151 A Journey through the Solar System (3) Study of Earth’s nearest astronomical neighbors, including the sun, planets, asteroids, and comets. Seasons, solar and lunar eclipses, motion of the planets in the night sky, recent planetary space probe discoveries, development of our modern understanding of the origin and evolution of our solar system and its place in the universe, discovery of extrasolar planets in distant solar systems. A minimum of mathematical analysis. (NS)
Credit Restriction: Only one of the three courses (151, 161, or 217) may be taken for credit.
152 Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology (3) Life and death of stars, exotic objects including white dwarfs, supernovae, neutron stars, pulsars, and black holes. Structure of galaxies, formation of large-scale structure in the universe, and cosmological issues such as the big bang, dark matter, dark energy, and the past, present, and projected future behavior of the universe in light of modern astrophysics and particle physics. Conditions for the existence of life in the universe and the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence. A minimum of mathematical analysis. (NS)
Credit Restriction: Only one of the three courses (152, 162, or 218) may be taken for credit.
161 A Journey through the Solar System with Laboratory (4) Study of Earth’s nearest astronomical neighbors including the sun, planets, asteroids, and comets. Seasons, solar and lunar eclipses, motion of the planets in the night sky, recent planetary space probe discoveries, development of our modern understanding of the origin and evolution of our solar system and its place in the universe, discovery of extrasolar planets in distant solar systems. A minimum of mathematical analysis. Principles for interpretation of astronomical observations are reinforced in laboratory. (NS)
Credit Restriction: Only one of the three courses (151, 161, or 217) may be taken for credit.
162 Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology with Laboratory (4) Life and death of stars, exotic objects including white dwarfs, supernovae, neutron stars, pulsars, and black holes. Structure of galaxies, formation of large-scale structure in the universe, and cosmological issues such as the big bang, dark matter, dark energy, and the past, present, and projected future behavior of the universe in light of modern astrophysics and particle physics. Conditions for the existence of life in the universe and the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence. A minimum of mathematical analysis. Principles for interpretation of astronomical observations are reinforced in the laboratory. (NS)
Credit Restriction: Only one of the three courses (152, 162, or 218) may be taken for credit.
217 Honors: Introductory Astronomy (4) Introduction to astronomy and astrophysics. Historical perspectives in understanding the celestial universe with emphasis on the laws of physics as they apply to the changing conceptions of the universe; structure of the solar system and celestial motions; evolution and properties of stars; galactic structure and models of the universe; observational technique and interpretation of underlying physical laws in accompanying lab. The 217-218 sequence satisfies the College of Arts and Sciences’ requirement for a natural science with laboratory. (NS)
Contact Hour Distribution: 3 hours lecture and 2 hours lab.
Credit Restriction: Credit given for only one sequence for lower-division astronomy.
(RE) Corequisite(s): Mathematics 141 or Mathematics 130.
218 Honors: Introductory Astronomy (4) Introduction to astronomy and astrophysics. Historical perspectives in understanding the celestial universe, with emphasis on the laws of physics as they apply to the changing conceptions of the universe; structure of the solar system and celestial motions; evolution and properties of stars; galactic structure and models of the universe; observational technique and interpretation of underlying physical laws in accompanying lab. The 217-218 sequence satisfies the College of Arts and Sciences’ requirement for a natural science with laboratory. (NS)
Contact Hour Distribution: 3 hours lecture and 2 hours lab.
Credit Restriction: Credit given for only one sequence for lower-division astronomy.
(RE) Corequisite(s): Mathematics 141 or Mathematics 130.
411 Astrophysics (3) Development of analytical physical models of the galactic structure of the universe, stellar and interstellar matter, and planetary systems. Topical and interdisciplinary approach includes consideration of quasars, pulsars, black holes and current developments in the field. Acceptable for credit toward the physics major.
(RE) Prerequisite(s): Physics 136 or Physics 138.
(DE) Prerequisite(s): Physics 222 or 232.
Registration Permission: Consent of instructor.
490 Special Topics in Astronomy (1-3) Topics of current interest in astronomy and astrophysics.
Repeatability: May be repeated for credit with consent of department. Maximum 9 hours.
