General Information
Final Exam Spring 2008 Study Guide: Click here.
Astro 010 meets Mondays 4-7 PM in the planetarium on the LMC campus.
Syllabus
The syllabus for this class is a pdf file. You
can download and print it here. You should check back for updates as it will be
edited throughout the course.
Click here for the Chapter 2 handouts for homework needed if you
do not yet have the workbook.
Click here for GREEAT Science.
AT Lab Hours
These are the hours currently (Fall 2007) posted for the AT lab:
Mon-Thur
9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M.
Fri. 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Sat. Closed
Astronomy Class Links
This page contains basic class management information for students
of Jeff Adkins at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, California.
Click here for calendar of lessons
and archives of lecture notes, etc. Links mentioned in class are
posted
on
the class schedule under the day they were discussed. The syllabus
will be edited as time goes by.
Course Syllabus and Management Plan is located on
this page.
Wiki Project instructions here
Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society information is lower
down on this page.
Observing
Notebook
The observing notebook
should be a graph-paper composition notebook with a table of contents. Each
observations should specify date, time, and place, the direction
you are facing and provide some context such as a sketch of the
horizon including trees and buildings or the type of telescope
used and where it was located. A telescope is not required
for this course. 50 observations are required. The
50 observations should be distributed as follows and a tally given
in the table of contents. The table of contents should give
observations name, page number, and number of observations on the
page, with a cumulative running total.
Note, in class I said 75 observations. I am retracting that and making it 50
officially, because that was in the published syllabus.
-
Planetarium
Show - 5 observations each. LMC, Deer Valley High
School, Chabot Observatory, etc. ONE SHOW is recommended
to complete the minimum requirements.
-
Constellations
- 10 observations
- One constellation is one observation--individual stars do not
count
-
Planets
- 3 observations
-
Moon
Phase Project - 7-10 observations
- Change over time
or place observations: - 15 observations such as
-
Free
Choice - 10-12 observations (deep sky objects, weather,
rocket launches, etc. especially at Star Parties on Mt.
Diablo; special projects such as the determination of
local solar noon, etc. )
How do we TIME TRAVEL and why can’t you
go backward in time?
What is a BLACK HOLE and what happens when you fall in one?
I thought there were only 10 planets! What’s this I hear
about there being over 160 of them!!!??
How long do we have until the sun dies, and when the lease runs
out, do we have to move?
For the answers to these and many other questions, take
Intro to
Astronomy
ASTRO-010LS-2249
Taught at DVHS Mondays from 4-7 in room 318
Sponsored by Los Medanos College
Intro to Astronomy is a semester long, lecture-activity based
survey course which covers everything from the earth, sun,
planets, stars,
galaxies, and the universe as a whole. This is an excellent
class for the amateur astronomer, teacher trying to learn new
content,
or student looking for college credits. We have access to TWO
planetariums (one at DV and one at LMC) plus telescopes will
be used for nighttime
viewing after class as needed.
If you have to teach astronomy for preparing students for the
California science assessments in earth science, or if you
are trying to plug
a hole in your background, this course will meet your need
with its low mathematical requirements, conceptual approach,
and access
to many demonstrations and specialized equipment we have
here at DVHS for our ESPACE academy.
The course description and content is described in detail
at my web site (www.AstronomyTeacher.com). Click on LMC – Adkins’ class
for details.
Please note, I am not the only LMC instructor
who teaches astronomy. You have to sign up for my specific
section
to get me ( ASTRO-010LS-2249 ) The other sections are taught
at LMC by some fine individuals who are also excellent
instructors. However, if you want the perspective of a high school
teacher,
consider taking my course here for credit.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me at astronomyteacher@mac.com
or drop by my classroom at DVHS (room 318) and ask in person.
Deer Valley High School Star Viewing and Planetarium Shows
+ Directions to DVHS
To help you get more tutoring for getting your 50 observations
in your observing notebook, DVHS planetarium shows and constellation
viewing is available. DVHS has a small planetarium open to the
public on Tuesday nights from 8 - 9 PM. Star viewing, with telescopes,
is from 9 - 10:30 PM weather permitting.
To get to DVHS, you can use online maps to look up our address
at 4700 Lone Tree Way, Antioch, CA or if approaching from Pittsburg
on Highway 4:
Take the Hillcrest exit. At the intersection of Hillcrest and
Deer Valley road, Hillcrest veers to the left and Deer Valley continues
straight. Go straight through this intersection.
After about a
mile and a half you will reach Lone Tree Way. Turn left on Lone
Tree and the school is only a few hundred yards down the street.
Turn right on Sagebrush and take the last driveway on campus and
enter the campus parking lot. Go to the approximate center of the
parking lot, directly behind the library. There should be someone
there to greet you, and a door propped open. Doors open at 8 and
close at 8:15. No one is admitted late.
The show will be over by 9:00 PM and then public viewing of the
stars will begin.
Mt. Diablo Astronomical Society Public Star Viewing
The next two observing opportunities are on Sept. 10 and October
29. Visit www.mdas.net for details. There will be a hiatus from
November to February, and the next observing will not be until
March. If you go you must go on October 29.
The Public Astronomy Program is held at the lower summit parking
lot in Mount Diablo State Park. The park gates close around sunset,
so be certain to arrive in plenty of time. The temperature on the
mountain can drop considerably during the evening, so dress warmly.
Keep in mind that this is a state park and, as such, park rules
apply--including any gate fees.
At the end of the session, visitors will be escorted off the mountain. Departure
will be by way of the North Gate (this becomes Oak Grove Road in Walnut Creek
once you are outside the confines of the park.)
Once these sessions are scheduled, they are only canceled due to rain or fire
hazard. Don't be put off by slightly overcast skies. Often, when it is overcast
in the late afternoon, by the time night arrives on the mountain viewing is fine.
If you would like advice on current conditions, you can usually reach a person
in the South Gate kiosk until sunset at (925) 837-0904. For more information,
call the Mt. Diablo "Hotline": (925) 837-2525. Then hit 4#.
Driving directions from Google
It's actually a little farther because you have to go all the
way to the lower parking lot at the summit. There will be cones
and signs. If you reach the summit,
turn around and go down about 100 yards and pull into the parking lot there.
Tips:
1. Leave early.
2. Sunset is at 7:09. Gates close at sunset but not precisely. Leave early.
3. Call in advance just in case.
4. Take a red-colored flashlight.
5. Bring your observing notebook.
6. Be polite in your requests.
7. Drive carefully. It's a steep drive with no guardrail and a steep cliff
on the edge of the road. If you get a ticket you jeapordize the ability of
the club
to host star parties on the mountain.
8. Take a coat. It's always colder and windier than the valley.
9. You cannot leave until you are escorted off the mountain. Don't shine
headlights on people with telescopes. Until your car is pointed out of the
lot, use parking
lights only.
10. A good observation has date, time, place, kind of instrument, and the
name of the person who is helping you.
11. Signatures are not required from every person but you can collect autographs
if you like.
12. If I am there you can ask for my signature to verify you were there.
It will be dark and I will not remember everyone I speak to.
