ASTRONOMY LAB (AST 1022L)

FALL 2005 sections 0434 & 0442

Instructor: Sun Mi Chung

Office: Bryant (BRT) Room 315

Office hours: Monday 1-2 pm; Wednesday 1-2 pm

Email: schung@astro.ufl.edu

Phone: 392-2052 ext 257

CTO Phone: 392-1016

Laboratory Director Contact Info:

Dr. Francisco Reyes

Office: BSSC Room 12

Phone: 392 – 2052 ext 229

Email: reyes@astro.ufl.edu

Class Schedule:

Tuesday section 0434 8:30 am – 9:35 am

Thursday section 0442 12:50 pm – 2:45 pm

Night labs will be held on Tuesdays, at 8:30 pm, at the Campus Teaching Observatory (CTO). Exact dates will be announced during the semester.

Description:

This course aims to introduce the student to basic techniques of observation, measurement, and data analysis in topics related to astronomy. Students are expected to use some mathematical calculations in order to successfully complete the lab experiments.

General Education:

AST-1022L Astronomy Laboratory counts for one (1) credit of Physical Science (P) towards the General Education requirement. It introduces students to the scientific method as applied to the field of Astronomy. The students are introduced to the process of making astronomical observations, quantitatively analyzing those observations, extracting information about astronomical bodies such as the Sun, Moon, planets, stars, nebulae, and galaxies, and understanding the basic physical processes that take place in these bodies. The students will also be introduced to the process of writing a report on an experiment, communicating the details, results, and conclusions to a reader not necessarily familiar with the experiment.

Attendance:

Attendance to all lab experiments, as well as night labs, is mandatory. Students may not be excused for any missed classes, except in case of emergency and with appropriate documentation. Students wishing to be excused for religious holidays must provide written requests at least 2 weeks in advance. Students are expected to arrive on time to all lab experiments. Attendance will be recorded at the beginning of class, within the first 15 minutes. I will also initial each student's data sheet at the end of class.

Unexcused absences will result in a zero grade for that week's lab. Excessive tardiness will also result in points deducted from your lab report.

Required Text:

Hands on Astronomy: Lab Manual. Please bring lab manual to all classes. They are available at these

Target Copy Centers for $10.

1412 W University Ave

3422 SW Archer Rd

Students with Disabilities:

Students who require special accomodations must first register with the Dean of Students Office. Students should present instructor with documentation provided to the student by the Dean of Students Office.

Preparation:

Read the lab manual for each week's experiment before attending class and write a brief summary of the purpose of the lab. Include a few sentences about the theory behind the experiment, as well as a few sentences regarding the experiment procedure. You will be required to turn this in at the beginning of class.

Lab Reports and Grading:

Students must submit his/her own individual lab report. Reports for lab experiments that were not attended will not be accepted. Cheating in any form will not be tolerated!

Late reports should be submitted to Room 211 of the BRT, by 4:30 pm. 10 points will be deducted for each day your report is late. At the end of the semester, your lowest grade (including unexcused absence, resulting in a zero grade) will be dropped.

Lab reports are graded out of 100 points. Your final grade will be based on 16 weekly lab reports throughout the semester. All reports must include the following:

Summary Describe the objective(s) of the experiment and a summary of the theory involved. (15)
Analysis Describe how the experiment was carried out. (20)
Data Show data in form of table and/or graphs. Clearly mark all axes and units! (20)
Calculations and Error Analysis Show all calculations used in deriving your results. Also show any relevant calculations related to error analysis of your results. (25)
Conclusion Present and discuss conclusions reached, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Remember to comment on the significance of your results in conjunction with your error analysis. (20)

A few important things to remember when writing your report:

Reports must be neat and legible.
Show your work! Any conclusions should be clearly explained and justified. Calculations must be shown for numerical answers.
Always show units for your numbers. They are just as important as the numbers themselves!
Graphs and tables should always be clearly labeled. Make sure to label all axes, units used, and the scale of each axis.
Include your name, lab section, instructor's name, and lab title on the front page of the report. In addition, print your name on each page of your report to avoid confusion.

Below is the grading scale that will be used:

A 90% and above

B+ 85-90%

B 80-84%

C+ 75-79%

C 70-74%

D 65-69%

D+ 60-64%

E Failing Grade (Below 60%)

Note that The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has a strict policy on incomplete grades. Therefore no incomplete grades can be assigned in this course. If you think you are at risk of failing, contact an advisor about dropping the course.

A Few Rules and Suggestions:

Bring pens, pencils, a metric ruler, a scientific calculator, and notebooks to each lab. Additionally, insect repellant and flashlights are a good idea for the night labs.
Do not walk alone to the observatory for night labs. Try to find a fellow student to walk with you.
Read the appendix in the back of the lab manual to review math that will be necessary for the labs.
Food or drink are not allowed in class, with the exception of a closed lid water bottle.
Please turn off or silence all cell phones before coming to class.