ASTRONOMY 130
ANNOUNCEMENTS
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 12/19/06: FINAL GRADES ARE NOW POSTED TO THE SECURE GRADE SITE. HAVE A GOOD VACATION! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 12/14/06: Final quiz scores are now posted to the secure grade site. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 12/05/06 Observing conditions were excellent, if cold, last night and are predicted to be the same tonight. TONIGHT (TUESDAY, 12/5) IS THE LAST NIGHT FOR OBSERVATIONS. Dress warmly! The DEADLINE for submitting all work in the class is: TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, 12/6 at 5 PM As usual, submit work to the box next to Astronomy Bldg. Rm. 267 Grades will be posted as soon as they are available. Check the "Grades" link on the homepage. The FINAL QUIZ will be held: TUESDAY, DEC 12 at 7 PM in CLARK 108 (NOT our regular classroom, Clark 107) BRING TO THE QUIZ: 1) Your Sky Wheel 2) #2 pencils for filling out scantron sheets The quiz will follow the format of the Midterm and will cover all the material in the course [but will be worth a maximum of only 75 points]. Some questions from the midterm will be repeated. There will be an INFORMAL REVIEW for the Quiz on MONDAY, DEC. 11 at 5:30 PM in Astronomy Bldg Room 203 Come prepared with questions If you have not already done so, PLEASE FILL OUT THE ON-LINE COURSE EVALUATION FORM. Thanks. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 11/29/06: We know that the weather has not been very cooperative this semester, and we will make allowance for that in Lab 4 and the optional labs. The Lab 4 grade (150 points maximum) will be based on observations of only 6 objects. You can do two more objects for a maximum of 10 points of extra credit each. Optional Labs: You are expected to do optional labs that are worth a total maximum score of 300 points. You can choose these from Labs 5 and up in the ASTR 130 Manual, in any combination. They could all be CLEA (computer) labs. If you have already done one CLEA lab for your first optional lab, you can do two more CLEA's to complete your lab work. For students who started either Lab 5 (Moon) or Lab 7 (Telescope Observing II) on Monday or Tuesday night this week but were clouded out before finishing: we will grade the work you submit on the basis of a maximum score of 100 points, assuming that you put 1-2 hours of work into observations. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 11/28/06 The night lab will open an hour earlier tonight (7:00 pm) for those of you who want extra time to work. This especially applies to people doing the moon lab. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 11/27/06: ONLY SIX OBSERVING NIGHTS LEFT IN THE SEMESTER! Remember, all labs are due no later than 5 PM ON WEDNESDAY, DEC. 6. We cannot open the Observatory after Tuesday, Dec. 5. Tonight (Monday 11/27) and tomorrow are predicted to have partly cloudy skies. WE WILL OPEN THE STUDENT OBSERVATORY BOTH OF THESE NIGHTS. Wednesday & Thursday are not predicted to be suitable for observing. About 2/3 of the class has completed Lab 4. If you have not done Lab 4, you should attempt to do it TONIGHT. ANYONE WHO COMES TO THE LAB TONIGHT WILL BE GIVEN AT LEAST PARTIAL CREDIT TOWARD LAB 4 EVEN IF THE WEATHER PROHIBITS OBSERVING THE REST OF THE SEMESTER. See the note below (11/14) regarding the number of objects to observe in Lab 4. GRADES for the first Optional Lab (if you submitted by the due date) are on the secure web site. To see your graded work, contact Head TA Chengyu (ck2v@mail.astro.virginia.edu). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 11/14/06: SPECIAL WEATHER DISPENSATION Because the weather has not been favorable lately, we are making the following change: YOU ONLY NEED TO DO **6** OBJECTS (NOT 8) FOR LAB 4. If you submit more than 6 objects for the Lab, we will treat that as EXTRA CREDIT. You should concentrate on the brighter and easier targets. If you have not started Lab 4 yet, you should plan to work on the NEXT NIGHT that the Observatory is open, even if conditions are marginal. Labs will be closed next week for the Thanksgiving break. Be sure you SIGN IN on the Observatory log every time you attend an observing session. Some things to remember about the CLEA (computer) labs: o You must submit a COMPLETE LAB WRITE-UP, just as for other labs o Be sure you SHOW ALL CALCULATIONS on your submitted work (as specified in the instructions). o Be sure to WRITE THE DATE on which you SUBMITTED your lab on the front of the lab paper. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 11/13/06: Lab 3 has been graded. Grades are posted to the secure site, and you can pick up your graded papers from the TA's during regular night lab hours (or on cloudy nights from 8-9 PM at the usual place). ONLY 2.5 WEEKS OF OBSERVING LEFT! Finish Lab 4 at the FIRST OPPORTUNITY. You can complete the lab in one night, and you should definitely plan to do that. See postings below concerning the various optional labs. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 11/6/06: Tonight: Midterm exams returned and explained. (Grades to be posted to secure website tomorrow.) Lab 3: graded labs should be ready for pick-up NEXT Monday. Pick up from TA's during regular lab hours. Lab 4: finish Lab 4 as soon as possible. Tonight and Thursday are predicted to be clear this week. ONLY 3.5 WEEKS OF OBSERVING LEFT THIS SEMESTER!! Remember the additional targets possible for Lab 4, listed in earlier postings. THE DEADLINE FOR THE FIRST OPTIONAL LAB IS THIS FRIDAY. You can submit ANY of the optional labs (#5 through #16). Notes on optional labs: Lab 5 [Moon]: do the week of 11/27. Lab 8 [Astrophotography]: you are required to submit 4 photos selected from types given in Sec. 8.7 of the Lab Manual. Email TA George Trammell (gbt8f@virginia.edu) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to reserve a place. The lab will be offered TWICE, on clear Wed or Thurs nights starting this Wed (11/8) and ending 11/30. Lab 9 [Meteor Shower]: we suggest that students organize joint expeditions to a dark site (e.g. the Blue Ridge Parkway) for the LEONID SHOWER, which should peak on the nights of Nov. 17 through Nov. 19. Read the lab writeup carefully and ask TA's if you have questions. Check Leonid websites for latest info. Lab 10 [Sunspots]: Email TA Ryan Lynch (rsl4v@virginia.edu) at least 24 hours ahead of the time you intend to try the lab. He will be available 11:00-12:00 on MWF and 10:00-12:00 on TR. Lab 12 [Navigation]: TA Paul Ries will be available Tuesdays and Fridays 11 AM - 1 PM for this lab. Please email him ahead of time if you want to participate (par9r@mail.astro.virginia.edu). Labs 13-16 (CLEA computer labs): download instructions and data sheets from the Astro Dept website (see the Manual). Perform the labs on any ITC computer (in the libraries, etc). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 10/24/06: COMET SWAN, a recently-discovered comet, had an outburst today that increased its brightness to about 4th magnitude. It is in the western sky after sunset, crossing through Bootes, Corona Borealis, and Hercules. For the next few nights, it will be above the "U" in Corona Borealis. You can get a finding chart for it at: http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/oconnell/astr130/ im/Chart-Comet-Swan-2006_M4.gif More information is available at: http://cometography.com This is another OPTIONAL TARGET FOR LAB 4. Locate the comet first using binoculars, then try the telescope. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 10/23/06: MIDTERM EXAM is next Monday, 10/30. Will cover all assigned material in the Lab Manual through Lab 3, and all lecture notes. o Bring your SKYWHEELS to the exam o Bring a PENCIL to fill out scantron forms o Exam REVIEW; Sunday, 10/29 at 6 PM in CLK 107. Come prepared with QUESTIONS o Review questions: see the "Review Questions" link on the main web page. No changes in Lab deadlines. TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY nights this week are predicted to be CLEAR. If you haven't completed Lab 3, DO IT NOW! However, beware predicted cold temperatures, probably around 38-40 degrees at lab time---dress appropriately. If you have completed Lab 3, move on to Lab 4. ADDITIONAL TARGETS FOR LAB 4: In Lab 4, you can pick any 8 objects from the "Fall" list given on p. 40 to observe. For this semester, the two outermost "regulation" planets are favorably placed for observations. You can observe either as part of your selection of 8 total. These are objects that few students ever see. Uranus is recommended. Get finding charts from the SkyTonight website: http://skytonight.com/observing/objects/planets/3311356.html OR from: http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/oconnell/astr130/im/ uranus1_color.jpg OR neptune1_color.jpg ADDED TO LAB 4 FALL OBSERVING LIST: RA DEC Const. Mag Diam Uranus 22 50.5 -8 13.0 Aquar 5.8 3.6" Neptune 21 18.3 -15 56.0 Capr 7.9 2.2" Lab 5, Surface of the Moon: because this lab depends on the lunar phases, you can ONLY do it NEXT WEEK (the week of 10/30) OR the week of 11/27. Better not to wait until November! You can do Lab 5 if you have completed Lab 3. You do not have to finish Lab 4 before starting Lab 5. Astronomy Minors Program: the Minor in Astronomy requires only 15 hours of credit. Most students in ASTR 130 will have already completed 6 hours by the end of the semester. You can get the one-page form needed to declare a Minor from me. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 10/17/06: Because of the bad forecast and football game this week, we are MOVING THE DEADLINE FOR LAB 3 TO FRIDAY, 11/03. If there are four usable nights before 11/03, the deadline will not be moved again. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 10/16/06: We will move the deadline for Lab 3 until you have another FOUR CLEAR NIGHTS of observing. The forecast for this week is not favorable, so the chances are good that the deadline will move at least to Friday 10/27. But you should not procrastinate. Start the lab at the next opportunity. The Student Observatory will be CLOSED THIS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, because of the football game. Grades for Lab 1 and 2 are now POSTED on a secure web site. Click on the "Grades" link from the ASTR 130 main page for information and a link to the site. Your login will be your UVA ITC-assigned email/login name. You will need a password. Obtain one from the form on the linked page. If you had obtained a class password earlier in the semester, it should still work. However, our class web pages were recently moved to a new server, and there could be bugs. Let me know in class of any trouble you encounter. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 10/3/06: Start working on Lab 3 this week. If you are well prepared, you can do it in one observing session, but most people will probably need two sessions. The bright Moon this week will make it a little tougher to locate Gamma Delphini (be patient), but you should take advantage of the opportunity and observe the Moon through the telescopes. The Lab is due Friday, October 20. A full write-up is required. Turn labs in during lecture, or place them in the wooden box opposite room 268 in the Astronomy Bldg (just inside the southwest entrance). Fall Break is next Monday. There will be no lecture, and the Observatory will be closed that night. Grades will be posted on a secure site linked to the main ASTR 130 Webpage starting next week. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9/26/06: Last night (Monday) was the best so far this semester, with the Milky Way visible from the Student Observatory area. [However, if you want to really see the stars you should get at least 5 miles out of Charlottesville on a good night. Try this while your constellation ID skills are still fresh.] You should do Lab 2 (Binoculars) at the first opportunity, and then move on to Lab 3 (Telescopes). The forecasts for tonight and tomorrow are similar to Monday's forecast. If there are two more usable nights this week, we will not move the deadline for Lab 2, which is THIS FRIDAY. Note that you are expected to do a lab writeup for Lab 2 in the "standard" format, except that it need only be about 1 page. See the Manual for details. PS: turn labs in to the wooden box just inside the southwest door of the Astronomy Building, across from room 268. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9/21/06: Last night (Wednesday) we successfully completed the second session for Lab 1. By our count, 63 students have finished Lab 1. If you have not yet done Lab 1, you can still do it, but for a maximum of only 90 points. Learn the listed constellations and stars on your own, and ask a TA to administer a quiz on any clear night. You should move on to do Lab 2. See comments below for 9/19 concerning details of Lab 2. One additional note on Lab 2: you do NOT have to enter the "coordinates" for the targets on your standard observing forms. (But you will be expected to do this for the later labs.) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9/19/06: At last! Even if the conditions were not ideal, last night (Monday) was good enough to do the Constellation Lab, and about 50 students participated. We will hold ONE MORE observing session for Lab 1, which, given the latest forecast, will probably be on WEDNESDAY NIGHT starting at 8 PM. Once again, if we plan to work, we will send an EMAIL to the whole class announcing that. It looks like the bad late summer weather pattern is finally breaking up: Thursday is predicted to be clear also. But the weather will also be cooler, so dress appropriately. The TA's will be ready to help you with LAB 2 (BINOCULARS) as soon as they are done with the constellation quizzes on the NEXT CLEAR NIGHT. You can start work on that lab even before that if you don't need any TA help. Before attempting Lab 2, read the Manual instructions carefully. Note that you will need to PREPARE 4 STANDARD OBSERVING FORMS BEFORE COMING TO LAB to record your sketches and comments. If there are 3 clear nights before the current deadline for submitting Lab 2 (Friday, Sept. 29), then we won't change the deadline for that. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9/12/06: I just wanted to dispel the rumor that if the weather is cloudy for 3 weeks straight, the Dean requires us to give "A's" to all ASTR 130 students. That's because it looks like it WILL be cloudy for 3 weeks straight. The only possible clear weather, predicted on yesterday's "Clear Sky Clock," vanished this afternoon. Remember, we'll send all students an email whenever we can hold the two Constellation Lab sessions (but we won't send emails if we have to continue cancelling labs). As I mentioned in class, this would be a GOOD TIME to do one or two of the "CLEA" computer-based labs (Labs 13 through 16 in the manual). They are self-contained and can be done from any ITC computer. TA's are available for consultation, if needed, 8-9 PM on nights when observing is not possible in Astronomy 227 (phone 924-4915). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9/4/06: Newcomb Hall Bookstore has apparently run out of copies of some of the required materials. I will order more, but this may take a couple of weeks. The Lab 1 Constellation Quiz will be given on the NEXT TWO CLEAR NIGHTS WITHOUT SERIOUS INTERFERENCE FROM MOONLIGHT. Considering the weather forecast and the fact that the Moon is full on Thursday, we expect not to be able to observe until next week. You can come to either night, but you must come to one of them. For Lab 1, WE WILL SEND EMAIL NOTIFICATION TO THE WHOLE CLASS, probably after 5 PM, if conditions look favorable for a given night. [This will NOT be our standard procedure. Ordinarily you should call the Observatory status recording at 924-7238 for weather information.] Practice using the various weather forecasts posted on the "Weather" page linked to the ASTR 130 home page. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 8/28/06 The Course Offering Directory is in ERROR concerning the laboratory hours for this course. They are TWR 8-11 PM M: start @ end of lecture plus 15 minutes end @ 11 PM Contact me if this introduces a scheduling conflict for you. This class has a formal Co-Requisite of ASTR 121 or 124. If you don't meet that requirement don't worry, as long as you are willing to do a little extra reading in a standard ASTR 121/124 text on occasion. Assignments for this week: 1. Attend your lab orientation session on the lab night for which you are signed up. Sessions start at 8 PM in Astronomy 265. 2. Read the Syllabus carefully and be ready to ask questions in the next lecture. 3. Read the "Introduction" in the ASTR 130 Lab Manual, especially the section on safety. 4. Buy a flashlight (preferably with a red filter) if you haven't yet. 5. Read the background and procedure sections of Lab 1 (sections 1.1 through 1.8) 6. Read the notes and review questions for Lecture 1 (posted on the website this Friday) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 8/22/06 The first class meeting of ASTR 130 will be Monday, August 28 at 7 PM in Clark 107, where we will cover organizational and policy aspects of the course. This will take about 60 minutes. Your ASSIGNMENT in preparation for this first meeting is to read the Syllabus and Schedule/Deadline pages on the ASTR 130 web site (http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/oconnell/astr130/). That will be posted by this Friday. Labs will not be open until Monday, 8/28. Each of you has signed up for a Lab Section on either Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday nights. During the week of Aug. 28 you must attend the lab at that time for a nightlab orientation (9:15 PM Monday, 8 PM Tuesday through Thursday). Go to the Astronomy 265 classroom for a 90 minute orientation covering facilities available to you, use of sky wheels, and lab procedures. Bring your sky wheels, lab manual, Edmund's Atlas, and a flashlight with you. Orientation will take place regardless of weather. After your orientation meeting, you can attend lab on any night when it is open. The first regular lecture (on constellations) will be Monday, Sept. 4. Web versions of the notes for the first lecture will be posted on the "Lectures" page of the ASTR 130 website by the preceding Friday. You will be expected to have read over these before class. You can print out a hardcopy of the notes to bring to class and mark up. For Lab I (Constellations), you will work in groups. The lab will be held during THE FIRST TWO CLEAR NIGHTS ON OR AFTER MONDAY 9/4. You can come to either night---but you must come to one. This may mean some rearrangement of your personal schedule. Required materials you need to purchase at Newcomb Bookstore include the ASTR 130 Manual, a "sky wheel," and the "Edmund Mag 5 Star Atlas." You will also need to have a small flashlight with you at all laboratory sessions. See you next Monday. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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