ASTR 122 Stellar Astronomy

This course provides an in-depth and comprehensive introduction to the science of astronomy. This course is designed to serve non-science majors, but also offer a good introduction for prospective science majors interested in Astrophysics or Space Science. ASTR 122 focuses on the fundamental physics concepts underlying our understanding of stars. How we observe light from stars and our Sun and its place in our Milky Way galaxy begins a comprehensive exploration of the nature of stars, from their birth to multiple paths to maturity and death, including super novae and stellar black holes. Lab included. ASTR 121, 122, and 123 can be taken in any order.

Credits

4

Prerequisite

MTH 60 or above with grade of C- or better OR equivalent placement via the Math Placement Process. OR corequisite CG 123

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Think and communicate based on familiarity with a wide variety of physical phenomena involving stars and the means by which they are described and explained
2. Think and communicate based on familiarity, in part through direct practice, with observational tools, chains of reasoning and exploration and knowledge of scientific methods that are part of the practice of this area of astronomy
3. Correctly use scientific reasoning regarding the classification, formation, evolution of stars and their remnants, and think and communicate with a significant i basic conceptual understanding of physical systems involved in the classification, formation, evolution and remnants of stars
4. Converse and comprehend through communication using elementary descriptions and dynamical laws involving balance between atomic fusion, gravity and pressure involved in the formation and evolution of stars
5. Engage this area of astronomy with an active scientific literacy, which includes use of public resources widely available as part of large scale astronomy investigation
6. Think and communicate an elementary understanding of spectroscopy, light and light intensity, and drawing conclusions from observational data about possible explanations of physical properties of stars
7. Formulate questions to move their thinking forward concerning the subject matter of the class
8. Think and communicate with a familiarity with elementary applications of basic observational information involving the structures of stars and star-forming systems as well as black holes and other stellar remnants
9. Be aware of possible uses and impacts of this physics knowledge
10. Converse and write about the nature of science with increased sophistication and see physics/astronomy as a science, rather than a body of knowledge
11. Appreciate that the insights provided by Classical Mechanics, Nuclear Physics, Electricity and Magnetism, and Thermodynamics are valuable and useful even though physics has developed beyond Classical Mechanics and beyond mechanical theories - of which Classical Mechanics is a premier example
12. Appreciate current efforts to create new insights in this area of astronomy and have a sense of currently open questions within the astrophysics community