Time & Place:
Monday 6:45 pm - 9:55 pm, Franklin Hall 206 & Observation Deck (roof of Franklin Hall)

Text:
Lab Manual Handouts, Edmund Mag 5 Star Atlas

Instructor:
Dean Arvidson; Dept. phone 323-953-4000 x2920; arvidsd@lacitycollege.edu

Office & Hours:
FH 209C; Mon. & Wed. 4 - 6 pm; Wed. 12:15 - 12:45 pm; Thurs. 6:15 - 6:45 pm, & by appointment!

Introduction:
Welcome to Astronomy 5 Laboratory class! During the semester we will be going outside to observe the sky almost every clear night we meet. We will be using our unaided eyes, binoculars, and telescopes to assist our observations. These will be structured observing sessions with specific objects and measurements to be made, however there will also be time for simply enjoying the beauty of the night sky. During cloudy nights we will meet inside and perform indoor astronomy lab exercises. In addition to our regular meetings there will be some optional activities during the semester (which you can earn extra credit for), including a star party!

Goals of Course:
I have several goals that I will try to engage each of you in as the semester progresses. First of all, I hope you will gain knowledge of and a deeper appreciation for the stars, moons, planets and other objects in the sky, including some of their names and legends. I also hope that you gain working knowledge of, and an appreciation for some of the astronomical instruments (binoculars, telescopes) that are used to observe the sky. Finally I hope you gain some appreciation of the vastness and beauty of the heavens and a recognition of our place within the universe.

Things to Bring:
Please come prepared to stand (or sit) outside for several hours each night while you observe the sky. This means bringing warm clothes (particularly as the semester progresses)! A scarf and cap are very helpful! In addition to your exercises and 'Star Atlas', please bring a flashlight with a red filter, and a clipboard to write on.

Lab Exercises:
The lab exercises will handed out during class. The handouts will all have procedures for making observations including worksheets with questions and space provided to answer the questions. Performing the exercises includes making the suggested observations, and answering the questions from the worksheet. These worksheets must be turned in by the beginning of the following class meeting (one week after the exercise is performed). Completing the observations and worksheet on the night they are assigned is the simplest way to do this. Here is a list of the exercises we will perform.

Outdoor Exercises:
Whenever the skies are clear we will go outside (to the roof of Franklin Hall) to observe the sky. Please note: We will always meet in the classroom at the beginning of the period, even on clear nights. Also, please be sure to bring warm clothes to this class, as the evenings will definitely cool down.

A) Unaided Eye Exercises: 1. Introducing the Night Sky 2. Angular Distances and Star Magnitudes
3. Planet Motion Observations
B) Binocular Exercises: 1. Field of View (binoculars) 2. Star Clusters (binoculars)
C) Telescope Exercises: 1. Resolving Power: Double Stars 2. Field of View (telescope) 3. Moon Observations (Binoculars and Telescope) 4. Planet Observations 5. Deep Sky Observations

Indoor Exercises:
On cloudy nights (we will certainly have some), we will stay in the classroom and perform astronomy lab exercises inside. There will be several types of indoor exercises.

A) Celestial Globe Exercises: 1. Introduction to the Celestial Globe 2. Right Ascension and Declination
B) Computer Exercises: 1. CLEA Exercises (Revolution of the Moons of Jupiter, Classification of Stellar Spectra) 2. Computer Planetarium Exercises (Double Stars, Open Clusters, Globular Clusters)
C) Optics (Lenses and Refracting Telescopes)

Grades:
Your grade for the course will be based more or less as follows: Exercise performance and worksheets 60%, Midterm 10%, Final Exam 25% and Participation and Attendance 5%, and your grade will be determined as follows: A ³ 85%, B ³ 70%, C ³ 55% of the total points.

Attendance:
Regular attendance and performance of the lab exercises is absolutely essential for this class. If you miss a lab please see the instructor as soon as you return to schedule time to makeup the exercise. More than three unexcused absences may result in the student be dropped from the class.

Note on Equipment Handling:
We are quite fortunate to have some very nice pieces of astronomy equipment including a set of Ultima 2000 telescopes, and a set of Giant deluxe binoculars. It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to handle the equipment carefully so it can last for many years. Please pay very careful attention when using or moving the equipment!!! Handling of equipment counts in the 'Exercise performance' part of your grade.

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