ASTR 2101-A • Astronomy Night Lab • Syllabus
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Instructor: Samanta Fuentes Tapia
Office: EDUC 2.618 (Education Complex)
Office Hours: Mon, Tue, Thu 4:30-5:30pm
E-mail: [email protected]
(Generally I will respond to emails within 24 hrs.)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This class is a hands-on night-sky-telescopes laboratory. Students will work directly with telescopes
studying solar system objects as well as stars, nebulas, clusters and other astronomical objects. Students
observe and analyze astronomical events such as the phases of Venus, retrograde motion of planets, orbits
of Jupiter’s moons etc. Students use sky simulation software as part of this course.
This course is essentially an instrumentation entity. The bulk of the course features telescopic setup and
utilization of data recording devices such as CCD cameras, and reduction of data captured or images.
Prerequisites: ASTR 1401 and ASTR 1402
Student Learning Objective:
Astronomy is the study of the universe in which we live. The celestial bodies, including Earth,
will be studied to improve our understanding of the origins, evolution, composition as well as the
motion of these celestial bodies including: stars, planets, asteroids, comets, and meteors.
Astronomers look at the universe and see a vast system of objects waiting to be discovered and
understood. At the end of this course students will be able to:
1. Understand and apply method and appropriate technology to study astronomy.
2. Recognize scientific and quantitative methods and approaches used by astronomers to
communicate findings and interpretation.
3. Identify and recognize scientific theories dealing with the creation of our solar system.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of the interdependence of science and technology and the effects on our
modern culture. Today’s astronomical instruments and techniques are expanding our views of the
Earth and its place in the universe.
5. To apply quantitative methods in the analysis and study of astronomical objects.
6. To apply observational methods in the analysis and study of astronomical objects.
Course Philosophy:
Undergraduate study requires responsibility, dedication and self-discipline on the part of the student. You
are responsible for your own learning (and your own grade). I view myself as just one of the resources
available to you in your learning process. The activities demand your attention to detail and the will to
work in natural conditions. To succeed in this class, you need to utilize these primary methods of
learning.
1. Analytic thought and problem solving skilss
2. Discussions to ensure understanding and ability to apply key concepts and the use of equipment
each week.
COURSE ELEMENTS
Lab activities:
All lab activities’ handouts will be posted on Blackboard, students are required to read the
week’s handout before class to be prepared to work on the activity of the day at time of arrival.
Please print and bring these handouts to class.
The activities done in class will be the ones listed at the end of this syllabus, the order of the
activities may change depending on weather or other factors.
Lab Quizzes:
Every class session will start with a quiz, the quiz will be about the material seen the session
before. The first quiz will be given on Feb 4th. There will be a total of 13 quizzes, the lowest one
will be dropped.
Presentation Project:
Each student will be in charge to study and develop a presentation as an oral project. Topics and
rubrics and deadlines will be discussed in class.
Important links:
http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/
http://www.stellarium.org/
Final Test: There will be NO final test.
Attendance: Attendance is mandatory.
** Since class attendance will be graded, students must attend the entire class period to earn full
attendance and participation credit. Students missing classes (or significant portions of classes) will have
their grade reduced. One point will be reduced for each day missed, half point for each “half class”.
Missing more than 3 days is automatic lost of all attendance points.
** ALL students in a work team should have a particular assignment and be working pro the lab activity
of the day.
** The use of social networks during the class is prohibited, each time a violation to this rule occurs will
cause a deduction of 5 points of the lab activity grade of the day.
Grading Policy
Lab Activities
Lab Quizzes
Presentation
Attendance
Points
63 pts (7 pts each)
27 pts (highest 9, 3 pts each)
5 pts
5 pts
FINAL = 100
A = 90 – 100 pts
B = 80 – 89.999 pts
C = 70 – 79.999 pts
D = 60 – 69.999 pts
F = below 60 pts
Online Course Evaluations:
Mandatory Course Evaluations period (Apr 15 – May 6): Students are required to complete an
ONLINE evaluation of this course, accessed through your UTPA account (https://my.utpa.edu/); you
will be contacted through email with further instructions. The evaluation window closes at 11:59 pm
on May 6th, the last day of Spring classes. Students who complete their evaluations by May 6th will
have priority access to their grades.
Inform Your Instructor of Any Accommodations Needed
If you have a documented disability and verification from the Disability Services, and wish to discuss
academic accommodations, please contact your instructor as soon as possible. It is the student’s
responsibility to provide documentation of disability to Disability Services and meet with a SSWD
counselor to request special accommodation before classes start.
Disability Services is located in room 322 University Center and can be contacted by phone at (956) 3167911 (Voice) (956) 316-7911 or via email at [email protected].
Technical Assistance
If you need technical assistance at any time during the course or to report a problem with Blackboard you
can:

Visit the Blackboard Student Help Site

Submit a Blackboard Helpdesk Ticket

COLTT Help Desk Contact Information ( UTPA’s Blackboard Support)
Location: Education Building Room 2.202 • Phone: 956-665-5327
Monday – Thursday 7:30AM – 7:00PM • Friday: 7:30 AM – 6:00PM
Commit to Integrity
As a student in this course (and at this university) you are expected to maintain high degrees of
professionalism, commitment to active learning and participation in this class and also integrity in your
behavior in and out of the classroom.
UTPA Academic Honesty Policy & Procedures
“The principles of truth and honesty are recognized as fundamental to a community of scholars and
teachers. California State University, Sacramento expects that both faculty and students will honor these
principles, and in so doing, will protect the integrity of academic work and student grades.”
Read more about UTPA’s Academic Honesty Policy & Procedures
Definitions
At UTPA, Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the
submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person,
taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the
attempt to commit such acts.
“Plagiarism is a form of cheating. At UTPA, “plagiarism is the appropriation, buying, receiving as a gift,
or obtaining by any means another's work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in
one's own academic work offered for credit..” Source: UTPA HOP
Important Note: Any form of academic dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism, may be reported
to the office of student affairs.
Course policies are subject to change. It is the student’s responsibility to check Blackboard for
corrections or updates to the syllabus. Any changes will be posted in Blackboard.
Course Labs (tentative):
Lab 1
Lab 2
Lab 3
Lab 4
Celestial Sphere, Star Simulation Software, Star Finder, Naked eye Identification of
Prominent Stars and Constellations
Setting up the Dobsonian Telescope, Aligning the Finder Scope, Viewing Astronomical
Objects Through Telescope.
Using the Intelliscope Computer to find and View Objects through the Dobsonian
telescopes
Lab 5
Setting Up the equatorial GoTo Telescope
Using the Built In Computer to Find and View Objects through the Equatorial Telescopes
Using the CCD camera with the Equatorial Telescope
Lab 6
Take image of Deep Sky Object
Lab 7
Processing the images taken with the CCD Camera
Lab 8
Visit to Planetarium
Lab 9
Solar Observation
*** No final test