BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
The City University of New York
Department of Science
Title of Course: General Astronomy, AST 110
Class Hours: 3
Laboratory Hours: 2
Professor: Vasiliy Znamenskiy vznamenskiy@bmcc.cuny.edu
Required Text:
Title: ASTRONOMY (openstaxtm)
Free download from https://openstax.org/details/books/astronomy
Other Resources:
https://www.facebook.com/GeneralAstronomy/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/GeneralAstronomy/
https://twitter.com/GenAstronomy
https://GenAstronomy.blogspot.com/
Evaluation and Requirements of Students:
Homework and Quizzes: 30%
Laboratory Reports: 20%
Midterm Examination: 25%
Final Examination: 25%
Extra Credits: Extra
Total: 100%
WEEK | TOPIC | CHAPTERS |
1 | Science and the Universe: A Brief Tour. Observing the Sky: The Birth of Astronomy.
| Chapter 1 Science and the Universe: A Brief Tour. Chapter 2 Observing the Sky: The Birth of Astronomy. |
2 | The Science of Astronomy. Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity | Chapter 3 Orbits and Gravity. |
3 | Light: The Cosmic Messenger | Chapter 5 Radiation and Spectra. Chapter 6 Astronomical Instruments. |
4 | Formation of Planetary Systems: Our Solar System and Beyond | Chapter 4 Earth, Moon, and Sky. Chapter 7 Other Worlds: An Introduction to the Solar System. Chapter 8 Earth as a Planet. |
5 | Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds | Chapter 9 Cratered Worlds Chapter 10 Earth-Like Planets: Venus and Mars |
6 | Jovian Planet Systems | Chapter 11 The Giant Planets. Chapter 12 Rings, Moons, and Pluto. |
7 | Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts | 13 Comets and Asteroids: Debris of the Solar System 14 Cosmic Samples and the Origin of the Solar System |
8 | Our Star - The Sun | 15 The Sun: A Garden-Variety Star 16 The Sun: A Nuclear Powerhouse |
9 | Surveying the Stars | 17 Analyzing Starlight 18 The Stars: A Celestial Census |
10 | Star Stuff | 19 Celestial Distances 20 Between the Stars: Gas and Dust in Space |
11 | The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard | 21 The Birth of Stars and the Discovery of Planets outside the Solar System 22 Stars from Adolescence to Old Age 23 The Death of Stars 24 Black Holes and Curved Spacetime |
12 | Our Galaxy - The Milky Way | 25 The Milky Way Galaxy 26 Galaxies 27 Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Supermassive Black Holes |
13 | A Universe of Galaxies | 26 Galaxies 27 Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Supermassive Black Holes 28 The Evolution and Distribution of Galaxies |
14 | The Birth of the Universe. Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe | 29 The Big Bang 30 Life in the Universe |
15 | Finals Week |
