ASTR 2110: General Astronomy


Instructor
Prof. Diana Dragomir
Email: dragomir@unm.edu
Office: PAIS 3226

Description of the class

Astronomy 2110 is a general astronomy course at a greater level of detail than is covered in Astronomy 1115. ASTR 2110 and 2115 are also the first required ASTR classes for BS Astrophysics majors. This spring course will begin with a review of positional astronomy, celestial motion, and the electromagnetic spectrum. We will then explore the Solar System from its inner to its outer regions, what we know so far about planets around other stars (exoplanets), and life elsewhere. We will use math and physics as we explore the Universe.
This is a three credit-hour course. Class meets for two 75-minute sessions of direct instruction for fifteen weeks during the Spring 2023 semester.

The detailed syllabus can be found here.

Homework, lecture slides, announcements and additional information on the research project will be posted on the UNM Canvas course page. 

Tentative Schedule

Date Lecture Notes HW Due
Week 1
01/19-01/23

Introduction; Angles and Angular Measurement
Week 2
01/26-01/30

Positional Astronomy ; Introduction to Exoplanets and research project training session

 
Week 3
02/02-02/06

Phases of the Moon and Eclipses + Quiz 1 (2/3); Galileo and Kepler

 HW 1 due (2/3)
Week 4
02/9-02/13

Test 1 (02/10); Newton
Week 5
02/16-02/20

Orbits + Quiz 2 (02/17); Tides

 HW 2 due (2/17)
Week 6
02/23-02/27

Light - Blackbody Radiation; Light - Spectral Lines
Week 7
03/02-03/06

Telescopes I + Quiz 3 (03/03); Telescopes II

 HW 3 due (3/3)
Week 8
03/09-03/13

Solar System Overview and Formation I; Solar System Formation II
Week 9
03/16-03/20		 Spring Break
Week 10
03/23-03/27

Test 2 (03/24); Earth Interior
Week 11
03/30-04/03

Earth Atmosphere + Quiz 4 (03/31); Moon

 HW 4 due (3/31)
Week 12
04/06-04/10

Mercury; Venus & Mars
Week 13
04/13-04/17

Jupiter & Saturn + Quiz 5 (04/14); Uranus & Neptune

 HW 5 due (4/14)
Week 14
04/20-04/24

Rings; Moons & Pluto
Week 15
04/27-05/01		 Asteroids, comets and meteorites + Quiz 6; Exoplanets
Week 16
05/04-05/08		 Life Beyond Earth; Review

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