Undergraduate Course: Discovering Astronomy (PHYS08039)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Discovering Astronomy is an introductory astronomy course that should be accessible to any student. We assume a basic level of numeracy, but no mathematics more complicated than simple algebra and simple trigonometry is used. The course covers a wide range of topics, from understanding our Sun and Solar System through to Cosmology and the Big Bang. The course has a set textbook that we follow quite closely and is supported by online material accessed from the course homepage. |
| Course description |
Syllabus:
- History of Astronomy
- Gravity and planetary motions
- Our Sun
- The Solar System
- Telescopes & observational astronomy
- Extrasolar planets
- The evolution of stars
- White dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes
- Our Milky Way galaxy
- The formation and evolution of galaxies
- Cosmology and the Big Bang
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | It is recommended that students have Higher or GCSE maths, or equivalent. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 33,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 5,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 5,
Summative Assessment Hours 4,
Revision Session Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
147 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
67 %,
Coursework
33 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
4 x Tutorial hand-ins (best 3 of 4 count 1/6 of final mark)
5 x Practical Workshop hand-ins (best 4 of 5 count 1/6 of final mark)
1 x Final exam (2/3 of final mark) |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Discovering Astronomy | 2:00 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | Discovering Astronomy | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- describe the contents of our Solar System, and why different objects within it have the properties that they have
- explain at a basic level how energy is produced within, and escapes from, our Sun and other stars
- describe the evolution of stars, from their birth through to their death as white dwarfs, neutron stars or black holes, and explain the ways in which other stars and planetary systems differ from our own
- describe the properties and history of our Milky Way galaxy, and contrast this with other major types of galaxy, including active galaxies
- explain at a basic level the concepts of current cosmology, and the evidence for and nature of the Big Bang
|
Reading List
| The course content is built around the recommended textbook The Cosmic Perspective by Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, Voit (Pearson/Addison Wesley 7th edition 2014). |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Students are expected to attend 10 one hour tutorial/practical sessions - one every week from weeks 2-11, as arranged. |
| Keywords | DiscAst |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Annette Ferguson
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Paula Wilkie
Tel: (0131) 668 8403
Email: |
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