| Class: T/Th 2:30 -
4:00 in Observatory or INSC H110 Office Hours (tentative): 1-4 Monday, 10-12 Wednesday, 10-12 Friday Instructor: Beth Willman INSC L108 610.896.1201 bwillman at haverford dot edu | ASTR333 Modern Galactic Astronomy |
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| Workshop Galactic Science with Resolved Stellar Populations |
Class Description:
Modern Galactic Astronomy is a course that will focus topically on a global view of the Milky Way as a galaxy and on untangling its formation history. Although just one galaxy of billions in the Universe, the singular detail with which only the Milky Way can be studied makes it the necessary stepping stone to interpret and understand observations of galaxies throughout the Universe. After we investigate and apply several approaches to mapping our Galaxy, we will question whether the picture painted by the panoply of existing Milky Way observations makes sense within the current paradigm of structure formation in the Universe. This field lies at the intersection of stellar astronomy, extragalactic astronomy, and cosmology - making Astronomy 333 an appropriate course for upper-level physics/astro students with a range of interests.Class Requirements:
The book is Galaxies in the Universe: an introduction (2nd edition) by Linda Sparke and John Gallagher. Errata can be found at http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~sparke/book/errata.html. We will use the material in the first half of the text. This class will focus on cutting edge results and techniques in the field of Galactic Astronomy. Consequently, much of the material is not explicitly contained in any textbook. This text will thus be supplemented by online readings and class attendance is required. You must contact me in advance if you will miss a class for any absence not owing to illness or a Dean's excuse.Assignments and Grading:
35% - Homework sets; there will be about five. Although no late work will be accepted without a Dean's excuse, the lowest problem set score will be dropped, so you have one freebie.Course Outline (tentative):
These dates and topics are subject to change, but reasonably reflect what you can expect for this semester. The online syllabus will be updated as appropriate.Honor Code Issues:
The important guiding principle of academic honesty is that you must never represent the work of another as your own. Please request clarification of the following if you find yourself in any doubtful situations: Discussion and collaboration with other students on homework sets and research projects is encouraged. However, all submitted work must be your own. While working together is permitted and even expected and therefore does not need to be acknowledged, merely copying the work of another student (whether a calculation or piece of computer code) without indicating that you have done so is clearly a representation of his or her work as your own and so is a violation of the code.Accomodations:
Students who think they may need accommodations in this course because of the impact of a disability are encouraged to meet with me privately early in the semester. Students should also contact Rick Webb, Coordinator, Office of Disabilities Services (rwebb@haverford.edu, 610-896-1290) to verify their eligibility for reasonable accommodations as soon as possible. Early contact will help to avoid unnecessary inconvenience and delays.