Astronomy

Updated 08-26-26

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Online Textbook:

    Your text book  in .pdf format:  Link

    Adobe Acrobat reader to view the online text pdf:  Adobe

Assignment submissions: 

All assignments may be submitted either on paper in class or via the assignment portal in Google Classroom.

Grading: 

Classroom Activities:  Tests, Quizzes, Labs:  70%

Learning Activities:  Classwork, Homework, Participation, Science News:  15%

Quarterly Assessments:  Common Tasks and Quarterly exams:  15%

Course Information:

• Syllabus:  (coming soon)

• Classroom Expectations:  Link

• Class Participation Rubric:  Link

• Homework Rubric:  Link

• Lab Safety Contract:  Link

• Class Materials:  Link

• Who to Call When - A Quick Reference:  Link

• CHSE Citizenship & Effort Rubric:  Link

Reference Information for Astronomy: 

Video playlists:  Link - Astrophysics.

Glencoe textbook, Link, covers stars in Chapter 26.  

Youtube Crash Course Astronomy:  Link.

Youtube Scishow Space:  Link.

Formation of Stars: 

            - Why is the sky blue, not purple?  Link.  Or the shorter answer:  Link.             

            - How big is the solar system?  This interactive site give you a size-accurate model of the solar system!  Link.

            -If you made a beach out of stars:  Link.

            -The Nicest Neighborhood in the Universe:  Link.

            - How big is our solar system?  Link.

            - Jillian's Guide to Black Holes - very comprehensive!  Link.

            - Traveling inside a black hole, video:  Link.

Structure of the Universe: 

            - The Big Bang to now in 18 minutes:  Link.

            - The Big Bang to Now in 10 easy steps:  Link.

            - What was the early universe like?  Link.

            -Supporting evidence of the Big Bang Theory:  Link.

            -  Veritasium addresses misconceptions about the universe:  Link.

            - ALMA radio telescope array!  My uncle worked with this.  Link.

            - Cosmic inflation explained in one comic:  Link.

            - We found gravitational waves!  02/22/16:  Link.

            - What are gravitational waves?  This comic explains:  Link.

            - The Flatness Problem:  Link.

            - Relativity and time travel explained in the context of Doctor Who:  Link.

            -Extra-solar planets and how they can be detected by the Kepler telescope:  Link.

            -We landed on a comet!  Check out this adorable flip book animation 11/12/14  Link.

            -Van Gogh's Starry Night and Turbulence:  Link.

            -An interesting TED talk from 2002 discussing ways the world could end:  Link.

            -The End of Everything:  Link.

            - Are we alone in the universe?  Link.

            - Where is everyone else?  Link.

            - So you want to go to Mars?  Link.

            - Will we ever visit other stars?  Link.

            - Are we ready for aliens?  Link.

            -Here is a Youtube playlist I created of interesting and informative Big Bang related videos:  Link.

Gravity and The Effects of Space on Humans: 

            -  Video playlists:  Link - Gravity.

            -  Ten strange things that happen to your body in space:  Link.

            -  What if you were born in space?  Link.

           -  Why isn't Zero G the same thing as Zero Gravity?  Link.

            -   How do astronauts vote from space?  Link.

            -  Christmas in Space:  Link.

            -  What do we write with in space?  Link.

            -  What are astronauts NOT allowed to do in space?  Link.

            -  Everybody Jump!  http://what-if.xkcd.com/8/

Kepler's Laws:

            -  Video playlists:  Link - Kepler's Laws.

            - Link to Chapter 7, Gravitation and Kepler's Laws.  Kepler is in section 7.1  Link.

            - Link to the Unit 3 PowerPoint from class:  Link.

            - Video introduction to Kepler's Laws:  Link. 

            - The dwarf planet, Sedna:  Link.

           -  About Tycho Brahe:  Link.

ASTRONOMY not ASTROLOGY!  

• • What is the difference?  Link.  And further, Link.

  • Dr. Tyson's Zodiac, debugged here:  Link.

  • What is your Zodiac sign?  All 13, adjusted for 2000 years of precession:  Link.

The Mars Rovers and Why We Love Them!

• • The Oatmeal's Take on Insight: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/insight

  • Veratissium:  Insight's Five Firsts Video:  Link.

  • Interview with JPL's Insight team video:  Link.

  • NASA's FAQs on Insight:  https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/faq/

  • Mars Lander Timeline:  https://www.space.com/16496-mars-landing-missions-timeline.html

  • XKCD on Spirit (Jan 4, 2004 - May 2011  We miss you!!!):  https://xkcd.com/695/

  • XKCD on Opportunity (Jan 25, 2004 - Feb 13, 2019  You were the best rover!!!):  https://xkcd.com/1504/

  • XKCD on Opportunity's mission end (Feb 13, 2019):  https://xkcd.com/2111/

  • NASA on Opportunity's mission end:  Link

  • XKCD on Curiosity (Aug 5, 2014):  https://xkcd.com/1091/

  • NASA - Video of Curiosity landing via skycrane:  Link.

  • Other Mars Rovers 2012:  Link.

  • Mars 2020 Rover update (02-15-19):  Link.

Interesting Astronomy News: 

            - Commentary: The problematic media portrayals of women in science:  Link