Physics 681: Introduction to Astronomy – Lecture 1

Carsten Denker

NJIT Physics DepartmentCenter for Solar–Terrestrial

Research

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

Class Organization Textbook: Astronomy - A Beginner's Guide to the

Universe, Chaisson and McMillan, Prentice Hall, 2004 Time: Wednesday and Friday, 11:30 am - 12:55 am,

Room KUPF 108 Office Hours: Open-door policy, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm,

Room Tiernan Hall T101D E-Mail: cdenker@adm.njit.edu No homework assignments! Grades: Two in-class exams (30% each) and final

exam (40%) Syllabus:

http://solar.njit.edu/~cdenker/physics202.html Two optional Observing Sessions (TBA) Attendance: No more than three missed classes!

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

Group Problems Three to four students per group 5–10 minutes for group discussion and 5

minutes for the presentation of the results One student will take notes of the problem

solving strategy, different steps in tackling the problem and the final solution.

The other students should be prepared to explain their results to the class or another group.

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

A Pictorial IntroductionWhere are we in the Universe?The size of Earth, the Sun, the solar

system, the “Milky Way”, and the entire universe

Is life on Earth unique?The universe is the totality of space,

time, matter, and energy.Astronomy is the study of the

universe.Astronomical tools and techniques

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

Comet Hale-Bopp above New York

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

Earth and Moon

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

Sun

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

Solar System

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

Milky Way

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

Andromeda Galaxy

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

Group Problem If you traveled to the outermost planet

in our solar system, do you think the constellations would appear to change their shapes?

What would happen, if you traveled to the next nearest star?

If you traveled to the center of our Galaxy, could you still see familiar constellations found in Earth’s night Sky?

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

HCG 87: A Small Group of Galaxies

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

Flight through the Local Supercluster by Brent Tully

(IfA)

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

Hubble Space Telescope Deep Field

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey

January 18, 2006 Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research

Group Problem Imagine you would like to invite an

alien from the Orion Nebula to visit you at NJIT, how much information would you have to provide for the alien to find you?

What would be your complete address?