Astronomy 110 -Survey of Astronomy

Instructors: Nick Lee & Chao-Ling HungRequired Text: The Essential Cosmic Perspective, 2nd Edition, by Bennett Lectures: MTWThF, 10:30-11:45 AM in HIGP 110

A little bit about your Instructors

• Nicholas Lee (nlee@ifa.hawaii.edu)– 4th year graduate student at IfA, Manoa– Current research: What drives the star formation

in the brightest galaxies?• Chao-Ling Hung (clhung@ifa.hawaii.edu)– 2nd year graduate student at IfA, Manoa– Current research: How does the appearance and

structure of galaxies change throughout the universe?

First, a Questionnaire!

Relax!

It’s not graded.

Do your best.

Science Is Not…

• A list of previously known facts about nature• A list of equations handed down from Ancient

times• A set of laws that were discovered by Dead

White Guys a long time ago and are kept from the general public

Science Is…

• a continuing process that – seeks to understand the rules and laws of nature– uses systematic observations– uses mathematical models– experimentally tests ideas

• subject to independent verificationThese are the components of the scientific method (observe, theorize, predict, test and modify) used to comprehend the universe.

What is astronomy?

• Study of the Universe that we live in• Basically everything outside of Earth’s atmosphere• Solar System• Planets, Stars, Galaxies• Dark Matter, Dark Energy• Origin and fate of Universe• Alien life?? • Not just the what, but the why and the how!

• Make observations using telescopes• Analyze data/results of observation• Create theories about what is seen and what might

exist yet unseen• Create computer models that simulate what occurs in

the universe• Invent, design, and build instruments that let us see

beyond the Earth!

BUT, most astronomers do NOT spend much time looking through telescopes

What do Astronomers do?

A scientific theory is a collection of ideas that explain a phenomenon in a way that is consistent with laws, observations and experiments.

Goals of this Class

Help you develop…• A basic understanding of the central ideas of

astronomy• The skills and motivation to pursue lifelong

learning and become a valuable member of society

• An understanding and appreciation of the scientific method and how scientific ideas evolve

• An excitement for doing science!

NOT Goals of the Class

• Make you memorize equations• Turn you into math majors• Force you to sit through a boring lecture 5

days/week writing notes as fast as you can• Teach you everything I know about astronomy

This is an ACTIVE Learning Class

• This is not a traditional lecture class, so it may feel weird at first.

• You are not competing with your peers• You will be discussing problems with your

classmates to solve problems TOGETHER• This is much more like a real science or work

environment• You are now actively involved in your own

learning, not simply passive observers.

Why Active Learning?A commonly held, incorrect model of a student’s conceptual framework

Why Active Learning?

“Lecture has often been described as the process of taking the information contained in the teachers notes and transferring them into the students notes without the information passing through the brains of either”

Research shows the traditional approach doesn’t

work!

0

25

50

75

100

Pretest Post-Lecture Post-Lecture Tutorial

Percent

Correct

30%

52%

72%

( N ~ 100 )

Research shows that Active Learning Techniques Help!

Research on a Lecture-Tutorial Approach to Teaching Introductory Astronomy for Non–Science Majors, Prather, E. E.; Slater, T. F.; Adams, J. P.; Bailey, J. M.; Jones, L. V.; Dostal, J. A., Astronomy Education Review, 3(2) 2005

Ranking Tasks: Gender Effect?

0

25

50

75

100

Pretest

Post-Lecture

Post-Ranking TasksStudy Trial

Percent

Correct

( N ~ 100 )

Female Male

Ranking Tasks benefited both groups equally.

Ranking Tasks: High vs. Low Pretests Groups?

0

25

50

75

100

Pretest

Post-Lecture

Post-Ranking TasksStudy Trial

Percent

Correct

( N ~ 100 )

11%

59%

76%

55%

64%76%

Upper Median Group

Lower Median Group

Ranking Tasks benefited both groups equally.

So What is Active Learning?

• Think-Pair Share Questions• Ranking Tests• Post-Lecture Tutorials

Read – Come to class preparedRisk – Be open with your opinions and your questions. Listen to and encourage everyone’s ideas so they can take risks too.Relax – Don’t take criticism of your ideas personally. Change your mind when evidence shows that you should.Respect – Act towards your peers as you would have been act to you.Reason – Play the skeptic, but be critical of reasoning, ideas, and data. Not people.Restate – Try to paraphrase another’s explanation if it is unclear to you. Focus on coming to the best possible answer as a group.

Details (see syllabus)

• Class website: http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/users/clhung/Astro110.html

• Grading– Homeworks 20%– Participation 20%– Exams 30% each

• Homeworks are assigned through Mastering Astronomy, and due every Tuesday @ 5 pm.

• NO cell phones, laptops, etc. in class

Mastering Astronomy

• When you buy your books for this class, you should get an access code for mastering astronomy.

• Sign up at masteringastronomy.com with the following information:– Your Access Code– Course Code: LEE12SUM– School’s Zipcode: 96822

• If you bought a used book, you need to buy an access code online.

A tiny bit of Math

• Since astronomical numbers are so large, we need a better way to describe them – scientific notation

• Two terms – Digit and Exponent• 1,500,000,000,000 = 1.5 trillion = 1.5 x 1012

• The exponent of 10 is the number of places the decimal point must be shifted.

• Positive exponent: decimal point shifted to right• Negative exponent: decimal point shifted to left

1.5 x 10-4 = 0.00015

Math with exponents

• Adding/subtracting:– All numbers are converted to same power of 10

and then the digits are added or subtracted.Example: (4.215 x 10-2) + (3.2 x 10-4) =

(4.215 x 10-2) + (0.032 x 10-2) = 4.247 x 10-2

• Multiplication/Division– Digit terms are multiplied/divided normally and

the exponents are added/subtractedExample: (3.4 x 106)(4.2 x 103) = (3.4)(4.2) x 10(6+3) =

14.28 x 109 = 1.428 x 1010

Class Action!

Class Action!

Class Action!

Lecture Tutorial

• Break up into groups of 2-3– NO MORE THAN 3

• In your group, work through the following:– Sun Size (pages 105-107)– Discuss the answers – don’t be silent!

• I will be roaming around if you need help…• If your group finishes, check your answers

with another group

Final Announcements

• Bring your ABCD cards and Lecture-Tutorial books to class everyday!

• Homework 0 is due this Friday at 5 pm – Introduction to Mastering Astronomy

• Homework 1 will be put on the website tomorrow and will be due next Tuesday @ 5 pm

• Check the class website for lecture slides, syllabus, and other important information.