Physics 103: General Astronomy

Spring lecture notes


All notes in Microsoft Powerpoint format.

All readings from "Astronomy: A Beginner's Gude to the Universe" by Chaisson and McMillan.

Sign a petition urging Congress to fund the Pluto Kuiper Belt Mission.


Class Date Reading Due Lecture Notes last updated
Feb 12, 2002 Introduction I Feb 7, 2002
Feb 14, 2002 P.1-P.4, Ch 1.1, 1.2 Introduction II Feb 8, 2002
Feb 19, 2002 Ch 2.1 - 2.5 Light and Matter Feb 16, 2002
Feb 21, 2002 Ch 2.6 Spectral Lines Feb 19, 2002
Feb 26, 2002 Ch 3 Telescopes Feb 22, 2002
Feb 28, 2002 Ch 9 The Sun Feb 24, 2002
Mar 12, 2002 Ch 10 The Stars Mar 10, 2002
Mar 14, 2002 Ch 11 The ISM Mar 13, 2002
Mar 19, 2002 Various websites The Planets Mar 14, 2002
Mar 25, 2002 Various websites Planetary Surfaces April 4, 2002
Mar 28, 2002 Various websites Planetary Exploration & Mission to Mars April 4, 2002
Apr 16, 2002 Ch 12 Stellar Evolution April 12, 2002
Apr 18, 2002 Ch 13 Black Holes April 17, 2002
Apr 25, 2002 Ch 14 Milky Way April 23, 2002
Apr 30, 2002 Ch 15 Galaxies April 26, 2002
May 2, 2002 Ch 17 Big Bang May 1, 2002
May 14, 2002 Various websites Life in the Solar System May 9, 2002
May 16, 2002 Ch 18.3, 18.4 Life in the Universe May 14, 2002

4/7/2002 - Here are two articles on the newly rediscovered asteroid that may hit the Earth in 2880. A great article is the one by Sky & Telescope while the New York Times has a good editorial from their Op/Ed page.

4/18/2002 - Here is a Sky & Telescope article on newly discovered Quark stars.