Course Description:
ASTR& 101 is an introductory astronomy lab class. You will learn about the sun, moon, stars, planets, galaxies, and what astronomers think about the beginning and end of the universe.
The instructor has weekly video/lectures in a youtube-like format (or downloadable files for iPods or mp3 devices) for students to watch and listen to while seeing amazing pictures of astronomical objects.
Weekly assignments include answering questions from the end of each chapter (answers in the back of the book) and doing online lab exercises. NOTE: all labs are ONLINE. It is not necessary to ever come to the BCC campus.
There are four multiple-choice quizzes. Each one covers only the newest material since the last quiz, and the lowest quiz score is automatically dropped.
This is a non-math course in the sense that you will not be expected to use math or know equations for the quizzes. You WILL need to use math in the labs, though. The math that is required for the labs is simple arithmetic, and you will be told what to do step-by-step. A calculator will be handy for some labs.
The text is Astronomy: A Beginner's Guide to the Universe (latest edition), by Chaisson and McMillan, (check BC bookstore for ISBN #). You will also be required to download and run a free planetarium program that will be used for labs.
Join us and learn about the wonders of the Universe!
NOTE: Either ASTR& 100 (prev ASTR 101) or ASTR& 101 (prev ASTR 105) may be taken for credit, not both.
Testing and Grading:
Your grade will be based on a professional evaluation of your performance in four areas as follows:
15% - Weekly homework assignments. These will consist of all the true false and fill in the blank questions at the end of each chapter, (answers provided on page AK-4 at the back of the book)
20% - Weekly labs.
5% - participation in online discussions. There will be a new topic every week or so. You are required to contribute to at least five of these discussions to get credit.
60% - 4 quizzes. Lowest automatically dropped. The other three count for 20% each. (Each quiz will consist of 50 questions similar in format to the homework questions.)
Your final grade will be assigned according to the following scale:
| A 100% - 92% | A- 92% - 90$ | |
| B+ 90% - 88% | B 88% - 82% | B- 82% - 80% |
| C+ 80% - 76% | C 76% - 70% | C- 70% - 67% |
| D+ 67% - 65% | D 65% - 60% |