Chaisson, E., & McMillan, S. (2010). Astronomy: A beginner's guide to the universe (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

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1 Course Syllabus Course Description Reviews the history of astronomy and the development of astronomical thought leading to the birth of modern astronomy and its most recent developments. Prerequisites None Course Textbook Chaisson, E., & McMillan, S. (2010). Astronomy: A beginner's guide to the universe (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Mastering Astronomy with ebook To access Mastering Astronomy and ebook: 1. Log onto Mastering Astronomy ( 2. Click on Register New Student 3. Select Yes I have an access code. Your access code should be received with your textbook and the Mastering Astronomy Student Access Kit with ebook 4. Click on I Accept License Agreement and Privacy Policy 5. Do You have a Pearson Education Account Select No 6. Create Login Name To verify student use you must use the following format for you user name First_Last name and Student ID 7. Create Password 8. Enter the Access Code (provided with textbook) 9. You will be asked for your Course ID: Students starting the Labs BEFORE September 21, 2012 will continue to use: MABERNARD90745 Students starting the Labs AFTER September 21, 2012 with use: MABERNARD42117 Once you have accessed the course: 1. On the left hand toolbar, click on Assignments 2. Complete the Introduction to Mastering Astronomy Assignment 3. This will allow you to become familiar with the program Credits Upon completion of this course, the students will earn three (3) hours of college credit. AST 2200, Explorations in Astronomy 1

2 Course Learning Objectives Upon completion of this course, students should be able to: 1. Define and apply the terminology used in astronomy. 2. Identify and discuss the major contributors in astronomy. 3. Discuss matter and light and their interactions. 4. Describe the different types of telescopes and discuss how they are used. 5. Describe the major objects in the Solar System. 6. Evaluate the various kinds of eclipses. 7. Compare and contrast objects in the Solar System to the Earth. 8. Compare and contrast terrestrial and Jovian planets. 9. Describe the major objects in the universe. 10. Discuss stellar evolution. 11. Describe and categorize the major events in the origin of the universe. 12. Discuss the fate of the universe. 13. Analyze current topics in space exploration. Course Structure 1. Unit Learning Objectives: Each unit contains learning objectives that specify the measurable skills and knowledge students should gain upon completion of the unit. 2. Unit Summaries: Each unit contains an overview, or summary, of the information to be covered. 3. Reading Assignments: Each unit contains reading assignments from one or more chapters from the textbook. 4. Key Terms: Key Terms are intended to guide students in their course of study. Students should pay particular attention to Key Terms as they represent important concepts within the unit material and reading. 5. Assessments: This course contains eight unit assessments, one to be completed at the end of each unit. 6. Laboratory Assignments: These assignments appear in Units II, IV, and VI. Instructions and details can be found below and in each respective unit. 7. Final Exam (Proctored): The final exam is composed of 50 multiple-choice questions. All final examinations are supervised by an approved Proctor. You are permitted four (4) hours to complete this exam, in the presence of your approved proctor. This is an open book exam. Only course textbooks and a calculator, if necessary, are allowed when taking proctored exams. 8. Ask the Professor: This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to ask your professor general or course content related questions. 9. Student Break Room: This communication forum allows for casual conversation with your classmates. Laboratory Exercises You are required to complete three (3) lab exercises following Unit II, Unit IV, and Unit VI of this course. Laboratory exercises in this course may be accomplished through assigned readings. To gain a fuller appreciation of each exercise, students will assess and complete interactive style lessons found within assigned readings and/or select research links for each lab. After completing the required reading and/or research assignments, students will answer each of the given laboratory exercises shown in each lab. Each lab exercise may contain researchable style essay questions as well as multiple choice or short answer questions or other exercises that are to be submitted for grading. Students are to cite corresponding references or source links, when required, within assigned essay responses, following CSU's required APA style guidelines. All exercises and answers are located within the respective unit. Students are strongly recommended to complete all phases of the corresponding unit before completing each lab assignment. When students complete a lab assignment in Blackboard, answers are to be submitted within Blackboard for instructor access and grading. Students are instructed to note any calculations used to arrive at solutions within the space provided. Finally, students are instructed as follows: Do not send completed exercises to student services or your instructor. AST 2200, Explorations in Astronomy 2

3 APA Guidelines CSU requires that students use the APA style for papers and projects. Therefore, the APA rules for formatting, quoting, paraphrasing, citing, and listing of sources are to be followed. A document titled APA Guidelines Summary is available for you to download from the APA Guide Link, found in the Learning Resources area of the mycsu Student Portal. It may also be accessed from the Student Resources link on the Course Menu. This document provides links to several internet sites that provide comprehensive information on APA formatting, including examples and sample papers. CSU Grading Rubric for Papers/Projects The course papers will be graded based on the CSU Grading Rubric for all types of papers, unless otherwise specified within assignment instructions. In addition, all papers will be submitted for electronic evaluation to rule out plagiarism. Course projects will contain project specific grading criteria defined in the project directions. To view the rubric, click the Academic Policies link on the Course Menu, or access it through the CSU Grading Rubric link found in the Learning Resources area of the mycsu Student Portal. Final Examination Guidelines Final Exams are to be administered to students by an approved Proctor. CSU approves two, flexible proctoring options: a standard Proctor, who is chosen by the student and approved by the university, or Remote Proctor Now (RP Now), an ondemand, third-party testing service that proctors examinations for a small fee. A standard Proctor is an unbiased, qualified individual who is selected by the student and agrees to supervise an examination. You are responsible for selecting a qualified Proctor, and the Proctor must be pre-approved by CSU. Students choosing RP Now must have an operational webcam/video with audio, a high-speed internet connection, and the appropriate system rights required to download and install software. To review the complete Examination Proctor Policy, including a list of acceptable Proctors, Proctor responsibilities, Proctor approval procedures, and the Proctor Agreement Form, go to the mycsu Student Portal from the link below. You are permitted four (4) hours to complete this exam, in the presence of your approved Proctor. This is an open book exam. Only course textbooks, writing utensil, and a calculator, if necessary, are allowed when taking proctored exams. Communication Forums These are non-graded discussion forums that allow you to communicate with your professor and other students. Participation in these discussion forums is encouraged, but not required. You can access these forums with the buttons in the Course Menu. Instructions for subscribing/unsubscribing to these forums are provided below. Once you have completed Unit VIII, you MUST unsubscribe from the forum; otherwise, you will continue to receive updates from the forum. You will not be able to unsubscribe after your course end date. Click here for instructions on how to subscribe/unsubscribe and post to the Communication Forums. Ask the Professor This communication forum provides you with an opportunity to ask your professor general or course content questions. Questions may focus on Blackboard locations of online course components, textbook or course content elaboration, additional guidance on assessment requirements, or general advice from other students. Questions that are specific in nature, such as inquiries regarding assessment/assignment grades or personal accommodation requests, are NOT to be posted on this forum. If you have questions, comments, or concerns of a nonpublic nature, please feel free to your professor. Responses to your post will be addressed or ed by the professor within 48 hours. Before posting, please ensure that you have read all relevant course documentation, including the syllabus, assessment/assignment instructions, faculty feedback, and other important information. AST 2200, Explorations in Astronomy 3

4 Student Break Room This communication forum allows for casual conversation with your classmates. Communication on this forum should always maintain a standard of appropriateness and respect for your fellow classmates. This forum should NOT be used to share assessment answers. Grading Your grade for the course will be determined by your performance on the following assignments and exams weighted as follows: Unit Assessments 9% each) = 72% Laboratory Assignments 5% each) = 15% Final Exam = 13% Total = 100% Course Schedule/Checklist (PLEASE PRINT) The following pages contain a printable Course Schedule to assist you through this course. By following this schedule, you will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted. AST 2200, Explorations in Astronomy 4

5 Course Schedule By following this schedule, you will be assured that you will complete the course within the time allotted. Please keep this schedule for reference as you progress through your course. Unit I Foundations of Astronomy Part I Chapter 0: Charting the Heavens: The Foundations of Astronomy Chapter 1: The Copernican Revolution: The Birth of Modern Science Unit II Foundations of Astronomy Part II Chapter 2: Light and Matter: The Inner Workings of the Cosmos Chapter 3: Telescopes: The Tools of Astronomy Laboratory Assignment I Prepare for Final Exam - Proctor Approval Form Unit III Our Planetary System Part I Chapter 4: The Solar System: Interplanetary Matter and the Birth of the Planets Chapter 5: Earth and Its Moon: Our Cosmic Backyard Chapter 6: The Terrestrial Planets: A Study in Contrasts AST 2200, Explorations in Astronomy 5

6 Course Schedule Unit IV Our Planetary System Part II Chapter 7: The Jovian Planets: Giants of the Solar System Chapter 8: Moons, Rings, and Plutoids: Small Worlds Among Giants Laboratory Assignment II Unit V The Stars Part I Chapter 9: The Sun: Our Parent Star Chapter 10: Measuring the Stars: Giants, Dwarfs, and the Main Sequence Unit VI The Stars Part II Chapter 11: The Interstellar Medium: Star Formation in the Milky Way Chapter 12: Stellar Evolution: The Lives and Deaths of Stars Chapter 13: Neutron Stars and Black Holes: Strange States of Matter Laboratory Assignment III AST 2200, Explorations in Astronomy 6

7 Course Schedule Unit VII The Greater Universe Chapter 14: The Milky Way Galaxy: A Spiral in Space Chapter 15: Normal and Active Galaxies: Building Blocks of the Universe Chapter 16: Galaxies and Dark Matter: The Large-Scale Structure of the Cosmos Request to Take Final Exam Unit VIII The Solar System Chapter 17: Cosmology: The Big Bang and the Fate of the Universe Chapter 18: Life of the Universe: Are We Alone? Final Exam AST 2200, Explorations in Astronomy 7