PHY 1101 Astronomy
| Subject | Cat-Nbr | Class | Term | Mode | Description | Units | Campus |
| PHY | 1101 | 10393 | 1, 2002 | ONC | Astronomy | 1.00 | TWMBA |
| Academic Group: | FOSCI |
| Academic Org: | FOS002 |
| HECS Band: | 2 |
| ASCED Code: | 010303 |
Contents
STAFFING:
Examiner: Brad Carter
Moderator: Alfio Parisi
RATIONALE:
The course introduces students to a number of topics in astronomy. The Sun and planets, stars, galaxies and other celestial objects are described in a mostly qualitative manner, and the science of astronomy is used to illustrate some fundamental physical concepts. Students will be encouraged to discuss astronomical subjects of interest, and will be taught some of the practical aspects of observing the sky.
SYNOPSIS:
The course begins with a basic introduction to observational astronomy. The programme material then reviews astronomy's historical origins, and the telescopes and techniques used in this branch of science. The births, lives and deaths of stars are covered, including a discussion of black holes. Our Milky Way galaxy is reviewed, and followed by a survey of the different types of galaxies beyond our own. The formation of the universe in the Big Bang is studied, as well as the overall structure and possible fate of the universe. The solar system is discussed in detail, including a study of planet Earth. The programme concludes with an investigation into the chances of extraterrestrial life and intelligence. Topics covered: Observing the sky; The history of astronomy; Astronomical techniques and telescopes; The Sun; The lives of the stars; The Milky Way and other galaxies; Cosmology and the Big Bang; The solar system; The search for extraterrestrial life.
OBJECTIVES:
On successful completion of this course students will be able to:
show an understanding of the operation of telescopes and aspects of observational techniques as a means of exploration of the universe;
describe current theories concerning the origin and nature of the solar system;
explain phenomena of astronomical origin such as lunar phases, eclipses, the visibility of planets and the brightness of stars;
demonstrate a knowledge of current theories on the origin of stars, galaxies and the universe itself, and the chemical elements;
display an appreciation of the dimension and structure of the known Universe and discuss aspects of space travel and extra terrestrial intelligence;
discuss current concerns regarding global atmospheric disturbances as a result of cosmic events, as related to their effects on climate, the biosphere and the survival of life on this planet.
TOPICS:
| Description | Weighting (%) |
1. The Sky
| 20.00 |
2. The Stars
| 20.00 |
3. The Universe of Galaxies
| 20.00 |
4. The Solar System and Life
| 20.00 |
5. Astronomy Essay
| 20.00 |
TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed:
Books can be ordered by fax or telephone. For costs and further details use the 'Book Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au by entering the author or title of the text.
It should be noted that the complete Universe (Available: series is housed at the USQ Toowoomba campus library - contact the library for its availability. The {Universe} videos are not needed for students in the USQ astronomy course.) .
NOTE: The above two items are bundled together for sale by the USQ Bookshop. A second (extra cost option is a bundle including the above plus an NTSC format videotape of four 28 min. episodes of the, Universe, a, tronomy video series. Please contact the USQ Books.
Seeds, Michael. A.,2000 Horizons: Exploring the Universe (Available: 6th edn, Brooks/Cole, a Division of Thomson Learning, Pacific Grove, California, www.brookscole.com, ISBN 0-534-57258-8, QB45.S44.) .
Study Material Lattanzio, Stephen. P., Levine, Joel, M. and Lee, Valerie Lynch, 2000 Telecourse Student Guide for Universe: The Infinite Frontier, 3rd edn, Brooks/Cole, a Division of Thomson Learning, Pacif.
REFERENCE MATERIALS:
Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.
Sky and Telescope, Periodical, Sky Publishing, Belmont, MA, USA. http://www.skypub.com
Sky & Space, Periodical, Sky & Space magazine, 80 Ebley Street, Bondi Junction, NSW 2022. (Available from Newsagents)
Ellyard, David & Tirion, Will, 2001 The Southern Sky Guide, 2nd edn, Cambridge University Press.
Malin, David, 1993 A view of the Universe, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Mass.
Morrisson,O., Wolff, S. and Fraknoi, A., 1995 Abell's Exploration of the Universe, 7th edn, Saunders College Publishing/Harcourt Brace Jovanov.
Ridpath, Arthur P., 1989 'Norton's 2000.0' Star atlas (Available: Longman Scientific & Technical, Harlow. Available through Sky Publishing, P.O. Box 9111, Belmont, MA 02178, USA.) .
STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:
| ACTIVITY | HOURS |
| Assessment | 40 |
| Examinations | 2 |
| Laboratory or Practical Classes | 24 |
| Lectures | 24 |
| Private Study | 80 |
ASSESSMENT DETAILS:
| Description | Marks Out of | Wtg(%) | Required | Due Date |
| ASSIGNMENT 1 | 30.00 | 10.00 | Y | 22 Apr 2002 | |
| ASSIGNMENT 2 | 30.00 | 10.00 | Y | 11 Jun 2002 | |
| ASTRONOMY ESSAY | 10.00 | 20.00 | Y | 03 May 2002 | (see note 3) |
| 2 HR RESTRICTED EXAM | 60.00 | 60.00 | Y | END S1 | (see note 4) |
NOTES:
- 3.
- Further details about the due dates are detailed in the assessment section of the Course Specifications.
- 4.
- Examination dates will be available during the Semester. Please refer to the examination timetable when published.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
- Attendance Requirements It is the students' responsibility to actively participate in al classes scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by then to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
- Requirements to Satisfactorily Complete Each Assessment Item To satisfactorily complete each of the assignments students must obtain at least half of the marks available for each assignment. To ensure that students can satisfy the objectives of the practical component of the course, they must attend at least 80% of the practical classes, including submission of the assessment items and obtain at least half of the marks available for each item submitted. To satisfactorily complete the examination in the course, students must obtain at least half of the marks available for each examination.
- Minimum Requirements to Pass the Course To be assured of a pass in the course, students must: obtain an overall mark of at least 50%; obtain at least 50% of the marks available in the examination(s); obtain an overall mark of at least 50% in the other assessments
- Grading Final grades for students will be determined y the addition of the marks obtained in each assessment item, weighted as in the Assessment Details and by considering the students' level of achievement of the objectives of the course.
- Supplementary and Deferred Examinations Students who obtain an overall passing mark, but who do not perform satisfactorily in an examination, may, at the discretion of the examiner, be granted a supplementary examination. Students will be granted a deferred examination only if they perform satisfactorily in all other assessment items. Any supplementary or deferred examinations for this course will be held in semester 1 exam period of the following academic year.
- Assignments The due date for assessments is the date by which a student must despatch an assignment to the USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the despatch date, if requested by the Examiner. Students must retain a copy of any assignments submitted. This must be produced within 48 hours if required by the Examiner. In accordance with the University's Policy on Assignments (Regulation 5.6.1), the Examiner of a course may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances. This policy may be found in the USQ Handbook, the Distance Education Student Guide and the Faculty of Sciences' Orientation Handbook for new on-campus students. All students are advised to study and follow the guidelines associated with this policy. An assignment submitted after the due date without an extension approved by the Examiner, will attract a penalty of up to 20 percent of the assigned mark for each day (or part thereof) that the assignment is late.
- Examinations Candidates should be aware that the University has policies and regulations (Regulation 5.6.2.2) about the use of unfair means and electronic devices in an examination and they should refer to them to determine whether or not actions they intend to take are acceptable to the University. Restricted Examination: Candidates will be allowed access only to specific materials in a restricted examination. The only materials that candidates may use in the restricted examination for this course are: (a)writing materials (non-electronic and free from materials which could give the student an unfair advantage in the examination); (b)calculators which cannot hold textual information (students must indicate on their examination paper the make and model of any calculator(s) they use during the examination). With the approval of the Examiner, candidates may take an appropriate non-electronic translation dictionary into the examination. This will be subject to perusal and may be removed from the candidate's possession until appropriate disciplinary action is completed if found to contain material that could give the candidate an unfair advantage. A list of the materials candidates may access in the restricted examination will be on the frontispiece of the examination paper.
