Fall 2021

Astronomy & Cosmology

Marc Pooler

Email: Marc.Pooler@ucps.k12.nc.us                 

Phone:  704-708-5530

Canvas Class Website:  https://ucps.instructure.com/courses/192357

 

I am very excited to have you in Astronomy & Cosmology!  If you have any questions, the best way to contact me is through email.  Be sure to check CANVAS regularly as that will be the way information is mostly easily accessed and will be updated regularly.    

 

Class Rules:

 

You are expected to follow all Union County Public Schools and Weddington High School rules.  If you are unfamiliar with these rules, please refer to the pre-school packet that you received either in the mail or at orientation or that can be found on the school website.

 

Class Expectations: P.R.I.D.E.

 

• Punctuality: Be on time!  See “Tardy” section below
• Respect: Show respect to all students and teachers. No sleeping.  Pick up after yourself.
• Integrity: Academic Integrity (More to follow)
• Dependability: Show up, Have your work done, study. 
• Excellence: Do your best.  Give 100%

 

 

What you will need: (Under current conditions, I don’t really know)

 

• A binder of some sort so we can keep our units organized.   
• Dividers for your binder: Pack of 10
• A writing utensil of some sort would probably be good. May I suggest a quill and ink jar?

 

What you will study: 

 

The semester will be broken down into the following 6 units. 

Unit 1: Fundamentals  4 Weeks

• Overview
• The Night Sky and the Celestial Sphere; Constellations
• Times and seasons – celestial movement and measure
• History of Astronomy
  • People and advances in knowledge
  • Laws of motion, gravitation, light, etc.
• Scale and distance
  • Relativity and space-time
  • Theories of the universe
• Building blocks
  • Fundamental particles
  • Energy
  • The Four Nuclear Interactions [strong, weak, electromagnetism, gravity]
• Tools of observation
  • Magnification – binoculars and telescopes
  • Beyond visible light: infrared, x-ray and radio telescopes
  • Spectrogrophy
  • LIGO

 Unit 2: The Solar System 4 weeks

• Formation [sun later]
• Inner Planets
• Outer Planets
• Smaller objects
• Kuiper Belt and Ort cloud
• The Sun

Unit 3: Stellar objects 3 Weeks

• Stellar evolution
• Types – HR diagram
• Stellar remnants
  • white dwarves,
  • neutron stars
  • nebulae
  • stellar black holes

 

Unit 4: Groupings of stars 3 Weeks

• Open clusters
• Globular clusters
• Galaxies
  • The Milky Way
  • Galactic formation theories
  • Types of galaxies
  • Active galaxies
  • Quasars

Unit 5: Large structures 1.5  Weeks

• Galaxy clusters
• Walls and voids
• Hubble expansion

Unit 6: Cosmology 1.5  Weeks

• Theories of the origin of the universe
• Steady state v Big Bang
• The cosmic microwave background
• The expansion of the universe and dark energy
• Possible futures and endings; multiverses
• Is there other life out there?
• What about us?

 

Homework:

 

• Homework will be assigned on a daily basis.
• All homework will be graded. Homework will be graded for either completion or accuracy.  
• You are responsible for keeping track of your homework assignments!
• Late Homework Policy: If you do not have your homework assignment completed by the due date then it is considered late. Each day it is turned in late will result in a 10% reduction on that assignment.  However, after 3 days of being late it will be worth no more than 50%.

 

Grading:

 

Grades will be done using a weighted system.  Weights for assignments are listed below:

           

Test:  40%                                                     Labs:  20%

           

Quizzes: 20%                                                Classwork/Homework: 20 %                                  

 

 

Tutoring:

 

I am here before and after class to aid you in any way I can.  However, please plan a date with me before showing up so that I can make sure I am here for you.

 

 

 

Absences:

 

We have been told that absences are counting this year, HOWEVER, if you are sick then please stay home!