AST 1002 READING ASSIGNMENTS

The date given at the beginning of each assignment is the date when the assignment was given. Reading assignments are given for the short edition ("Essential") as "(E)" and the long edition as "(L)".

1/4/08: Read Ch. 4 Sections 4.1 and 4.2 in the text. You might also want to skim Ch.1 for background, noting especially the definitions on p. 5. I plan to mostly skip Chs. 2 and 3.

1/9/08: Read Ch. 4 Sect. 4.4, Ch. 3 pp. 64-67.

1/11/08: Read Ch.; 4 Sect. 4.3.

1/14/08: Read Ch. 5 pp. 107-110, 113-115, and 117-119.

1/14/08, 3:25 pm: As was announced in class today there'll be a study group meeting periodically to go over material in the course. The information about it is here. If there are changes I'll let you know by announcing them in class and posting them at this page.

1/16/08: Read Ch. 5 pp. 111-112. Also, you should use your browser's refresh button to refresh the page on the study group because I've added Katelyn's email address.

1/18/08: Read Ch. 5 pp. 115-117.

1/23/08: Read Ch. 5 pp. 119-120.

1/25/08: [Same assignment as last time.]

1/28/08: Read Ch. 5 pp. 121-130, Ch. 6 pp. 139 and 153-155.

1/30/08: Read Ch. 6 pp. 155-169.

2/1/08: Read Ch. 6 pp. 169-178.

2/4/08: [Same assignment as last time.] Remember, the first hour test is coming up exactly one week from today. Katelyn has a review session planned for Sunday evening. Take a look at this Gainesville Sun article about plans for new, larger telescopes. It mentions some of the things we just covered. Unfortunately the online version seems to have left out the diagrams of the three big scopes mentioned, which also gave the estimated price tag for each. I haven't looked, but that might be in the campus edition of the Sun, which you'll find in racks around campus. As you'd expect, these things are extremely expensive. [UPDATE: The campus edition does have the diagrams and price tags. Also, Katelyn will be having the review on Sunday 6-8 pm in the regular classroom.]

2/4/08 at 2 pm: I've posted the Study Guide for the first test. Refresh the page with your browser if you don't see the link right above the one for the old hour tests.

2/4/08 at 5:40 pm: I've made a few minor changes to the Study Guide, so you'll need to refresh the page again. I've added a couple of details and deleted two items.

2/8/08: Read Ch. 7 Sect. 7.1 for after the hour test. Don't forget about the review Katelyn has scheduled for Sunday from 6 to 8 pm in the regular classroom.

2/11/08: Read the rest of Ch. 7.

2/13/08: [Same assignment as last time.] The grades from the first hour test are now posted on the syllabus Web page; they won't be posted in the basement of Bryant. I'll be posting some information later for those of you -- and there are some -- who didn't fare so well on this test, so be sure to refresh the page until the link comes up below the grades link.

2/13/08, 2:07 pm: The information about grades for those who didn't do so well is now posted. There's also a link on the syllabus Web page.

2/15/08: Read Ch. 8 Sect. 8.1.

2/15/08,12:25 am: I forgot to mention it in class, but there's a lunar eclipse coming up next Wednesday. It's mentioned at spaceweather.com, and there's a NASA page that tells about it.

2/18/08: [Same reading assignment as last time.]

2/20/08: Read Sect. 8.2. Remember, there's a total lunar eclipse tonight, although I'm not sure if the weather will be cooperative. For an animation that shows what'll happen, go here.

2/22/08: [Same assignment as last time.]

2/25/08: Read Sect. 9.1.

2/27/08: Read Sect. 9.2

2/29/08: [Same assignment as last time.]

3/3/08: Read Ch. 10.

3/5/08: [Same assignment as last time.]

3/7/08: Read Ch. 11 Sect. 11.1. Have a pleasant and safe Spring Break!

3/13/08: I hope everyone is enjoying their spring break. Just in case anyone is tuning in, I've decided to go ahead and put up a tentative study guide for the second hour test. There may be a few slight changes before we get to the final version, but this should suffice to get started if anyone wishes.

3/17/08: Remember that Hour Test 2 is on Friday of this week. The topic list is now finalized (unless somebody finds a glitch in it).

3/17/08, 10:50 am: Someone pointed out to me after class that I hadn't assigned Sections 9.3 and 9.4 for reading. It doesn't matter for 9.4 because it's not on the study guide, so you can ignore it (I was talking about it today). Section 9.3 covers the Kuiper Belt, so you should look that over. Also, because we're covering a slightly different batch of material this semester you'll want to look at the early part of Hour Test 3 on the old tests.

3/19/08: Read Ch. 11 Sect. 11.2.

3/19/08, 1:40 pm: Katelyn's review session is tentatively scheduled for FLG 235 from 5 to 6:30 pm tomorrow (Thursday). We're still awaiting definite confirmation of the room assignment, so stay tuned.

3/24/08: [Same assignment as before the test.]

3/24/08 at 5:00 pm: I've now posted the grades from the second hour test. If you have any questions please let me know. If you can't find your top sheet from the first test or don't know your grade ID then send me an email with part of your UF ID and I'll send it to you.

3/26/08: Read Sects. 12.1 and 12.2.

3/26/08, at 3:40 pm: I've now posted the second hour test for you to check the correct answers.

3/28/08: [Same assignment as last time.]

3/31/08: Read Sects. 12.3 and 12.4.

4/2/08: [Same assignment as last time.]

4/4/08: Read Sects. 13.1 and 13.2. For those of you who are not in the best of shape after the second hour test, the drop deadline is one week from today. If you're thinking about it you should talk to me first or at the very least speak with an academic advisor in your college. Keep in mind that we're still in advance registration and they're probably very busy.

4/7/08: Read Sects. 13.3 and 13.4.

4/9/08: Read Sects. 14.1 and 14.2.

4/11/08: Read Sects. 14.3 and 14.4.

4/14/08: Read Ch. 15. I'll try to remember to pick up the student evaluation forms on Wednesday for you to fill out.

4/16/08: Hour Test 3 is one week from today. I'll have the Study Guide posted by late this afternoon. For next time read Ch. 16.

4/18/08, 2:19 pm: The review for Hour Test 3 is scheduled in CSE E222 in the Computer Science Engineering Building right next to the Marston Science Library (think French Fries!). The time is 5:10-7:05 pm, basically as stated previously.

4/21/08: For any of you who're interested in the cosmic microwave background (aka "primordial fireball") radiation, there's a nice article on the Sky & Telescope Website about new, more detailed results from WMAP (the microwave telescope in space I was talking about). The link is here.

4/24/08: The grades are now posted. I have some advice regarding the final exam for those of you who've taken all three hour tests. If you have any questions you can contact me by email.

4/26/08: The third hour test is now posted online at the usual place.

4/28/08: Katelyn tells me that the review for the final will be in Bryant Room 3 on Thursday 5/1 from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. Remember not to stay up too late that night because the final is bright and early at 7:30 next morning!

5/4/08: The grades are now posted on the Web for the final and the course. There is still one person I haven't heard from regarding the third hour test; please contact me ASAP, as I'll have to enter the grades into ISIS soon, and any absence without a valid excuse counts as a zero (0). I hope everyone has a safe and pleasant summer.