Astrophysical Sciences 203
The Universe
Spring 2009

Course Information

This course comes in three parts -- planets and life, stars and galaxies, and the universe -- with a syllabus targeting the frontiers of modern astrophysics. Subjects include the intellectual history of astronomy, the solar system; the search for life in the universe; the birth, life, and death of stars; the structure of the Milky Way; the properties of galaxies; the expanding universe; Einstein's special and general theories of relativity; black holes; time travel; and big bang cosmology and the future fate of the universe.

This course has three faculty lecturers, Christopher Chyba, J. Richard Gott and Anatoly Spitkovsky. Each will give roughly eight lectures. Prof. Spitkovsky is the administrative head of the course, and will be the easiest to reach throughout the semester. Prof. Michael Strauss, who has taught this course for 10 years, will kindly help with the organization and lecturing this semester. E-mail is always the easiest way to get ahold of us (put "AST 203" in the subject line, please!).

McDonnell A02 Lectures T,Th 3:00-4:20

Professors

Christopher Chyba 8-3588 122 Peyton Hall, and Program on Science and Global Security, 221 Nassau Street cchyba@princeton.edu	OFFICE HOURS: Wednesdays, 4-5 in 122 Peyton Hall, and Thursdays, 4:30-5:30 (following Prof. Chyba's lectures) in McDonnel A02.
Anatoly Spitkovsky 8-2307 123 Peyton Hall anatoly@astro.princeton.edu	OFFICE HOURS: Mondays and Wednesdays, 3:00-4:00 PM Prof. Spitkovsky will not have office hours on Monday 4/13. ->
Michael A. Strauss 8-3808 110 Peyton Hall strauss@astro.princeton.edu	OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday, 1:00-3:00 PM (You might also try Dr. Strauss at other times as well. Drop him an e-mail or phone call first to make sure he's in.)
J. Richard Gott 8-3813 118 Peyton Hall jrg@astro.princeton.edu	OFFICE HOURS: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30-5:30 PM (immediately following lectures), while he is lecturing (last four weeks of lectures).

Teaching and Course Assistants:

Xin Liu 8-5243 19A Peyton Hall xinliu@astro.princeton.edu	OFFICE HOURS: Mondays, 10 AM - 12 noon
Clay Hambrick 8-7936 19F Peyton Hall dclayh@astro.princeton.edu	OFFICE HOURS: Mondays 2-4pm
Reina Reyes 8-0629 18 Peyton Hall rreyes@astro.princeton.edu	OFFICE HOURS: Wednesday 2:30-4:30pm
Katie Mack 8-8060 19C Peyton Hall mack@astro.princeton.edu	OFFICE HOURS: Thursday, 10am-12 noon

TEXTS

The Cosmic Perspective (Fifth Edition, 2007)

Jeffrey Bennett, Megan Donahue, Nicholas Schneider, and Mark Voit (Addison Wesley)

(The third and fourth editions are acceptable as well. But do not get one of the abridged or abbreviated versions of this book, with titles like "The Essential Cosmic Perspective", or "Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology: The Cosmic Perspective Volume 2".)

Time Travel in Einstein's Universe: The Physical Possibilities of Travel through Time (2001) (Required)
J. Richard Gott (Houghton Mifflin)

This is available in both hardcover and softcover.

Here are some notes on how to read the books.

There will be regularly scheduled informal precepts ("problem sessions") throughout the semester, which will allow discussion of the material presented in lecture, discussion of the homework assignments with the course and teaching assistants and an opportunity to work with other students on the homework. These will be held in the Peyton Hall auditorium.

In addition, we will hold observing sessions throughout the semester, to explore the night sky, the planets, double stars, and nebulae. They are usually scheduled for Tuesday nights, but may move to other nights depending on the weather. Watch your e-mail!

Grading:

Homework:

35 % (six assignments; mixture of essay and quantitative questions)

Mid-Term:

25% Combination of Essay and Quantitative Questions

Final Exam:

40% Combination of Essay and Quantitative Questions

Homework is due in class on the date indicated in the syllabus. Late homework will not be accepted, as homework solutions will be made available at the time that the homework is due. You are welcome to work together on the homeworks, but each person's writeup should be their own, using their own words.

Each student will have a folder with their name on it, in one of a series of four boxes which will be placed in the hallway outside the lecture room (the Brush Gallery). Homework and exams will be handed in, and returned to you, via these folders.

Grading will be done on a curve; the curve will be set following the midterm exam, and announced at that time.

The course Home Page is:
http://www.astro.princeton.edu/~anatoly/ast203

Lecture notes, homework assignments (and solutions), and other relevant information will be posted on the page; check it out often. Notices will also be sent out by e-mail.

Comments on this page