Section 0486, Room FLG 280 on T 5-6 R 6Instructor: Dr. Haywood Smith, Jr.
Office location: BRT 324
Office hours: T 2-3 R 3 or by appointment
Telephone: (352) 392-2052 ext. 236
E-mail: hsmith@astro.ufl.edu
Section 0486, Room FLG 280 on T 5-6 R 6
Instructor: Dr. Haywood Smith, Jr.
Office location: BRT 324
Office hours: T 2-3 R 3 or by appointment
Telephone: (352) 392-2052 ext. 236
E-mail: hsmith@astro.ufl.edu
Text: Hoskin (Ed.), The Cambridge Concise History of Astronomy
Supplemental text: The Old Farmer's Almanac 2009 only
List of course topics -- Study guides -- Past tests
Tests and grading -- Test dates -- Grades -- Grade ID conversion -- Grades needed after first test
Web Links (auxiliary information, animations, etc.)
Instructions for almanac project
GROUND RULES -- Very important!
The purpose of this course is to trace the development of astronomy from its prehistoric beginnings through the Newtonian period, by which time it had become a more or less modern science. We will follow the principal course of development from the Babylonians and the Greeks through Islamic astronomy to the Europeans. However, we will also look at some of the astronomical developments that arose outside the mainstream, including those of Egypt, China, the Maya, and the Inca. In earlier times astronomy was considered to be of direct practical value, unlike today, and we will consider some of these various applications.
In order to really understand the history of astronomy it is necessary to understand both how things work (for example, the motion of the Moon and the motions of the planets), at least to some degree, and how they look to observers on the Earth. Therefore I will spend time in class going into the science of astronomy as well as the appearances. The course is specifically intended for non-science majors, so there will be no complicated mathematics and only as much detail as needed to understand the phenomena. I will try to make materials available to help you understand the astronomy that is discussed in lecture or mentioned but not explained in the text.
The lectures are intended to emphasize important points, clarify certain items in the text, and supply material in addition to that in the text rather than simply recapitulate the text. I do not take attendance at the lectures, but I very much encourage you to attend. Tape recording of lectures is allowed. I will try to remember to announce reading assignments in advance as well as to post them on the Web; I would suggest reading a little bit ahead of where I am in the lectures to make it easier to follow what I am talking about.
Because modern science is quantitative, I assign a project that involves calculating the periods of various astronomical cycles. The "data" are from the almanac; it would be nice to have you make your own observations, but the Florida weather is too fickle to allow that. You will make some fairly simple calculations and compare your answers with the known periods. The instructions for this project may be found at the link above..
The course has three aims: (1) to help you appreciate astronomy as a part of your intellectual heritage; (2) to give you some insight into the methodology of science and how it has developed; and (3) to give you a heightened awareness of celestial phenomena -- their rhythms and their connections to the physical universe. I hope you find the course pleasurable as well as interesting.
Teaching Observatory Public Night -- Take a look at the sky (weather permitting, of course!).
Here are a few Websites that aren't particularly relevant to the course but which you might find of interest: