Please stand by for last minute
notices on changes to the class rules and schedule as required by ASU.
(Click on COVID-19 rules in case pandemic flares up again). All AST 111 Labs
in Fall 2024 will be in person.
Course Objectives: Acquire a good overall
understanding of what the night sky and astronomical data tell us about the
Solar System and its origin.
Expected Learning Outcomes:
Goal 1: Make or review observations of celestial objects using the naked
eye and astronomical tools.
Goal 2: Analyze these data qualitatively and quantitatively to explain
and predict astronomical phenomena.
Goal 3: Apply the laws of physics to explain the motions and physical
properties of solar system objects.
Goal 4: Study some physical properties of exoplanets when compared to
solar system objects.
Goal 5: Analyze the data to derive the properties and implied evolution
of solar system objects.
Goal 6: Learn to formulate hypotheses in astronomy using evidence
from qualitative or quantitative sources.
Credits and Pre-requisites: The AST 111 Labs or
AST 112 Labs are one credit-hour laboratory class associated with the AST 111
or 112 lecture classes. Every student wishing to take the AST 111 or 112 Labs
must be currently enrolled in a AST 111 or 112 Lecture, or have previously
taken either one of those lecture courses. Knowledge of the lecture course
material is assumed in the AST 111/112 Lab curriculum and in the Lab exercises.
Policy on Overrides for the AST 111 or 112 Labs:
There are currently still a few AST 111 Lab sections open, so please sign up for
those if you need to get into the Lab. Overrides will NOT be given, because
the class rooms would get overfull. No exceptions. Instructor signature is no
longer required for course withdrawal. If you need help withdrawing from the
course, contact Mrs. Becca Dial (see Contacts page).
Policy on switching AST 111 or 112 Lab sections:
Since 450-550 students take the AST 111 or 112 Labs and nearly all sections are
full at the start of the semester (some are already overfull because of
overrides given to graduating seniors), we do NOT allow students to change AST
111 or 112 Lab sections. That is, changing to or attending a different section
with a different TA on a different night is NOT allowed.
Attendance: Laboratory classes require
participation. Students are expected to attend all scheduled class periods.
Missing three labs/lab reports (as recorded by attendance or by missing lab
scores) will result automatically in a grade of "E". Because we drop the lowest
lab score in the calculation of the final grade, NO make-up labs will be
scheduled, except in documented cases of extreme hardship (see Absences below).
A documented excuse for a missed Lab doesn't prevent you from having to make-up
that Lab. Please contact your TA if you must miss a lab. Policy on Absences, missed Labs or make-up Labs:
The Labs will meet and do indoor exercises on the days of inclement
weather. In the event of serious illness or death in the family that students
can document in writing to their TA, or other exceptional cases approved by
your TA or instructor, students may attend a missed Lab when it is taught
during another night that week or the weeks thereafter (check the Schedule
button). You must ask the other TA to Email your grade for that missed section
to the TA of your own section. [Failure to do the latter will likely result in
the grade for that one made-up Lab getting lost in the end].
Information on excused absences related to religious observances/practices
that are in accordance with ACD304-04 is on:
http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd304-04.html
.
Information on excused absences related to university-sanctioned
events/activities that are in accordance with ACD 304-02 are on:
http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd304-02.html
.
Drop/Add and Course Withdrawals Dates:
This course adheres to a compressed schedule and may be part of a sequenced
program, therefore, there is a limited timeline to drop or add the course, see:
https://students.asu.edu/academic-calendar
:
Lab Fee: The AST 111 and 112 Labs no
longer have separate Lab fees. As per Arizona Board of Regents' regulations,
Lab fees are included in your tuition. In particular, these are used amongst
others to support upgrading the AST 111 or 112 Labs materials, including new
telescopes and other equipment, new computer Labs and AST software upgrades, as
well as overhead projectors. This assures that we can teach the AST Labs more
efficiently to more students this semester and in the future.
Required Text and Other Materials at ASU bookstore:
https://www.bkstr.com/arizonastatestore/home
Every semester we try to keep your cost as low as possible. All of the Lab
scripts are free (see Lab Scripts and Schedule buttons). You only need a few
additional items for this Lab:
You need to buy the first three items, your TA will tell you if you need to
buy the Field Guide --- most likely, this can be shared between students. In
the AST Labs, students work typically in small teams of 2-3 students each.
Star wheel approximate for Tempe's latitude of +33 deg can be fetched from:
NorthStarwheel.pdf
Free version of Star-Charts on-line:
SFAStarChartsAll.pdf
Additional materials will be necessary throughout the
semester that we will not be providing - make sure you have these available to
you (also available in the bookstore or elsewhere):
Lab Exercises, Lab Reports and Pre-Labs:
Each student is expected to complete the lab report during the class
period that the exercise is performed.
Each student's work is assumed and required to be their own. NO GROUP LAB
REPORTS WILL BE ACCEPTED! Any cases of plagiarism will be met with a penalty,
and possible assignment of a failing grade for the course.
Each lab section has a different schedule. Make sure you know your
schedule! Your class time will not change, but the location where the class
will be meeting can change from time to time - so know where you are going to
be meeting. Click on Schedule or ask your TA when in doubt.
The scripts for each night's lab exercise are posted as printable PDF files.
Click on Schedule, and then on each Lab of your section, which displays the
Lab's PDF file that you need to print the night before each Lab starts. It is your responsibility to download and print out the lab
scripts the night BEFORE each Lab exercise.
All computers in public areas on campus are equipped to read and print PDF
documents, so you should be able to download and print the Lab scripts. If you
do experience difficulty, contact your TA ASAP.
Due Dates: Pre-labs are due at the beginning of class the night
of the Lab to be performed. The Lab reports and post lab Quiz are due 48 hours
after the Lab class ends (Th Labs are due the next Mo 11:59 pm). No late labs
will be accepted.
Academic integrity -- Cheating and Plagiarism:
Academic honesty is expected of all students in all examinations, papers, and
laboratory work, academic transactions and records. The possible sanctions
include, but are not limited to, appropriate grade penalties, course failure
(indicated on the transcript as a grade of E), course failure due to academic
dishonesty (indicated on the transcript as a grade of XE), loss of
registration privileges, disqualification and dismissal. For more information,
see
http://provost.asu.edu/academic-integrity
.
In the AST Labs we strictly enforce these policies. For your grade, we only
want to measure your abilities, not how well you can copy material from
somewhere else. That is, while you may have 1-2 Lab team mates that together
collect, e.g., telescope data, you still need to write your own Lab report and
answer its questions independently. While you may have Lab data in common with
your team mates, you may not copy answers to questions from your team mates. A
relatively new ASU sanction for documented, serious cases of plagiarism or
academic dishonesty is the grade of XE. This grade will appear on students'
transcripts. A postscript indicates that the grade denotes ``failure due to
academic dishonesty.''
Grades, see:
http://students.asu.edu/student-records-grades
Course grades are in proportion to the actual amount of preparation, work,
and studying done for each aspect of the Labs, as following:
Stated simply, your grade will be directly proportional
to the number of lab exercises you attend, write-up and hand in. You are
expected to attend all class times your section is scheduled to meet. A+ grades
require extra effort as defined by your TA.
To simplify the grading system --- and to allow you to get your grades back
earlier! --- at the TA's discretion some or all of each Lab's questions may be
grades on a pass/half/fail system, i.e. each question may simply get 10/5/0
points, depending on how well it was answered as judged by your TA. Most
students in this Lab end up with A's or B's, but you do have to work for
these. Students that don't put in the required work get C's or D's, and
students that fail or cheat end up with E's or EX. Continuing in Fall 2024, all AST 111 Lab students will also take the AST 111
Lectures, and vice versa (see the ASU class web page for who teaches those AST
111 Lecture classes this semester:
https://webapp4.asu.edu/catalog/ ). You will earn your AST 111 Lab and AST
111 Lecture grades separately, but they will be combined into one AST 111 grade
on your transcript. Because the AST 111 Lecture is worth 3 SCH and the Lab 1
SCH, your numerical AST 111 Lab percentage grades above will be combined with
your AST 111 Lecture grades using a 25%/75% weighting to determine your final
AST 111 letter grade. Your AST 111 Lecture professor will submit these combined
AST 111 letter grades by the December deadline.
Grade Appeals: Grade disputes must first be
addressed by discussing the situation with your TA or the Lab instructor. If
the dispute is not resolved with the instructor, the student may appeal to the
department chair or director per the University Policy for Student Appeal
Procedures on Grades:
https://catalog.asu.edu/appeal
.
Accommodating students with disabilities:
Students who feel they will need disability accommodations in this class but
have not registered with the Student and Accessibility and Inclusive Learning
Services (SAILS) should contact the SAILS immediately. The SAILS Tempe office
is located on the first floor of the Matthews Center Building. SAILS staff can
also be reached at (480) 965-1234 (V) or (480) 965-9000 (TTY). For additional
information, visit:
https://eoss.asu.edu/accessibility
.
Note takers needed for the AST 111 Labs: The ASU
Inclusive Learning Services is seeking a note taker for this class to support the
need of a fellow classmate. In exchange for providing this service you will be
compensated for your service. Please visit the SAILS web page at https://eoss.asu.edu./drc, and click on
any of the SAILS Connect links on the page and select ``sign up as a
note taker''. The following link provides a short video tutorial of how to do
this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xffNHAfNdvw.
Copyrighted materials All the content in this
course, including lectures, are copyrighted materials. Students may not share
outside the class, upload, sell or distribute course content or notes taken
during the conduct of the course (see ACD 304-06). Students may not upload to
any course shell, discussion board or website used by the course instructor or
other course forum, material that is not the student's original work, unless
the student first complies with all applicable copyright laws. The instructor
reserves the right to delete materials on the grounds of suspected copyright
infringement (see ACD 304-10).
Prohibition of Commercial Note Taking Services
In accordance with ACD 304-06 on Commercial Note Taking Services:
http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/acd/acd304-06.html
, written permission must be secured from the official instructor of the
class in order to sell the instructor's oral communication in the form of
notes. Notes must have the note taker's name as well as the instructor's name,
the course number, and the date.
Expected classroom behavior: Be sure to arrive
on time for class. Excessive tardiness will be subject to sanctions. Under no
circumstances should you allow your cell phone to ring during class. Any
disruptive behavior, which includes ringing cell phones, listening to your
mp3/iPod player, text messaging, constant talking, eating food noisily, reading
a newspaper will not be tolerated. Excessive behavior will be reported to the
Dean of Students. The use of laptops, cell phones, or PDA's for note-taking is
allowed, but not to exchange answers to questions with other students.
Policy against threatening behavior:
All incidents and allegations of violent or threatening conduct by an ASU
student (whether on-or off campus) must be reported to the ASU Police
Department (ASU PD) and the Office of the Dean of Students. If either office
determines that the behavior poses or has posed a serious threat to personal
safety or to the welfare of the campus, the student will not be permitted to
return to campus or reside in any ASU residence hall until an appropriate
threat assessment has been completed and, if necessary, conditions for return
are imposed. ASU PD, the Office of the Dean of Students, and other appropriate
offices will coordinate the assessment in light of the relevant circumstances.
Reporting Title IX violations: Title IX is a
federal law that provides that no person be excluded on the basis of sex from
participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination
under any education program or activity. Both Title IX and university policy
make clear that sexual violence and harassment based on sex is prohibited. An
individual who believes they have been subjected to sexual violence or harassed
on the basis of sex can seek support, including counseling and academic
support, from the university. If you or someone you know has been harassed on
the basis of sex or sexually assaulted, you can find information and resources
at:
https://sexualviolenceprevention.asu.edu/faqs
.
Policy on Sexual Discrimination: Arizona State
University is committed to providing an environment free of discrimination,
harassment, or retaliation for the entire university community, including all
students, faculty members, staff employees, and guests. ASU expressly prohibits
discrimination, harassment, and retaliation by employees, students,
contractors, or agents of the university based on any protected status: race,
color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual
orientation, gender identity, and genetic information.
As mandated reporters, we are obligated to report any information we become
aware of regarding alleged acts of sexual discrimination, including sexual
violence and dating violence. ASU Counseling Services,
https://eoss.asu.edu/counseling
,
is available if you wish to discuss any concerns confidentially and privately.
ASU online students may access 360 Life Services:
https://goto.asuonline.asu.edu/success/online-resources.html
.
Course Evaluation Students are expected
to complete the course evaluation. The feedback provides valuable information
to the instructor and the college and is used to improve student learning.
Students are notified when the online evaluation form is available.
Syllabus Disclaimer The syllabus is a
statement of intent and serves as an implicit agreement between the instructor
and the student. Every effort will be made to avoid changing the course
schedule but the possibility exists that unforeseen events will make syllabus
changes necessary. Please remember to check your ASU email and the course site
often.
Lab and Telescope Equipment and Care:
Please be careful with all AST Lab equipment (your state tax and tuition
dollars at work)! In particular, always:
(1) During the pandemic, use the available isopropyl alcohol-based cleaning
materials and tissues to clean telescope eye-pieces and all touched surfaces as
needed, and use frequent hand sanitizer;
(2) If needed, please ask your TA to remove dust from the telescope's main
corrector lens in front with a gentle cloth or brush. NEVER touch or scratch
the telescope optics --- they are very delicate and expensive!;
(3) Place the black dust covers back onto the front of the telescopes when
done;
(4) At the end of the night, return all eyepieces, binoculars, flashlights,
and any other materials that your TA loans out to you at the start of the
night. Your TA will put them back in storage;
(5) The TA will ask you to hold your driver's license or ASU ID for the
evening, if you must borrow something of value like a Lab laptop or binoculars.
Your ID will be returned to you at the end of the night, when you return all
these materials (please remind your TA!).
Please help us keep the Lab costs down by returning all borrowed Lab
materials at the end of the night. Thank you!
For a summary how to use our automated Celestron
8 inch telescopes, click here.
Useful Astronomical Information:
Observing from Tempe, Arizona:
Longitude = 112º West
Latitude = +33º North Arizona is on Mountain Standard Time (MST) [MST =
UT - 7 hrs]
Time: 1 minute = 60 seconds
1 hour = 60 minutes = 3600 seconds
1 day = 24 hours = 1440 minutes = 86400 seconds
1 year = 365.25 days = 8766 hours = 525960 minutes
= 31557600 seconds
Angles: 1 arcminute = 1' = 60 arcseconds = 60"
1 degree = 1º = 60' = 3600"
Full circle = 360º = 21600' = 1296000"
Time and Angles (on the Celestial Equator):
Consult with your academic advisor and notify your instructor to add or drop
this course. If you are considering a withdrawal, review the following ASU
policies on: Withdrawal from Classes
http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/ssm/ssm201-08.html
, Medical/Compassionate Withdrawal
http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/ssm/ssm201-09.html
, and an Incomplete Grade
http://www.asu.edu/aad/manuals/ssm/ssm203-09.html
. Please consult an academic advisor before dropping the course. There are
often suggestions for improvement that you might not have considered.
The final grade for the class will be calculated based on a simple sum of all
of your numerical scores during the semester. The lowest two lab scores
will be dropped. There will therefore be NO make-up Labs in general,
except in documented cases of extreme hardship (see missed labs above). If you
need to miss one Lab, that will be the one you drop. The final letter grade may
be curved to allow for differences in grading between TA's. The typical grade
distribution is indicated by the Table below, but please check with your TA for
the likely curve that will apply to your section. Final grades will include +/-
grades, so please don't ask about these --- they will appear automatically in
the final semester grade if you deserved them based on your work:
% of points possible
Letter grade
> 97.0 % A+
94 - 96.99 % A
90 - 93.99 % A-
87 - 89.99 % B+
84 - 86.99 % B
80 - 83.99 % B-
77 - 79.99 % C+
70 - 76.99 % C
60 - 69.99 % D
< 60 % E
| Time | Angle |
| 1 hour | 15º |
| 4 minutes | 1º |
| 1 minute | 15' |
| 1 second | 15" |
Moon:
Apparent Angular Diameter = 0.5º = 30'
Sidereal Period (time to make one 360º revolution around Earth) = 27.3 days
Synodic Period (time to return to same phase) = 29.5 days
Earth to Moon = 384000 km = 0.0026 AU
Distance:
1 light year = 63000 AU = 9.5x1012 km
1 astronomical unit (AU) = Earth to Sun distance = 1.5x108 km
1 parsec (pc) = 3.26 light years = 3.08x1013 km = 206265 AU
Planets:
| Planet | Distance from Sun | Size (Radius) | Mass |
| Sun | 7.0x105 km | 2.0x1033 gm | |
| Mercury | 0.39 AU | 2.4x103 km | 3.3x1026 gm |
| Venus | 0.72 AU | 6.1x103 km | 4.9x1027 gm |
| Earth | 1.00 AU | 6.4x103 km | 6.0x1027 gm |
| Mars | 1.52 AU | 3.4x103 km | 6.4x1026 gm |
| Jupiter | 5.20 AU | 7.1x104 km | 1.9x1030 gm |
| Saturn | 9.54 AU | 6.0x104 km | 5.7x1029 gm |
| Uranus | 19.2 AU | 2.4x104 km | 8.7x1028 gm |
| Neptune | 30.1 AU | 2.2x104 km | 1.0x1029 gm |
| Pluto | 39.4 AU | 3x103 km | 5x1026 gm |
