ASTR-1403 Stellar Astronomy With Lab
John Fulton
Credit Fall 2025
Section(s)
ASTR-1403-002 (19617)
LEC TuTh 7:00pm - 8:20pm RRC RRC2 2322.00
LAB TuTh 8:30pm - 9:50pm RRC RRC2 2324.00
Course Requirements
Course Prerequisites:
- MATD 0390 or two years of high school algebra or equivalent.
- One year of high school science recommended, but not required.
Required Texts/Materials
- Astronomy Today with Mastering Astronomy, 9th Edition - Chaisson & McMillan. May be text or eBook.
- (Hand-held) calculator for use on problems related to lectures/labs/tests at each class.
- Flat three ring binder for lab and XC notes/assignments
Instructional Methodology
This is a lecture-based course which includes time for class discussions, student projects, demonstrations and/or activities guided by the instructor.
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Student Learning Outcomes
Course-Level Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of science and the Scientific Method.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the basic laws of physics as it applies to stellar astronomy. that apply to the study of the Universe.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the basic properties of celestial objects, and how those properties are determined.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the various stages in a star's development, including its birth, life, and death.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the properties of galaxies, how those properties originate, and how they change with time.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the hierarchical structure of the Universe, from multiple star systems to the Universe as a whole.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the nature of Cosmology – the study of the past, present, and future of the Universe --.as exemplified by the expansion of the Universe, and the Cosmic Background Radiation (CBR) General Education Student Learning
General Level Student Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate competence in:
Communication Skills
Develop, interpret, and express ideas and information through written, oral, and visual communication that is adapted to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.
Critical Thinking Skills
Gather, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and apply information for the purposes of innovation, inquiry, and creative thinking.
Empirical and Quantitative Skills
Apply mathematical, logical, and scientific principles and methods through the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions.
Teamwork
Consider different points of view to work collaboratively and effectively in pursuit of a shared purpose or goal.
Course Subjects
The Course Description
A study of stars, galaxies, and the Universe. Discussion of atomic spectra, nuclear energy, and astronomical tools (such as optical, radio, and other telescopes and image enhancers) as they provide knowledge about very distant objects. Emphasis on recent discoveries by the James Webb Telescope about quasars, black holes, exoplanets, and cosmology.
Credit may not be received for both ASTR 1303 and ASTR 1403.
Readings
|
Date |
Lecture |
Lab Period |
|
Aug 26 1 T |
Syllabus / Chapter 1 The Heavens, CCA #1 Intro to Astronomy, Lecture Notes Quiz Chap 1 Introduction. |
CCA Intro to Astro & Chapter 1 Charting the Heavens. |
|
Aug 28 2 TH |
CH 1 The Heavens, Ch 3 Radiation, Light CCA #24.
|
Lab 1 EM waves frequency wave - length |
|
Sep 2 3 T
Sep 4 4 Th |
CH 3 Radiation, CH 4 Spectroscopy, CCP #40 (Write Q’s & Ans.)
|
Lab 2 Radiation Demon-strations |
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Sep 9 5 T |
|
Lab 3 Analogue Spectra |
|
Sep 11 6 Th |
CH 16 The Sun, CCA #10 The Sun. |
Lab 3 Analogue Spectra |
|
Sep 16 7 T |
CH 17 The stars, CCA # 7 Gravity.
|
Lab 4 Digital Spectra, Hydrogen Lines |
|
Sep 18 8 Th |
CH 17 The Stars, CCA # 26 Stars. |
Lab 4 Digital Spectra, Hydrogen Lines |
|
Sep 23 9 T |
Ch 17 The Stars, CCA # 25 Distance.
|
Lab 5 Star Magnitude, Luminosity, Temp & Size |
|
Sep 25 10 Th |
Ch 17 The Stars, CCA #26 Stars. |
Lab 6 The Sun |
|
Sep 30 11 T |
Test review |
Catch up |
|
Oct 2 12 Th |
TEST 1 (chapters 1, 3, 4, 16, & 17) |
TEST 1 |
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Oct 7 13 T |
Chap 18 Interstellar Medium, CCA #36 Nebula.
|
Lab 7 Astro- Magnetic Demonstrate
|
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Oct 9 14 Th |
Chap 18 The interstellar Medium, CCA Star Clusters #35.
|
Lab 8 General Telescope |
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Oct 14 15 T |
Chap 19 Star Formation, CCA Brown Dwarf # 28.
|
Deck Observing Night |
|
Oct 16 16 Th
|
Chap 19 Star Formation Chap 20 Stellar Evolution, CCA low mass stars # 29.
|
Catch up
|
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Oct 21 17 T
|
Chap 20 Stellar Evolution, CCA # 30 White Dwarf and Planetary Nebula.
|
Lab 9 Spectro-scopic Parallax |
|
Oct 23 18 Th |
Chap 20 Stellar Evolution, CCA # 31 High Mass Stars Ch 21 Stellar Explosions.
|
Lab 9 Spectroscopic Parallax |
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Oct 28 19 T |
Ch 21 Stellar Explosions, CCA # 32 Neutron Stars. Ch 22 Neutron Stars (only)
|
Lab 10 HR -Diagram Supplement |
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Oct 30 20 Th |
Ch 22 Neutron stars (only)
|
Test Review |
|
Nov 4 21 T |
Test 2 (chapters 18, 19, 20, 21, & 22^^) ^^Chapter 22 will be Neutron stars only. |
Test 2
|
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Nov 6 22 Th |
Chap 23 The Milky Way Galaxy, CCA # 37 The MWG.
|
Lab 11 The Mass of the MWG |
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Nov 11 23 T |
Chap 23 The Milky Way Galaxy, CCA #38 Galaxy I.
|
Lab 12 Galaxy Collision |
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Nov 13 24 Th |
Galaxies Ch 24, CCA Galaxy#39 II.
|
Deck Observing |
|
Nov 18 25 T
|
Galaxies Ch 24, Galaxies and Dark Matter Ch 25, CCA #41 Galactic Dark Matter. |
Catch up |
|
Nov 20 26 Th |
Galaxies and Dark Matter Ch 25. Cosmology Ch 26, CCA #42 Big Bang Cosmology. |
Lab 13 Recessional Velocity 3c 273 |
|
Nov 25 27 T |
Chap 27 The Early Universe, CCA#43 Dark Energy Cosmology.
|
Lab 13 Cont. |
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Nov 27 0th Th Nov 27 no class
|
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Lab 14 Video: Big Bang I |
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Dec 2 28 T |
The Early Universe Ch 27, A Brief History of the Universe CCA #44. |
Lab 14 Cont. Video: Big Bang II |
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Dec 4 30 Th |
Early Universe Ch 27, CCA #45 Deep Time.
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Test Review
|
|
Dec 9 31 T |
Test 3 (Chapter 23, 24, 25, 26, & 27) |
Test 3 |
|
Dec 11 32 Th
last class |
Early Universe Ch 27, CCA #45 Deep Time
|
Lab 15 Astro Mag Review |
fall semester ends December 14 (Sun.)
|
Date |
Lecture |
Lab Period |
|
Aug 26 1 T |
Syllabus / Chapter 1 The Heavens, CCA #1 Intro to Astronomy, Lecture Notes Quiz Chap 1 Introduction. |
CCA Intro to Astro & Chapter 1 Charting the Heavens. |
|
Aug 28 2 TH |
CH 1 The Heavens, Ch 3 Radiation, Light CCA #24.
|
Lab 1 EM waves frequency wave - length |
|
Sep 2 3 T
Sep 4 4 Th |
CH 3 Radiation, CH 4 Spectroscopy, CCP #40 (Write Q’s & Ans.)
|
Lab 2 Radiation Demon-strations |
|
Sep 9 5 T |
|
Lab 3 Analogue Spectra |
|
Sep 11 6 Th |
CH 16 The Sun, CCA #10 The Sun. |
Lab 3 Analogue Spectra |
|
Sep 16 7 T |
CH 17 The stars, CCA # 7 Gravity.
|
Lab 4 Digital Spectra, Hydrogen Lines |
|
Sep 18 8 Th |
CH 17 The Stars, CCA # 26 Stars. |
Lab 4 Digital Spectra, Hydrogen Lines |
|
Sep 23 9 T |
Ch 17 The Stars, CCA # 25 Distance.
|
Lab 5 Star Magnitude, Luminosity, Temp & Size |
|
Sep 25 10 Th |
Ch 17 The Stars, CCA #26 Stars. |
Lab 6 The Sun |
|
Sep 30 11 T |
Test review |
Catch up |
|
Oct 2 12 Th |
TEST 1 (chapters 1, 3, 4, 16, & 17) |
TEST 1 |
|
Oct 7 13 T |
Chap 18 Interstellar Medium, CCA #36 Nebula.
|
Lab 7 Astro- Magnetic Demonstrate
|
|
Oct 9 14 Th |
Chap 18 The interstellar Medium, CCA Star Clusters #35.
|
Lab 8 General Telescope |
|
Oct 14 15 T |
Chap 19 Star Formation, CCA Brown Dwarf # 28.
|
Deck Observing Night |
|
Oct 16 16 Th
|
Chap 19 Star Formation Chap 20 Stellar Evolution, CCA low mass stars # 29.
|
Catch up
|
|
Oct 21 17 T
|
Chap 20 Stellar Evolution, CCA # 30 White Dwarf and Planetary Nebula.
|
Lab 9 Spectro-scopic Parallax |
|
Oct 23 18 Th |
Chap 20 Stellar Evolution, CCA # 31 High Mass Stars Ch 21 Stellar Explosions.
|
Lab 9 Spectroscopic Parallax |
|
Oct 28 19 T |
Ch 21 Stellar Explosions, CCA # 32 Neutron Stars. Ch 22 Neutron Stars (only)
|
Lab 10 HR -Diagram Supplement |
|
Oct 30 20 Th |
Ch 22 Neutron stars (only)
|
Test Review |
|
Nov 4 21 T |
Test 2 (chapters 18, 19, 20, 21, & 22^^) ^^Chapter 22 will be Neutron stars only. |
Test 2
|
|
Nov 6 22 Th |
Chap 23 The Milky Way Galaxy, CCA # 37 The MWG.
|
Lab 11 The Mass of the MWG |
|
Nov 11 23 T |
Chap 23 The Milky Way Galaxy, CCA #38 Galaxy I.
|
Lab 12 Galaxy Collision |
|
Nov 13 24 Th |
Galaxies Ch 24, CCA Galaxy#39 II.
|
Deck Observing |
|
Nov 18 25 T
|
Galaxies Ch 24, Galaxies and Dark Matter Ch 25, CCA #41 Galactic Dark Matter. |
Catch up |
|
Nov 20 26 Th |
Galaxies and Dark Matter Ch 25. Cosmology Ch 26, CCA #42 Big Bang Cosmology. |
Lab 13 Recessional Velocity 3c 273 |
|
Nov 25 27 T |
Chap 27 The Early Universe, CCA#43 Dark Energy Cosmology.
|
Lab 13 Cont. |
|
Nov 27 0th Th Nov 27 no class
|
|
Lab 14 Video: Big Bang I |
|
Dec 2 28 T |
The Early Universe Ch 27, A Brief History of the Universe CCA #44. |
Lab 14 Cont. Video: Big Bang II |
|
Dec 4 30 Th |
Early Universe Ch 27, CCA #45 Deep Time.
|
Test Review
|
|
Dec 9 31 T |
Test 3 (Chapter 23, 24, 25, 26, & 27) |
Test 3 |
|
Dec 11 32 Th
last class |
Early Universe Ch 27, CCA #45 Deep Time
|
Lab 15 Astro Mag Review |
fall semester ends December 14 (Sun.)
Last Page
Last Page
Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives
Student Learning Outcomes
Course-Level Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of science and the Scientific Method.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the basic laws of physics as it applies to stellar astronomy. that apply to the study of the Universe.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the basic properties of celestial objects, and how those properties are determined.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the various stages in a star's development, including its birth, life, and death.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the properties of galaxies, how those properties originate, and how they change with time.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the hierarchical structure of the Universe, from multiple star systems to the Universe as a whole.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the nature of Cosmology – the study of the past, present, and future of the Universe --.as exemplified by the expansion of the Universe, and the Cosmic Background Radiation (CBR) General Education Student Learning
General Level Student Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate competence in:
Communication Skills
Develop, interpret, and express ideas and information through written, oral, and visual communication that is adapted to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.
Critical Thinking Skills
Gather, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and apply information for the purposes of innovation, inquiry, and creative thinking.
Empirical and Quantitative Skills
Apply mathematical, logical, and scientific principles and methods through the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions.
Teamwork
Consider different points of view to work collaboratively and effectively in pursuit of a shared purpose or goal.
Office Hours
T Th 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM RRc Bldg 2000 Room 2324
NOTE I am usually in the room for setup even earlier.Published: 08/04/2025 17:47:35