Visions of the Universe, ISP 205, Section 3

INTEGRATIVE STUDIES: PHYSICAL SCIENCE 205
VISIONS OF THE UNIVERSE
Section 3, Spring 2003, Prof. Stein

FINAL EXAM: Wednesday, April. 30, 8-10 PM, Eli Broad Business College N100

Comprehensive, covers the entire course, Prologue, Chapters 1-4, 6, 7, 13-28 + starmap

GOALS

ISP 205 is an astronomy course designed for non-science majors. Its goals are to open your eyes to the Universe beyond your immediate surroundings, to exhibit how scientists work, and to develop your problem solving skills.

We show you how astronomers formulate and solve problems so that you can use such problem-solving methods yourself in other situations.

We will aquaint you with recent observations about the universe in the large. We will explore models for the beginning of the universe, the formation of structure (galaxies), and possible ends to the universe. You should achieve a new sense of spatial and timescales and your place in the Universe. Understanding the structure and evolution of our Sun and other stars will give you a new perspective on how seemingly arcane theories can affect mankind. Using our current knowledge of our solar system and other solar systems gathered from various Earth and spacecraft-based observations, you will understand how new observations lead to changes in theoretical models. You will become acquainted with the night sky: the apparent motions of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars, and how our current theories evolved.

COURSE INFORMATION

QUESTIONS

Please ask questions:

During class.
Before or after class.
During office hours.
By email to steinr@msu.edu.

ANSWERS

I will maintain a list of answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the web at http://www.pa.msu.edu/courses/ISP205/sec-3/FAQ.html These are answers to questions of general interest. The anonymity of the person asking the question is maintained. It will be updated throughout the course in reverse chronological order, with the newest questions at the top of the file.

Answers to homework, quiz and exam questions will be posted on the web as well and can be accessed through links from this page.