ASTR100 - Fall 2006

Introduction to Astronomy

• Prof: Cole Miller
  • Lecture Time: TuTh 9:30-10:45 AM
    
  • Lecture Room: PHYS 1412
    
• Teaching Assistants: See TA Information
  • Discussion Room: CSS 2400
    
  • Discussion Times: See Section Information
    
• Textbook: Pathways to Astronomy, by Schneider and Arny (ISBN 13-978-0-07-292208-0)

Class Information

• Course Syllabus and Description
• Lecture Schedule
• Assignments Check here for up to date information on Homeworks and Exams.
• Open House Schedule and related information for the University Observatory's Open House.
• There are other ASTR courses you can take after this one: ASTR Courses for Non-Majors.

Material to Help You Out

• Working with equations. Also linked below, but particularly important for proportions. If you have any uncertainty about your ability to work with simple equations, this is really helpful! These are the kinds of things you'll be expected to know on an exam. Also helpful is:
• Jane Gilhooly's ASTR 100 webpage, which contains other self-quizzes and math worksheets.
• The California state legislature fights on behalf of Pluto.
• Constellations and myths.
• Computer Programs for use in ASTR100.
  • Practice scientific notation and working with equations. Learn about astronomical distances and giant impacts!
  • Watch the planets move around the Sun on their actual orbits! Follow this link to the Inner Solar System and Outer Solar System animations.
  • Check out the orbits of all the moons orbiting the planets in our Solar System!
  • JavaLab for the curious. Collide or cannibalize your own galaxies, explore the expansion history of the cosmos, and more!
• Supplementary Information for UMD Introductory Astronomy. This site includes useful practice multiple choice questions which the computer will grade for you.
• Astronomy Picture of the Day This site is updated daily and has a nice archive of pretty astronomy images.
• Artificial Satellites
  • Predictions for artificial satellites, including
  • Satellite forecasts specific to College Park.

• Welcome to the Planets Information about planets and spaceprobes from JPL.
• A Tour of the Solar System This page contains information about the planets, satellites, asteroids, comets, and Solar System related topics.
• NEAR mission to asteroid Eros.
• Deep Impact, a Maryland-led project to explore the heart of a comet.
• Comet Crash pictures and movies.
• Spacewatch This page contains information about this program which searches for near Earth objects.
• Extrasolar Planets Astronomers have discovered planets around other stars. The list lengthens all the time!

• Light and the Electromagnetic Spectrum Good information about light.
• The Stellar Spectral Sequence. The colors and spectra of stars.
• Structure and Evolution of Stars What happens when a star runs out of fuel?
• Novae and Supernovae The most violent events in the Universe!
• Binary Stars This page contains general information on binary stars.
• Pulsars Hear them tick!
• Neutron stars An introduction to some of their many faces.
• Black Hole Candidates This page contains information on Cygnus X-1, LMC X-3, and other black hole candidates.
• Videos of compact objects, including the expected appearance of things in the vicinity of black holes.

• Galaxy appearance and classification.
• Merging Galaxies - Josh Barnes' pedagogical sequence: initial conditions | merger | snapshot of merger in progress.
• The Really Cool Merger Simulation which appeared in the IMAX film Cosmic Voyage (courtesy of Chris Mihos). Warning: may require excessive download time
• Relativity Everything that you want to know about General Relativity, curved spacetime, and gravitational radiation!
• Cosmology How did the Universe begin? How will it end?
• Large Scale Structure Clusters & Superclusters of Galaxies. What do they look like?
• Dark Matter: What is dark matter? What is it made of?
• Some alternatives to dark matter.

HD177830 b and Moon
Copyright © Lynette R. Cook, All Rights Reserved, Used with Permission.