Faculty Syllabus
ASTR-1403 Stellar Astronomy With Lab
John Fulton
Credit Spring 2026
Section(s)
ASTR-1403-001 (48961)
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
- calculator with simple algebraic functions
Readings
COURSE CALENDAR SPRING 2026
These dates and assignments are subject to change but with reasonable prior notification.
COURSE CALENDAR SPRING 2026
These dates and assignments are subject to change but with reasonable prior notification.
|
Date |
Lecture |
Lab Period |
|
Jan 20 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. |
|
Jan 22 2 TH |
CH 1 The Heavens, Ch 3 Radiation, Light CCA #24.
|
Lab 1 EM waves frequency wave - length |
|
Jan 27 3 T
Jan 29 4 Th
|
CH 3 Radiation, CH 4 Spectroscopy, CCP #40 (Write Q’s & Ans.) Spectroscopy |
Lab 2 Radiation Demos
Lab 2 cont’d |
|
Feb 3 5 T |
CH 4 Spectroscopy,
|
Lab 3 Analogue Spectra |
|
Feb 5 6 Th |
CH 16 The Sun, CCA #10 The Sun. |
Lab 3 Analogue Spectra |
|
Feb 10 7 T |
CH 17 The stars, CCA # 7 Gravity.
|
Lab 4 Digital Spectra, Hydrogen Lines |
|
Feb 12 8 Th |
CH 17 The Stars, CCA # 26 Stars. |
Lab 4 Digital Spectra, Hydrogen Lines |
|
Feb 17 9 T |
Ch 17 The Stars, CCA # 25 Distance.
|
Lab 5 Star Magnitude, Luminosity, Temp & Size |
|
Feb 19 10 Th |
Ch 17 The Stars, CCA #26 Stars. |
Lab 6 The Sun |
|
Feb 24 11 T |
Test review |
Catch up |
|
Feb 26 12 Th |
TEST 1 (chapters 1, 3, 4, 16, & 17) |
TEST 1 |
|
Mar 3 13 T |
Chap 18 Interstellar Medium, CCA #36 Nebula.
|
Lab 7 Astro- Magnetic Demonstrate
|
|
Mar 5 14 Th |
Chap 18 The interstellar Medium, CCA Star Clusters #35.
|
Lab 8 General Telescope |
|
Mar 10 15 T |
Chap 19 Star Formation, CCA Brown Dwarf # 28.
|
Deck Observing Night |
|
Mar 12 16 Th
|
Chap 19 Star Formation Chap 20 Stellar Evolution, CCA low mass stars # 29.
|
Catch up
|
|
Mar 16 -- Mar 22 Spring Break |
Chap 20 Stellar Evolution, CCA # 30 White Dwarf and Planetary Nebula.
|
Lab 9 Spectro-scopic Parallax |
|
Mar 24 17 T |
Chap 20 Stellar Evolution, CCA # 31 High Mass Stars Ch 21 Stellar Explosions.
|
Lab 9 Spectroscopic Parallax |
|
Mar 26 18 Th |
Ch 21 Stellar Explosions, CCA # 32 Neutron Stars. Ch 22 Neutron Stars (only)
|
Lab 10 HR -Diagram Supplement |
|
Mar 31 19 T |
Ch 22 Neutron stars (only)
|
Test Review |
|
Apr 2 20 Th |
Test 2 (chapters 18, 19, 20, 21, & 22^^) ^^Chapter 22 will be Neutron stars only. |
Test 2
|
|
Apr 7 21 T |
Chap 23 The Milky Way Galaxy, CCA # 37 The MWG.
|
Lab 11 The Mass of the MWG |
|
Apr 9 22 Th |
Chap 23 The Milky Way Galaxy, CCA #38 Galaxy I.
|
Lab 12 Galaxy Collision |
|
Apr 14 23 T |
Galaxies Ch 24, CCA Galaxy#39 II.
|
Deck Observing |
|
Apr 16 24 Th
|
Galaxies Ch 24, Galaxies and Dark Matter Ch 25, CCA #41 Galactic Dark Matter. |
Catch up |
|
Apr 21 25 T |
Galaxies and Dark Matter Ch 25. Cosmology Ch 26, CCA #42 Big Bang Cosmology. |
Lab 13 Recessional Velocity 3c 273 |
|
Apr 23 26 Th |
Chap 27 The Early Universe, CCA#43 Dark Energy Cosmology.
|
Lab 13 Cont. |
|
Apr 28 27 T Apr 30 28 Th |
|
Lab 14 Video: Big Bang I |
|
May 5 29 T |
The Early Universe Ch 27, A Brief History of the Universe CCA #44. |
Lab 14 Cont. Video: Big Bang II |
|
May 7 30 Th |
Early Universe Ch 27, CCA #45 Deep Time.
|
Test Review
|
|
May 12 31 T |
Test 3 (Chapter 23, 24, 25, 26, & 27) |
Test 3 |
|
May 14 32 Th
last class |
Early Universe Ch 27, CCA #45 Deep Time
|
Lab 15 Astro Mag Review |
Spring semester ends May 17 (Sunday)
|
Date |
Lecture |
Lab Period |
|
Jan 20 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. |
|
Jan 22 2 TH |
CH 1 The Heavens, Ch 3 Radiation, Light CCA #24.
|
Lab 1 EM waves frequency wave - length |
|
Jan 27 3 T
Jan 29 4 Th
|
CH 3 Radiation, CH 4 Spectroscopy, CCP #40 (Write Q’s & Ans.) Spectroscopy |
Lab 2 Radiation Demos
Lab 2 cont’d |
|
Feb 3 5 T |
CH 4 Spectroscopy,
|
Lab 3 Analogue Spectra |
|
Feb 5 6 Th |
CH 16 The Sun, CCA #10 The Sun. |
Lab 3 Analogue Spectra |
|
Feb 10 7 T |
CH 17 The stars, CCA # 7 Gravity.
|
Lab 4 Digital Spectra, Hydrogen Lines |
|
Feb 12 8 Th |
CH 17 The Stars, CCA # 26 Stars. |
Lab 4 Digital Spectra, Hydrogen Lines |
|
Feb 17 9 T |
Ch 17 The Stars, CCA # 25 Distance.
|
Lab 5 Star Magnitude, Luminosity, Temp & Size |
|
Feb 19 10 Th |
Ch 17 The Stars, CCA #26 Stars. |
Lab 6 The Sun |
|
Feb 24 11 T |
Test review |
Catch up |
|
Feb 26 12 Th |
TEST 1 (chapters 1, 3, 4, 16, & 17) |
TEST 1 |
|
Mar 3 13 T |
Chap 18 Interstellar Medium, CCA #36 Nebula.
|
Lab 7 Astro- Magnetic Demonstrate
|
|
Mar 5 14 Th |
Chap 18 The interstellar Medium, CCA Star Clusters #35.
|
Lab 8 General Telescope |
|
Mar 10 15 T |
Chap 19 Star Formation, CCA Brown Dwarf # 28.
|
Deck Observing Night |
|
Mar 12 16 Th
|
Chap 19 Star Formation Chap 20 Stellar Evolution, CCA low mass stars # 29.
|
Catch up
|
|
Mar 16 -- Mar 22 Spring Break |
Chap 20 Stellar Evolution, CCA # 30 White Dwarf and Planetary Nebula.
|
Lab 9 Spectro-scopic Parallax |
|
Mar 24 17 T |
Chap 20 Stellar Evolution, CCA # 31 High Mass Stars Ch 21 Stellar Explosions.
|
Lab 9 Spectroscopic Parallax |
|
Mar 26 18 Th |
Ch 21 Stellar Explosions, CCA # 32 Neutron Stars. Ch 22 Neutron Stars (only)
|
Lab 10 HR -Diagram Supplement |
|
Mar 31 19 T |
Ch 22 Neutron stars (only)
|
Test Review |
|
Apr 2 20 Th |
Test 2 (chapters 18, 19, 20, 21, & 22^^) ^^Chapter 22 will be Neutron stars only. |
Test 2
|
|
Apr 7 21 T |
Chap 23 The Milky Way Galaxy, CCA # 37 The MWG.
|
Lab 11 The Mass of the MWG |
|
Apr 9 22 Th |
Chap 23 The Milky Way Galaxy, CCA #38 Galaxy I.
|
Lab 12 Galaxy Collision |
|
Apr 14 23 T |
Galaxies Ch 24, CCA Galaxy#39 II.
|
Deck Observing |
|
Apr 16 24 Th
|
Galaxies Ch 24, Galaxies and Dark Matter Ch 25, CCA #41 Galactic Dark Matter. |
Catch up |
|
Apr 21 25 T |
Galaxies and Dark Matter Ch 25. Cosmology Ch 26, CCA #42 Big Bang Cosmology. |
Lab 13 Recessional Velocity 3c 273 |
|
Apr 23 26 Th |
Chap 27 The Early Universe, CCA#43 Dark Energy Cosmology.
|
Lab 13 Cont. |
|
Apr 28 27 T Apr 30 28 Th |
|
Lab 14 Video: Big Bang I |
|
May 5 29 T |
The Early Universe Ch 27, A Brief History of the Universe CCA #44. |
Lab 14 Cont. Video: Big Bang II |
|
May 7 30 Th |
Early Universe Ch 27, CCA #45 Deep Time.
|
Test Review
|
|
May 12 31 T |
Test 3 (Chapter 23, 24, 25, 26, & 27) |
Test 3 |
|
May 14 32 Th
last class |
Early Universe Ch 27, CCA #45 Deep Time
|
Lab 15 Astro Mag Review |
Spring semester ends May 17 (Sunday)
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.
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 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 RoundRock Campus of ACC Bldg. 2000 Room 2322
NOTE I am usually in the classroom above circa 5:00 PM. C'm on Down!Published: 01/15/2026 09:11:12