Syllabus

Professor:

Laura Kay
503 Altschul, 854-7303
email: lkay@barnard.edu

Office Hours:

Mon 2:30-3:45, and Tues 2:30-3:30
Call for an appt. if you can't make these.

Basic Structure:

This semester we will cover the Sun, the Stars, our Galaxy, other Galaxies, the origin and fate of the Universe, and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life.

Lectures

M W 1:10-2:25, 202 Altschul
Students are strongly urged to attend class on a regular basis; if you miss a class, it is your responsibility to get the material from a classmate.

Distribution Requirements:

ASTR V1754y satisfies the Barnard QR requirement and can be used towards the Columbia College science requirement.
ASTR V1754y along with the lab course C1904y can be applied towards the Barnard science requirement.

Labs:

Students who want laboratory credit should sign up for the one point course ASTR C1904y.
Labs meet 5:30-8:30 PM or 7-10 PM on Mondays--Thursdays in Pupin Hall on the 14th floor, and will begin Feb 4.

Teaching Assistants: Help Room Hours

Textbook:

The Cosmic Perspective, 2nd ed., 2001, by J. Bennett et al.

Homework:

Six problem sets will be due in class on the due date, approximately every other week (please don't miss class or come late because of the HW!
Once HW solutions are handed out, late HW will NOT be accepted).
You are encouraged to work with other students on the homework, but the writeup that you turn in must be all your own work in your own words (and collaborators names should be noted on top).
HWs should be typed or {\it neatly} written, with all of the pages stapled together.
HW is required; you cannot pass this course by exam grades alone.
The lowest HW score will be dropped; the remaining five scores will count for 20% of your final grade.

Quizzes:

There will be 5 short (15--20 minute) open--note quizzes.
The lowest score will be dropped; the remaining ones will count for 20% of your final grade.

Exams:

We'll have one midterm on March 13, and a final exam during the scheduled time on Mon, May 13.
The exams will be closed book.
The midterm exam will count for 25%, and the final exam for 35%. (A separate grade is given for the lab course).