ISP205L

Visions of the Universe Laboratory

Spring 2006

 

Supervising Professor: Jack Baldwin, baldwin@pa.msu.edu, Office: 3270 Biomedical Physical Sciences Building, phone 355-9200 x2411. Office hour: Tu 10-11

Teaching Assistants:      Room 3265 BPS, phone 355-9200 x2445

Kim Dupczak  (dupczakk@msu.edu)                        Lead TA, Section 3 (Wednesday)

Charles Kuehn (kuehncha@msu.edu)                        Lead TA, Section 4 (Thursday)

Thang Hun Le (lethang@msu.edu)                            Help Desk

Aparajita Sengupta (sengupta@pa.msu.edu)                         Lead TA, Section 5 (Friday)

Matt Steele (steele24@pa.msu.edu)                          Lead TA, Section 1 (Monday)

Angelo Varlotta (varlotta@pa.msu.edu)                   Lead TA, Section 2 (Tuesday)

 

Planetarium Personnel:

David Batch, Director

John French

Shane Horvatin

 

TA Office hours

 

e-mail Help Desk: isp205lab@pa.msu.edu

        Help Desk Hours

 

PowerPoint Presentation for Next Week (March 27-31)

This will normally be updated sometime late Sunday. Feel free to print it out and bring it to the lab session.

 

Homework Assignments & Instructions for Sessions in Computer Labs (weeks of April 3-7, 10-14, 17-21).

These will become available on Angel, one by one, during the preceding lab meeting of your particular Section. For example, the instructions and homework  for the meeting of Section 4 on Thursday April 13 will become available at 4PM on the preceding Thursday (April 6). Etc.  You should download the instructions/homework, print them out, and then read them and do the homework well BEFORE the lab meeting that they apply to. The homework will be due at the START of the lab meeting.

 

Sky Maps (pdf)

·      Less-detailed January map (used just in 1st lab meeting)

·      Regular fully-detailed January map

·      May

·      August

·      October

 

Meeting Place:

Usually in the Planetarium (between the two halves of Shaw Lane, just west of Farm Lane). Some meetings later in the semester will occur in various computer labs: see the course schedule for your section.

 

First Meeting of the Semester: In the PLANETARIUM.

 

Syllabus  (pdf format)

 

Supplementary Instructions for SkyGazer Homework (pdf)

 

Constellations & Stars to know for the Sky Quizzes (pdf)

 

Course Schedules   (pdf format)  

Section 1 (Monday 3-5)

Section 2 (Tuesday 3-5)

Section 3 (Wednesday 3-5)

Section 4 (Thursday 3-5)

Section 5 (Friday 3-5)

 

Required materials:

Book: Astronomy Media Workbook (Fourth Edition) for the Cosmic Perspective, by Michael LoPresto.

Software: Voyager Sky Gazer, College Edition (from Carina Software). Included with The Cosmic Perspective textbook used in the ISP205 lecture course. Look for the CD envelope inside the front cover. If you buy this textbook used, be sure to find one that still has the CD in it. If you are not currently taking the ISP205 lecture course, talk with your lead TA about how to best obtain a copy of this software, which is needed to do the homework.

HiTT Infrared Clicker: Rebate coupons are bundled both with the Astronomy Media Workbook and with the textbook for the ISP205 lecture course. The same clicker may be used in more than one course. Either the 6 or 13 button varieties will work.

Clipboard or stiff notebook, so that you can fill out papers and reports in your lap. Also, always bring blank sheets of paper (lined is best), and a pen.

 

Dropping or Adding this Course