Astronomy

Course Title: 
AST
Course Description: 

Two-semester course, grade level 11, 12
Pre-requisites: Algebra 3-4
Meets the PUHSD and Arizona Science Standards graduation requirement
Meets laboratory science admission requirement of Arizona Universities (PENDING)

Astronomy 1-2 is a laboratory science course for students who wish to investigate the wide variety of objects in the universe and learn how the universe works. Many physics topics such as forces and motion, light and optics, electricity and magnetism and conservation of energy will be studied in the astronomical context of the big bang theory, galaxies and stars, formation of the solar system, planets and their moons, asteroids and comets, and extrasolar planets.

Course Syllabus
Course Objectives
1. Apply the scientific method and other critical thinking models to astronomical phenomena for hypotheses development, experimental design, data acquisition and data analysis.
2. Explain the application of fundamental physical principles to various astronomical phenomena.
3. Outline the history of astronomical thought.
4. Describe in terms of energy, wavelength, and frequency the various portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
5. Describe instruments used to detect radiation from the various portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
6. Compare the physical properties of the Earth with its moon.
7. Give an overview of the components of the solar system.
8. Compare and contrast the physical properties of the major planets.
9. Describe the minor components of the solar system.
10. Explain possible models of solar system formation.
11. Describe the physical properties of the Sun.
12. Compare solar system dimensions with nearby stars dimensions.
13. Explain what information can be obtained by spectral analysis.
14. Explain various techniques used to provide estimates of some fundamental properties of stars.
15. Explain binary star systems and star clusters.
16. Discuss the significance of the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram.
17. Describe the composition of the interstellar medium and its effects on radiation.
18. List the possible steps in the formation of stars.
19. Describe the birth, life, and death of both low-mass stars and high-mass stars.
20. Describe the final remnants of both low-mass stars and high-mass stars.
21. Describe the contents and structure of the Milky Way Galaxy.
22. Describe the classification and distribution of galaxies.
23. Discuss the significance of Hubble’s Law.
24. Describe the possible models which account for active galaxies.
25. Describe current cosmological models and their implications on the past and the future.

Topics

Positions on the sky
Motions of Earth
Phases of the Moon / Eclipses
History of Astronomical Thought
Light / Radiation
Spectroscopy
Telescopes
Solar System Formation
Earth & Moon
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Solar System Debris
Exoplanets
The Sun
A field guide to the Stars
Interstellar Medium
Stellar Evolution
Explosions, Neutron Stars and Black holes
The Milky Way Galaxy
Other Galaxies
Dark Matter and Cosmology
Life in the Universe

Lab Objectives
1. Apply the scientific method and other critical thinking models to astronomical phenomena for hypotheses development, experimental design, data acquisition and data analysis.
2. Demonstrate ability to follow directions in completing laboratory exercises.
3. Demonstrate ability to properly and safely use laboratory tools, e.g. Calculators, computers, rulers, telescopes, photometers, maps, etc. for data acquisition, data analysis or simulation.
4. Demonstrate ability to work effectively in collaborative groups.
5. Present accurate and meaningful project reports analyzing experiments, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Lab Syllabus

Planispheres
Planets at Your Birth
Spectroscopy
Kepler’s Laws
Optics
CCD Image Processing
Lunar Topography
Jupiter and its Moons
Discovery of Neptune
Discovery of an Asteroid
Parallax, Distance and Near Misses
The Rotation Rate of the Sun
The Sun and the Solar Spectrum
Apparent Magnitudes
Stellar Motions / Absolute Magnitudes
Binary Stars
Photoelectric Photometry of the Pleiades
Discovery of Nova 2012
Cepheid Variables
Hubble Redshift Distance Relation
Distances to Galaxies

School Information: 
District: 
Phoenix Union High School District
State: 
Arizona
City: 
Phoenix
Address: 
4502 N. Central Avenue
Zip code: 
85012
Yes
Date submitted: 
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Approved: 
Denied: 
Deferred: 
Deferred: 
Yes
Date: 
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Reason: 

Students will need to have either had Planetarium time as part of their lab experience or be meeting at night with the class for labs.