Richard Beaver     Office: None        Phone: (Cell) 869-2557 (no BSU phone) Email: richardbeaver@boisestate.edu        Office hours: Half hour before class or by arrangement. Welcome to Physics 105-Stars & Cosmology. We will explore, in detail, the solar system. However, since Phys 104 & 105 are stand-alone classes, we will explore the basics of astronomy in both courses. Therefore, there must be some overlap. The textbook – Universe The Solar System 4th ed. or Universe 9th ed. is optional but recommended. Lab materials, lecture notes (in pdf format), and other miscellaneous documents can be downloaded or printed off Blackboard. All materials will be in course documents for this lecture and the lab. Grading Your grade in Physics 105 will be based on BSU standard percentages. Your grade will be based on the following components: There will be four 100-point multiple-choice exams with 50 questions in each. The fourth exam will be proctored as the final exam during the assigned time slot. It will not be comprehensive. There are ten on campus labs will count 10 points each. Each lab will be a pass/fail only. Complete the work, in your group, and you will be given 10 points. The observation lab at Dedication Point will be 20 points with telescope(s). Weather conditions may change that lab date. Therefore, the observation labs may vary from the schedule listed below. Please note: All 11 labs will add 120 points to your score and will count more than any one exam. That’s 120, ``gimmie'' points that you have total control. Skip a few labs and it will pull your final grade down! There will be no make-up test (unless arranged ahead of time), labs or extra credit projects. However, the Bruneau lab, (the 11th lab) will count as a TRIPLE pure extra credit lab. I will talk about how you go about doing this lab in class. The school curve, based on 520 possible points: A-; ≥ 468 (90% of 520) B-; ≥ 416 C-; ≥ 364 D-; ≥ 312. Note the 520 possible points can change with the number of observation labs cancelled mostly because of weather. A detailed breakdown can be downloaded off Bb/Course Doc/Syllabus/Misc. Additionally, you may track your scores on Bb/Evaluation/Grade Center. The grade point scale will be based on 520 points:    Four exams    12 labs Total: 40 120 520    (Plus 30=550 possible pts. with             Bruneau) I want to make this an enjoyable experience for you. Astronomy, by its nature, is a public interest subject. It makes an interesting hobby that either you, or your children, may enjoy later in life. Therefore, math will be covered in the labs. Since this is a class for science and non-science majors alike, there will be no math, "computation" questions on the exams. Additionally, the math is covered in detail in the colored boxes in your optional textbook. The text will read well with or without the math. There is some math in the text and some in the lectures. This is still a demanding four-credit physics class. Keep up on your studies! Last minute cramming, before an exam, never works. I hope the enjoyment of this astronomy class can be maximized by the elimination of math on exams. EVERYONE SHOULD DO WELL: ENJOY!!!! Course Schedule for the Spring 2011   Date Chapters Lecture Topics Lab Subject           Jan 19 1 Intro, Bruneau & Astronomy Basics               24 2 & 4 Constellations & Orbital Motions     26     1. Celestial Sphere & Constellations             31 5 Motions con’d & Nature of Light   Feb 2     2. Astronomical Spectra             7 6 Exam 1 & Telescopes     9     3. Telescopes             14 7 & 8     16     4. Proper Motion             23 (Wed) 16 & 18 Physical Sun con’d & The Sun as a Star 5. Solar Viewing             28 17 Exam 2 review & Stars 50-65   Mar 2     6. H-R Diagram             7 18 Ex. 2 Review & The Birth of Stars     9     7. Spectral Classifications             14 20 Death of Stars: Red Giants      Low & Hi Mass Stars     16     8. Stellar Distances             21 20 & 21 Death of Stars: Super Novae WR Stars     23     No lab this week             28   Spring Break     30     Spring Break           Apr 4 22 Neutron Stars & Black Holes     6     Exam 3             11 23 Ex. 3 Review & Our Galaxy     13     10. The Milky Way             18 24 Other Galaxies & “Monsters of the Milky Way”     20     No lab this week             25 25 Exotic Stars & GRBs-Tying it all together     27     9. Observing Lab at Dedication Pt.           May 2 26 The Big Bang, Dark Energy & The Future     4/6 or 7 (If needed)   Ded. Pt. &/or Solar viewing lab make-up.             9   Exam 4           (11)Bruneau Dunes Observatory lab at the Bruneau Dunes State Park any Fri. or Sat. night. 30-point lab, one time only! Map directions to Dedication Point and the Bruneau Dunes State Park Observatory can be copied at Bb/misc doc. Do not rely on GPS; there is no street address at either destination!