Calendar

Below is the TENTATIVE calendar for the course. Links to lecture outlines will be posted (in the first column of the tables) no later than 16 hours before the lecture in question. Lectures are linked in pdf format in color 1/page("c"), black-and-white 1/page ("b"), and black-and-white 6/page ("6"). Past students have found it helpful to print copies of the lectures before coming to class, and to take additional notes both separately and on the lecture printouts (usually 6/page to save paper while maintaining legibility). Because these lecture notes include copyrighted images from texts, they may not be made public, but instead are limited to viewing from a .syr.edu domain. Therefore, to view these notes from off-campus, you must first connect using VPN (so your computer is part of Syracuse's virtual private network). Excellent directions for installing and using VPN are listed on the ITS Remote Access Security Webpage.

On-line homework posted on the Mastering Astronomy website is due before each class. Each assignment will be available one week before it is due, and will remain available until the end of the semester. Late work will incur a penalty of 5% per day up to a maximum of 50%. The MasteringAstronomy course ID is SU2009AST104.

Assigned readings are listed in the fourth column of the tables. Any changes to the assigned readings will be announced to the class via email and updated on this website no later than one week before they are due. It is recommended that you complete the reading assignments before the corresponding class. Students who complete the assignments before class get more out of the lecture. All readings are from the required text The Essential Cosmic Perspective by Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, and Voit, 4th Edition, 2008, Pearson/Addison Wesley (ISBN 0-321-50701-0). We also list the closest coresponding reading in the book required last year (Astronomy: A Beginner's Guide to the Universe by Erich Chaisson and Steve McMillan, 5th Edition, 2007, Pearson/Benjamin Cummings (ISBN 0-13-187165-X)) for the convenience of students with that book.

Links to lab assignments will be posted (in the final column) at least one week before the lab, listed on each day the lab will be performed. Lab assignments should be read before your laboratory session. Lab sections meet in Room B129-E (in the Physics Building Basement).

Sample exams will be posted at least one week before each exam, with the answer key to the sample exam posted at least three days before the exam.

Spring break: March 8 - March 15