Zita's notes for week 1

Intro:

who am I
who are you (green survey; names; stand up by year; stand up by experience)
what is astronomy
what are cosmologies
what we will do
 

Registration list / waitlist
handout web pages
meet this evening in CAL
everyone break for supper, including me
algebra quiz
 

Ch.1:  Scientific Method:  hand out Sagan.  Students bring articles Thursday.

Models and Tests -> better understanding
to make models and tests, we need a common language:  Distances, Units, Notation

Distances:  Clock circle:  360 deg = 2p  rad, 60min/deg, 60 sec/min

Ex:  How many arcsec per radian?  Use Scientific notation
Don't memorize much!  Box 1-3 and 1-4, but not 1-2.
Derive magic formula and practice converting units:
s = ra(rad)  -> D = Ra(arcsec)/(2x105)

Ex:  Moon subtends 0.5 deg. and R~4x105 km away (can find R from period and Newton/Kepler).
What is the diameter of the moon in km?

Ex: Light year = speed of light x year

Parallax -> parsec  (notice that pc ~ 3 ly)
 

Horizon to horizon: degrees? handspans? time?
Handspan: degrees?  time?
 

Important to ancient peoples, for reasons practical (planting) and political (king = god).  Teach me more withyour cosmologies proj.

Constellations = bright landmarks so you can find, e.g., the faint galaxy you want to see, and detect changes (SN, asteroids...)

Starry Night planetarium intro:  changes to Stars (dippers and N star) and Moon
* over one night        * night to night        * season to season         *different latitudes

Intro to Starry Night:  Exercise 1

Ch.2

Workshop