1Astro 1109: The Birth of the UniverseInstructor: Ann MartinTuesdays & Thursdays, 2:55 – 4:10Rockefeller Hall rm. 1022Millennium Simulation: Overall PictureUniverse starts out homogenous and isotropic, except for very tiny bumps and wiggles.These “bumps” pull more and more matter in, leading to the growth of large-scale filaments, and the “emptying out” of large-scale voidsOverdensities within the filaments collapse further, so that the Universe ends up full of galaxies, galaxy clusters, and superclusters.These ideas – the birth, evolution, and ultimate end of the Universe – are all part of the study of cosmologyThe Millennium Simulation3The Millennium SimulationWhat We’ll Learn About In This CourseThe Big Bang (the birth of the Universe 14 billion years ago)Space, time, and black holesDark matterand dark energy (which make up 96% of the energy in the Universe!)The anthropic principle4What We’ll Learn About In This CourseHow to do library researchHow to properly cite and avoid plagiarismHow to outlineHow to develop an argumentHow to explain complicated thingsHow to peer review and editIcebreakersWho are you?NameMajorHometownOne odd/fun/crazy/weird fact5SyllabusCourse webpage will have reading & written assignments, plus helpful links and information to help you:http://www.astro.cornell.edu/academics/courses/astro1109Take a look at the syllabus and the reading assignments before next time!TextsEinstein’s Dreams by Alan LightmanThe State of the Universe by Pedro Ferreira Dark Cosmos by Dan Hooper Handbook: Easy Writer: A Pocket Reference by Andrea A. Lunsford. 3rd edition. (if you already own a handbook that you would like to use, please see me to make sure it includes everything you’ll need!) Some articles found online, which I’ll link to . . . Where?6Writing Assignments7 essays throughout the semester, ranging from just a couple of pages to 6-8 pagesDue as hardcopies at the beginning of class (no emails!)Proper citations (we’ll learn!)One extension, if you ask 24 hours in advanceWriting Walk-In Service7Grading20% attendance and participation(10% daily class, 5% peer review participation, 5% conference attendance)5% each for Essay 1 and Essay 610% each for Essay 3 and Essay 415% each for Essay 2 and Essay 520% for Essay 7, including preparatory workOffice HoursOptions:Monday mornings (9-11?)Tuesday afternoons (4:30-5:30)Wednesday mornings (9-12?)Thursdays before class (9-11, 1-2:45?)Friday mornings (9-11)8Reading AssignmentCheck out the syllabus and the webpage!3 Creation Myths:Chinese Myth of Pan-guApache Creation MythHawaiian Creation MythCreation Myth of OceaniaBeginning of our first main text: Ferreira’s “The State of the Universe,” Introduction and Chapter 1First Session Wrap-UpYour nameYour majorOne odd fact about youOne thing you already know about the UniverseOne thing you’d like to learn about the