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Horizons in Astronomy
AST 1002
20131
An observatory/planetarium visit is required before November 30, 2012. You may come
to our observatory (Central Campus/Building 18) or locate an observatory/club in your
area using the following links:
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International/ United States: Sky & Telescope Find a Club (click on Club to find
a local club to find an observatory)
Local (South Florida):
South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association
& The Fox Observatory or Southern Cross Astronomical Society
Faculty Introduction
Professor Emily Howard was born in Corvallis , Oregon and has been trying to get to
the East Coast all her life. She lived on the West Coast for three years of her life and
then moved to Denver , Colorado where she grew up. She was adventurous, curious
and found her inspiration in a documentary called the “Creation of the Universe” when
she was in fourth grade. She knew what she wanted to study, Astronomy and Physics.
And with a few fun deviations into Biology and Geology, she entered the University of
Denver . Four short years later, she earned her Bachelors of Science in Physics. Then
she continued onto Florida International University . At last, the East coast, where she
earned her Masters of Physics by studying Blazars, the furthest objects observed by
telescopes. After earning her Masters, she then started adjunct teaching for Broward
Community College and has found a home in the College. She currently works as an
Assistant Professor in Astronomy & the Physical Sciences.
Course Description
AST 1002 is an introductory course that outlines the origin, characteristics, and
evolution of the solar system, stars, and galaxies and engages the historical milestones
in astronomy from the ancient astronomers to the modern observatories. Students are
expected to evaluate current and expected future trends in astronomical research and
theories using written compositions and analysis in algebra.
Methods of Instruction
This is a 3 credit hour course. Normally, a three credit hour course would meet once or
twice during the week (during a 16 week term) for a total of 3 hours per week or 48
hours per term. In this class we will be meeting entirely on-line with a visit to the
planetarium/observatory in your geographical area. Each on-line session will involve a
reading assignment with supplementary PowerPoint lectures. Then there will be
discussions to prepare you for the math assignments and projects. Both the midterm
and final exams are on-line. See the course schedule for a detailed description of
learning activities online assignments. Students are responsible for regularly reviewing
the course schedule and completing all required in and out of class assignments.
Learning Outcomes
Once you have completed the course, you should be able to:
1. Analyze the contribution made to astronomy by individuals from the time of
Pythagoras to that of Einstein.
2. Compose an interpretation of the cyclic nature of the phases of the Moon, the
tidal effect of the Moon on the earth, the causation of lunar and solar eclipses,
and the composition of the Earth and Moon.
3. Compare and contrast major components of the Solar System.
4. Construct the lifecycle of a star's development.
5. Compare the methods used to classify galaxies, as well as compare the types of
normal and active galaxies.
6. Evaluate and compare the present theories explaining the formation of the
universe.
Course Requirements.
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Required Prerequisites: MAT 0024 Elementary Algebra
Companion Course: AST 1022L Astronomy Laboratory; it is not required, but a
good course to supplement what you learn in this on-line course. It is a face-toface course on our campuses.
New to e-learning? Review the general information about online learning at the
Broward College Online website before enrolling in any online or blended course.
Before enrolling in an e-learning course review, computer requirements.
Hardware or Software Requirements specific to your course:
o Google Sky, an interactive sky map provided by Google.
o iTunes , Veoh.com, Hulu.com, and Resource: The Mechanical
Universe...and Beyond: software or websites for you purchase or view the
different episodes of “The Universe: Season One” , “From the Earth to
Moon”, and Mechanical Universe that are indicated by the
discussions. Each episode is $1.99 and can be put on a mpeg player
(iPod, Zune, etc.) or computer on iTunes.
Required Meeting Dates or Times (include attendance requirements and dates of
on-campus tests if any)
All students must obtain their BC email address. It is used for course login.
Use of a college or public library card will be required for your course, and here is
a link to library information. A Broward County library card or Broward College ID
is good to have.
Course Materials
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eBook: Understanding the Universe (2012) by Palen, Kay, Smith, Blumentha and
SmartWork (ISBN 978-0-393-91835-9):
http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?id=24300
Professor Howard’s Website, http://www.broward.edu/~ehoward1/
Study Space at http://wwnorton.com/college/astronomy/understanding-ouruniverse/welcome.aspx.
Information Contact
Office Phone:
Department Phone:
Department Fax:
Email:
954-201-4876
954-201-6674
954-201-6847
[email protected] (All communication should be through
BConline email. Use this BC email only if you have an
emergency and/or are unable to access BConline email.)
Office Hours:
Click here.
Virtual Office Hours: Click here
BC's Emergency
954-201-4357 (Help)
Hotline#:
How to Access this Course once you are Enrolled in this Course
Once you have enrolled into this course, you can acess the course via BConline
(http://bconline.broward.edu):
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The course will available on the first day of classes. If enrolled during the
add/drop period (the first week of courses), you may have to wait up to 24 hours
for the course to be available to you.
Your BConline User Name is the same as your BC email ID.
Your BConline password is the same as your BC email PIN code.
If you need login information, obtain BC email user ID and PIN code before
attempting to login to BConline.
The BC email address site, click on "ID Lookup", then enter your Student# (or
INTL Student ID#) and PIN code (2 digit birth month and 4 digit year). Write down
your email ID (not the @mail.broward.edu part), which is your BConline User
Name.
Links to help students get connected to BConline course(s)
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BConline login page
Student e-learning Resources
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24/7 Helpdesk is Available if you need any technical assistance using or logging
into BConline
o Phone number: 866-468-0009
o Chat Online
o You can also open your own ticket online and can keep track of your open
help desk tickets at the BConline Support Center.