Outline of Physics 230, "Stellar Astronomy"

Course material can be found online at URL

http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/phys230/phys230.html

Instructor

Michael Richmond
Building 76, Office 1270 or 1274
Office phone: 475-2538
E-mail: mwrsps@rit.edu

Class hours

   Monday    10:00 - 10:50 am   08-3305  
   Wednesday 10:00 - 10:50 am   08-3305  
   Friday    10:00 - 10:50 am   08-3305

Office Hours

   Monday    11:00 - 12:00 noon 
   Tuesday    1:00 -  2:00 pm     (COS Study Center) 
   Wednesday 12:00 -  1:00 pm   
   Thursday  12:00 -  1:00 pm

You may call to make an appointment. If my office door is open, feel free to enter.

Grading

There are several components to the final score in this course. The list below is not definitive, but a rough guide to the importance of each component.

   20  percent  quizzes 
   20  percent  homework 
   15  percent  test 1
   15  percent  test 2
   30  percent  final exam 
    4  percent  optional extra credit assignments (2 percent each)
   -----------
  104  percent

Course grades are based on a total of 100 percent.

At the end of the course, I shall calculate the total score for each student. Based on the overall distribution of scores in the class, I may use the traditional means of assigning letter grades to scores ("A" for greater than 90%, "B" for 80% to 90%, etc.); or I may slide the grade boundaries downward to some degree.

If you know in advance that you will have to miss a test, or if you miss a test unexpectedly, you may request a makeup test. However, you must provide a letter explaining the reason for your absence, which must be signed by you, your academic advisor and the head of your department. Without such a letter, you will receive a score of zero for the test.

There will be no makeups for quizzes or homeworks.

Textbook

Stars and Galaxies, by Michael A. Seeds, fourth edition. You may purchase copies in the bookstore for $62 new, or $47 used. The third edition of this book is fine, too; just check with me to make sure the reading assignments are correct. This book is half of a larger textbook called Foundations of Astronomy. If you have a copy of the seventh or eighth edition of this large textbook, you can probably refer to it instead of purchasing a copy of Stars and Galaxies.

Lab course

This course has an associated laboratory course, Physics 231. It meets for a single two-hour period, one night a week. The first lab meeting will be next week (i.e. Sep 16-18) at the RIT Observatory. The Observatory is located in the southeastern corner of the RIT campus. The instructor of the lab course is Stacey Davis.

Other resources

There is a Physics Study Center on the first floor of the College of Science. A schedule posted outside the room lists times at which someone will be available to help with questions. You may also contact the Learning Development Center, in the Eastman Building, second floor. The Office of Special Services can arrange one-on-one tutorial sessions for qualified students.

If my office door is open, please feel free to visit.

If you have any special needs, you must inform me during the first week of classes. Otherwise, I may not be able to make arrangements in time to help you. Please contact me after class or at my office.

This page maintained by Michael Richmond. Last modified Oct 7, 2004.