AST 101

The Celestial Clockworks

Fall Semesters
1 credit (1 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
Prerequisites: none
 

Explores timekeeping and navigation as a means to understanding motions of Earth and sky.

Topics included:

Constellation identification
Use of star maps, planisphere, and astrolabe.
Sky coordinate systems
Timekeeping
Determining latitude and longitude
Solar system motions

Although skylore is presented in passing, this is not a mythology course.

Math used in this course is minimal: some arithmetic, fractions, angle measurement, shifting perspective between two and three dimensions.


Updated August 8, 2009