Cuesta College :: Astronomy 210 Lab :: Fall 2009
Calendar Policies Worksheets Grades
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Carefully read the following course policy (*.html version 090817) regarding contact information, grading, and attendance.


Welcome to Astronomy 210 Lab
      This course is a separate "hands-on" laboratory from Astronomy 210 lecture.   The prerequisite for this course is either Math 123, Math 123SI or the equivalent.   Concurrent enrollment in Astronomy 210 lecture is not necessary if it was completed in a previous semester.
      The times and locations for the different sections of this course are:

Section 70178   M   4:00-6:50 PM   Room 2108 2402 (SLO)
Section 70186   Tu   1:00-3:50 PM   Room N2409 (NCC)
Section 70200   F   10:30 AM-1:20 PM   Room 2402 (SLO)

      Attendance is mandatory.   Students are responsible for their own enrollment status, and are expected to handle their own adds and/or drops accordingly, as authorized by the instructor.   The instructor reserves the right to drop students due to non-attendance and/or underperformance.

Learning Goals
      This one-semester course is a survey of and introduction to conceptual and quantitative aspects of astronomy.   Student learning outcomes are organized into six general topics:
  • Keep abreast of present-day discoveries and developments in astronomy (current events).
  • Construct and use devices to measure locations and sizes on the celestial sphere (observational astronomy).
  • Apply laws of spectroscopy and gravitation to remotely determine properties of satellites, planets, and stars (astronometry).
  • Develop and test physical models of the properties of solar system bodies (planetology).
  • Collect data, evaluate the data using error analysis, draw conclusions from the data.
  • Explain the information in a laboratory report.
Class Materials
      Required materials to be brought to each lab are available at the Cuesta College Bookstores (San Luis Obispo campus: 546-3206; North County campus: 591-6206):       No specific astronomy textbook is required, but access to one is encouraged for reference purposes.   Web-related resources may also be used to research background information.
      There is no lab manual to be purchased for this course, as worksheets are to be downloaded, printed out, and brought to each lab meeting from the course website (http://www.waiferx.com/Physics/).

Contact Information
Dr. Patrick M. Len
office: Room 2308 (SLO), Room N2430 (NCC)
phone: 546-3100, x2693
e-mail: P M L @ w a i f e r x . c o m
office hours:
      MW (SLO) 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
      Th (NCC) 1:00-3:00 PM
      F (SLO) 1:30-2:30 PM
      (Appointments and drop-ins are welcome.)

Course Grading
      There is no curve for this course, performance is determined by a 100-point scale.   There are no +/- grades.   A *.pdf worksheet is available to keep track of in-class lab and individual project scores throughout this semester.

        0-39 points  F
      40-54 points  D
      55-69 points  C
      70-84 points  B
      85-100+ points  A

In-class labs are graded as collaborative group work, as determined by evaluating a randomly selected worksheet from one group member.   There are 13 in-class labs, each worth a maximum of 5.0 points.   Independent projects, which vary from a maximum of 5.0 to 10.0 points each are to be used to make-up for missed labs, and/or to achieve grades higher than a "C."
      You must accumulate at least 40.0 in-class points by the end of the semester (e.g., by attending and receiving full-credit on at least eight in-class labs), or you will receive a failing grade for this course, regardless of the amount of your independent project points.

Academic Responsibilities
      Be informed of and to abide by all student policies outlined in the Cuesta College Catalog, 2009-2010, and calendar deadlines in the Cuesta College Fall 2009 Class Schedule.