The goal of this course is for students to enhance their view of the physical world by allowing them to acquire a basic understanding of modern astronomy using recently available astronomical data. Major topics include constellations, the Sun, stellar types, motions, parallax, magnitudes, luminosity, spectra, classifications, clusters, evolution, quasaurs, nebula, galaxy classification and composition, the Big Band, and cosmology.
This course will focus on conceptual understanding rather than mathematical manipulation. However, as mathematics is the language of science, it is expected that you can perform basic algebraic calculations and recognize basic geometric relations throughout the course.
Class Notices
Welcome to Astronomy 1124 (Spring 2024)
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
For the latest information on the COVID-19 protocols being implemented at COD, click here: Coronavirus Information
Please continue to monitor this space for important information and course and updates. This page will be updated on a regular basis. (Last Update: April 17th, 2024.)
- Exam 3 scores have been posted in Blackboard.
- Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 16th in Room BIC-3533 starting promptly at 9:00 AM.
- The Mastering Astronomy Assignment-18: Black Holes will be due on Monday, April 22nd by 11:00 PM.
- The Mastering Astronomy Assignment-19: The Milky Way will also be due on Monday, April 22nd by 11:00 PM.
- Be sure to read Chapter 19 for class on Thursday, April 18th. Be prepared to "celebrate" Chapter 19 with an "Information Festival" at the start of class (9:00 AM) on Thursday, April 18th.
Class Resources
- Detailed Class Information (Syllabus for Spring 2024)
- Blackboard (Grades and access to online homework)
- Summary of Rules for Significant Digits in Calculations (with examples)
- Learning Commons Information (with video)
- Cosmos: Sisters of the Sun
Lecture Notes
- Lecture 1: Overview / Our Place in the Cosmos, January 23rd
- Lecture 2: The Celectrial Sphere / The Night Sky, January 25th: The Celectrial Sphere / The Night Sky
- Lecture 3: Lunar Phases / Eclipses, January 29th
- (Virtual) Lecture 4: Ancient Astronomy, February 1st
- Lecture 5: The Copernican Revolution, February 6th
- Lecture 6: Motion and Energy, February 8th
- Lecture 7: Gravity, February 15th
- Lecture 8: Properties of Light, February 20th
- Lecture 9: Spectra, February 22nd
- Lecture 10: Telescopes, February 27th
- Lecture 11: Special Relativity, February 29th
- Lecture 12: General Relativity, March 5th
- Lecture 13: Our Star, March 7th
- Live View of the Sun from the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Check out the video at the bottom of the page showing time lapse footage of the corona over a 22 year period.
- Real time auroral and solar activity from the Soloar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)
- Lecture 14: Stellar Properties, March 14th
- Lecture 15: HR-Diagrams, March 19th
- Lecture 16: Stellar Birth, March 21st
- Lecture 17: Low Mass Stellar Evolution, April 2nd
- Lecture 18: High Mass Stellar Evolution, April 4th
- Lecture 19: White Dwarfs and Neutron Stars, April 9th
- Lecture 20: Black Holes, April 11th
Major Celestial Events during Spring 2024 Semester
- Night Sky in March 2024
- March Equinox: Tuesday, March 20th at 3:06 UTC (10:06 PM CDT on March 19th).
- Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation: Sunday, March 25th Mercury at highest point above horizon in western sky just after sunset.
- Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: Monday, March 25th, Moon passes through Earth's partial shadow.
- Total Solar Eclipse: Monday, April 8th, Moon completely blocks the Sun. A rare "once-in-a lifetime" event. Visible only in certain areas.