Please note: You will need to be logged into your UTRGV Microsoft 365 account to access the course material.

Course Syllabus

A copy of the course syllabus can be found here.

Course Textbook

You can find a copy of the free, open-source textbook here.

Course Schedule

The lecture slides are available through the links below. Generally, they will follow the textbook. 

Date Topic (click link for slides) Relevant Chapters Homework

09/03/2025 Introductions & Common Misconceptions -- --

09/08/2025 Science 1 --

09/10/2025 The Universe 1 --

09/15/2025 This History of Astronomy I: Ancient Astronomy 2 HW 1 is due

09/17/2025 The History of Astronomy II: Modern Astronomy 2 --

09/22/2025 Orbits 3 HW 2 is due

09/24/2025 Gravity 3 --

09/29/2025 The Earth & The Sky 4 HW 3 is due

10/01/2025 The Moon 4 --

10/06/2025 Light & Spectra 5 HW 4 is due

10/08/2025 Telescopes 6 --

10/13/2025 Exam 1 Review 1 - 6 HW 5 is due

10/15/2025 Exam 1 1 - 6 --

10/20/2025 The Solar System 7 & 14 --

10/22/2025 Mercury & Cratered Worlds 9 --

10/27/2025 Venus 10 HW 6 is due

10/29/2025 Earth 8 --

11/03/2025 Mars 10 HW 7 is due

11/05/2025 Jupiter 11 --

11/10/2025 Saturn 11 HW 8 is due

11/12/2025 Uranus & Neptune 11 --

11/17/2025 Exam 2 Review 7 - 11, 14 HW 9 is due

11/19/2025 Exam 2 7 - 11, 14 --

11/24/2025 Pluto & the Dwarf Planets 12 --

11/26/2025 Rings & Moons 12 --

12/01/2025 The Asteroid Belt, the Kuiper Belt, & the Oort Cloud 13 HW 10 is due

12/03/2025 Comets, Meteors, & Impacts 13 --

12/08/2025 Other Solar Systems & Odds and Ends 14 HW 11 is due

12/10/2025 Exam 3 Review 12 - 14 --

12/17/2025 Final Exam from 08:00AM - 09:45AM in BBRHB 1.222 12 - 14 --

Supplementary Material

• NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day

• YouTube playlist of Crash Course: Astronomy Lectures