SIERRA COLLEGE
ASTRONOMY DEPARTMENT

Astronomy 11 - Observational Astronomy

Course Description: Basic interpretation of astronomical observations through telescopes, binoculars, computers, cameras, and other simple measuring equipment. Use of planetarium to facilitate recognition of constellations, stars, planetary motions, and study coordinate systems and celestial motions. Development of observational skills to study outdoor sky and outcomes of indoor laboratory experiments. Emphasis on quantitative and qualitative analysis of variety of astronomical data.  [Units: 1; Transfer: CSU/UC]

Course Prerequisite: Completion of, or concurrent enrollment in, Astronomy 2, Astronomy 5, Astronomy 10. 

Course Advisory: Completion of English 50 strongly recommended.

CONTENTS
Spring 2020 Semester

NIGHTTIME SECTIONS

Class Handouts

  • Syllabus [doc | pdf]
  • All-sky star charts--Fall [doc | pdf]
  • All-sky star charts--Spring [doc | pdf]
  • Spare H-pages from observing handbook [doc | pdf]
  • Spare log chart from observing handbook [doc | pdf]
  • Star-Finding with a Planisphere [Browser]
  • Sierra College Honesty Policy/Emergency Procedures [pdf]

Student Performance--Posted in ST-2 and below

Professor Hale

NIGHTTIME SECTIONS

Labs Exercises

  • Lab N01 (Fall): The Night Sky [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N01 (Spring): The Night Sky [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N02: Gearing up for the sky [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N03 (Fall): Celestial Navigation [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N03 (Spring): Celestial Navigation [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N04: Binoculars [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N05: The Moon [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N06: Designing a night of observing [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N07: Telescope optical design [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N08: The Sun [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N09: Telescope calculations and navigation [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N10: Jupiter and Saturn [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N11: The HR Diagram [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N12: The Hubble Constant [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N13: Special Reports [doc | pdf]
  • Lab N14: Cepheid Variables [doc | pdf]

DAYTIME SECTIONS

Class Handouts

  • Syllabus [doc | pdf]
  • Significant figures [doc | pdf]
  • Significant figures--review for tests [doc | pdf]
  • All-sky star charts--Fall [doc | pdf]
  • All-sky star charts--Spring [doc | pdf]
  • Prelab example [doc | pdf]
  • Checklist for observing night! [doc | pdf]
  • Sierra College Honesty Policy/Emergency Procedures [pdf]

Student Performance--Posted in ST-2

DAYTIME SECTIONS--Support powerpoints

(Lectures from class, just without the "Marching Orders")

  • Lab 00: Introduction day [ppt]
  • Lab 10: Introduction to the stars [ppt]
  • Lab 11 (Fall): Maps and scales [ppt]
  • Lab 11 (Spring): Maps and scales [ppt]
  • Lab 12 (Fall): Altitude and azimuth [ppt]
  • Lab 12 (Spring): Altitude and azimuth [ppt]
  • Lab 13 (Fall): Learning your way around the stars [ppt]
  • Lab 13 (Spring): Learning your way around the stars [ppt]
  • Lab 21: Fields of view [ppt]
  • Lab 22: The Galilean telescope [ppt]
  • Lab 31: Jovian systems [ppt]
  • Lab 32: Cosmic collisions [ppt]
  • Lab 33: Asteroidal astrometrics [ppt]
  • Lab 35: The colour out of space [ppt]
  • Lab 36: MaxIm DL image processing [ppt]
  • Lab 37: Calculating the Hubble Constant [ppt]
  • Lab 38: The Hubble Law in use [ppt]
  • Lab 41: Laboratory analysis--accuracy and precision [ppt]
  • Lab 42: Laboratory analysis--conversions and fitting graphs [ppt]
  • Lab 51 (Fall): Observing trip [ppt]
  • Lab 51 (Spring): Observing trip [ppt]
  • Lab 52: Observing analysis [ppt]
  • Lab 53: Observing the Sun (if clear) [ppt]
  • Lab 53: Observing the Sun (if cloudy) [ppt]
  • Lab 54: The sundial [ppt]
  • Lab 61: The Pluto and Charon [ppt]
  • Lab 62: Final Prep (to be handed out in class)
 
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