SIERRA COLLEGE
ASTRONOMY DEPARTMENT

Course Description: General principles and the fundamental facts of astronomy. Visual concepts emphasized through multimedia presentations and planetarium. Hands-on exercises and computer interaction emphasizing astronomical principles. Includes historical developments of astronomy, the formation, evolution and current condition of sun and solar system, stellar structure and evolution, deep sky objects (star clusters, nebulae, galaxies), structure of universe, and cosmology. Not open to students who have successfully completed Astronomy 2 and 5.  [Units: 3; Transfer: CSU/UC]

Course Advisory: Completion of English 50 strongly recommended.

Class Handouts
Useful Information

Exams
Extra Credit/Bonus

Homework Exercises
Homework Answer Keys

Third-Hour Exercises
Third-Hour Answer Keys

Lecture Presentations
Student Performance

Third-Hour
Sessions

Distance Learning
Orientation Materials

BlackBoard
Login

MasteringAstronomy
Student Information

MasteringAstronomy
Login Essentials

MasteringAstronomy
Homepage

Please Note: All links below are for Rocklin/NCC On-Campus Students.
Tahoe/Truckee on-campus students should contact their instructor for course details.
Online students should follow the "BlackBoard Login" link to gain access to their course materials.

Class Handouts

• *Guide to the First Two Days of Class* (Browser, Word, PDF)

• *Syllabus* (Browser, Word, PDF)
• *General Schedule of Activities* (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Sierra College Honesty Policy (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Class Emergency Procedures (Browser, Word, PDF)
• **MasteringAstronomy Registration Information (PDF)
• *MasteringAstronomy Grading System* (Browser, Word, PDF)
• *Math Calculations in MasteringAstronomy* (Browser, Word, PDF)
• The 21 Stars To Know List (Browser, Word, PDF)
• The Celestial Sphere and the Star Charts (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Using the Skygazer's Almanac (Browser, Word, PDF)
• How to Use a Planisphere (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Starry Night Pro Software - An Introduction (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Cosmic Object List (Partial) (Browser, Word, PDF)

* = Item is updated or new relative to the required course Student Handbook
** = Select MasteringAstronomy Login Essentials link for help via a PowerPoint demo

Useful Information

• Actions and Atitudes of Successful Students (Browser,Word, PDF)
• Student Success Workshops (Browser)

Exams

• Take-Home Midterm (Browser,Word, PDF)
• Take-Home Midterm Answer Form (Browser,Word, PDF)
• In-Class Review Questions (Browser,Word, PDF)
• Final Exam Outline
• Deep Sky Objects for Final

Extra Credit and Bonus Material

• Planisphere and Star Chart Bonus Exercise (Browser,Word, PDF)
• *Extra Credit* (Browser,Word, PDF)
• *Video Reviews* (Browser,Word, PDF)

* = Item is updated or new relative to the required course Student Handbook

Homework Exercises

• See the MasteringAstronomy Site for Homework Exercises

Homework Answer Keys

• See the MasteringAstronomy Site for Homework Exercise Answers

Third-Hour Exercises

• Third-Hour A (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Third-Hour B (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Third-Hour C (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Third-Hour D (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Third-Hour E (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Third-Hour F (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Third-Hour G (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Third-Hour H (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Third-Hour I (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Third-Hour J (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Third-Hour K (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Third-Hour L (Browser, Word, PDF)
• Third-Hour M (Browser, Word, PDF)

Third-Hour Answer Keys

Lecture Presentations

• *Lecture 1, Topic 1*: Course Overview, Goals, and Objectives
• Lecture 1, Topic 2: Overview, Dimensions, and the Scientific Method
• Lecture 2 Discovering the Universe Yourself
• Lecture 3, Topic 1: Ancient Astronomy
• Lecture 3, Topic 2: Renaissance Astronomy
• Lecture 4 Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity
• Lecture 5 Light and Matter
• Lecture 6 A Planetary Overview
• Lecture 7 Formation of the Solar System
• Lecture 8 The Terrestrial Worlds
• *Lecture 9* The Jovian Giants
• *Lecture 10* Solar System Debris
• Lecture 11 The Sun - Our Star
• Lecture 12 Measuring the Properties of Stars
• Lecture 13a, Topic 1 Star Birth - Road to the Main Sequence
• Lecture 13b, Topic 2 Stellar Evolution - Life After the Main Sequence
• Lecture 13c, Topic 3 Stellar Remnants
• *Lecture 14a, Topic 1* The Milky Way
• *Lecture 14b, Topic 2* The Diverse Galaxies
• *Lecture 14c, Topic 3* Galaxy Evolution
• *Lecture 15a, Topic 1* Cosmology: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe
• *Lecture 15b, Topic 2* Cosmology: The Beginning of Time

* = Item is updated or new relative to the required course Student Handbook

Student Performance - Summer Semester 2008

• Professor Houpis's Class (May 19 - June 19)
  • Monday-Thursday 9:00 AM Lecture


• Professor Demarzi's Class (May 19 - June 19)
  • Monday-Thursday 5:00 PM Lecture


• Professor Kenyon's Class (July 7 - July 31)
  • Monday-Thursday 10:00 AM Lecture

Student Performance - Spring Semester 2008

• Professor Demarzi's Classes
  • Tuesday 6:45 PM Lecture


• Professor Dunn's Classes
  • Wednesday 6:45 PM Lecture


• Professor Haass' Classes
  • Tuesday 3:00 PM Lecture