Astronomy 311 - Solar System Astronomy• CRN: 91417 , Topics in Modern Astronomy, Credits: 3.00• Instructor: Dr. Shashi Kanbur, Rm 124A, Snygg Hall, SUNY Oswego.• Email: [email protected], Tel: 412 2679.• Office Hours: Monday 4-5pm, Thursdays: 9.30-10.30 am, 1-3pm or make anappointment by phone or email.• Lectures: MWF, 9.1 0am-10.05am , in Piez 328 .• Book: ” The Cosmic Perspective”, by Bennett et al, fourth edition.• Brief Introduction to the Course: A general algebra based introduction tosolar system astronomy. We will cover such topics as– Planetary Astronomy: review of Jovian and Terrestrial Planets.– The Sun.– Formation of the Solar System.– Solar System dynamics?– Planetary G eology?– Astro-biology?– Search for Extra-Solar Planets.Basic astronomical knowledge you should know can be found either in thetextb ook or www.oswego.edu/ kanbur/a100. Layout of the Course:– Traditional lectures, some class discussion, some computer demonstra-tions.– Algebra based.– Reading Assignments, homeworks, in class exams and a comprehensivefinal.– Classroom Attendance: Roll call will be taken. Attending lecturesis highly recommended. Participating in class room activities willincrease your understanding of the material.– Grading: There will be two in class exams and a comprehensive finalexam. During the class time we will f requently discuss problems sim-ilar to what will be on the exams. These exams will be a mixture ofmultiple choice and o ther types of questions but make up exams forthe two in class exams will be essays. We will follow SUNY Oswegoguidelines r ega rding makeup for the final exams. No textbooks willbe allowed in these exams. All equations that you may need will begiven.1– The exams will not test your memory of equations but your under-standing of them.– The first in class exam will be around the end of September, dependingon what progress we make. I will give you plenty of warning and alsoschedule a review session before such in class exams.– There will be four-six homework assignments. You are strongly ad-vised to make concerted efforts to t ry these and understand the solu-tions. They will be similar to the type of questions you will get in theexams. You may discuss these with friends but the final submittedsolution must be your own work. Some of these homeworks will be”computer lab simulation” exercises.– There will be reading assigmnets: these are so that you become some-what familiar with the concepts and ideas you will encounter that dayin class. You are not expected to understand the material after areading assigmnent.– There will be a project which will be a literature review of currentresearch in astronomy. Examples include but not limited to:∗ Discussion of a number of space missions designed to study plan-ets/asteroids/meteorites.∗ Astro-biology.∗ A review of recent extra-solar planet discoveries.∗ Planetary a t mospheres.∗ The Anthropic principle.∗ Early Astronomy.∗ Solar connections to Earth’s weather.∗ Solar missions eg. YohKoh, SOHO, G ONG.∗ Solar oscillations.Please discuss your choice of project with me. There will be a 5-10 pagereport plus a classroom presentation at the end of the semester. Yo ushould decide the topic/title of your proj ect by the end of September.– Thus the exams will count to 50% of your grade, homeworks, 25%,project 25%.– How do I succeed in this class?∗ Come to class, get the book, particpate in class.∗ Do NOT be a fraid to ask questions.∗ Do the homeoworks, reading assignments and understand the so-lutions.∗ Do the reading assignments.2∗ Stay current, hand homeowrks in on time.∗ Think about t he material, remain open to be moved, inspired bythe