Astronomy/Origins 2B03

The Big Questions

Lecture #2
Avenue to Learn (avenue.mcmaster.ca)
We will use this site extensively
This is where you will find the course outline, detailed
marking scheme, lecture outlines, etc
As soon as possible, log in and introduce yourself to
the rest of your tutorial!
Tutorials start on Wednesday!!
The Lectures
- The core of the course material. No textbook
- The PowerPoint slides are only outlines of the
material. Take your own notes as we go, and review
them later
- Shortened versions of them will be posted on the
Avenue site before each lecture.
- Most of the illustrations/images are copyright and
cannot be reproduced (and we use lots of illustrations)
- The lectures are better when YOU ask questions, the
more I am interrupted the happier I am!
Use of electronic devices in class
Studies have shown that
taking your own (hand-written) notes is better for
your learning than typing notes on a laptop/tablet
Using electronic devices (computers, tablets, cell
phones) in class is distracting and reduces your
learning
Using electronic devices reduces the learning of
your neighbours even more than your own!
Please be considerate: dont use electronic
devices in class (or only use them to take notes)
A couple of other things
Some people have asked if they can record my
lectures
I prefer not to be recorded
Studies have shown that taking your own (hand-
written) notes is better for learning
Sidewalk Astronomy
Look through a telescope at some of the brighter
objects in the sky!
Starts 30 minutes after sunset for 2-3 hours when
skies are clear - next session September 10!
Near the turning circle in front of Mary Keyes
Residence (Bldg 50)
http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/sidewalkastronomy/home.html
The Tests
- Based on lecture material and primers
- based on ALL lecture material, not just the material in
the online slides
- multiple choice in format
No makeup midterm: if you submit an MSAF for the
midterm, the midterm marks will be moved to the final
exam
Journals
- submitted on the Avenue to Learn site (dropbox!)
- read only by your TA
- Make regular postings from September 15 - November 24th
No special format is expected, but marks will be assigned for:
- regularity and frequency of entries (ie dont wait until the end of term!)
- quality of your thought and reection
- connection to the course material
- quality of your writing, including grammar and spelling (ie make it readable!)
- Do not regurgitate course material, give the TAs something fun to read!
- should be a reflection on lecture or tutorial materialor
anything to do with big questions in science
Academic dishonesty
Plagiarism: Just dont do it!
In this course we use Turnitin.com to check for
plagiarism
I have seen Turnitin.com catch
Material plagiarized from the internet
Material plagiarized from another journal in the same
class
Material plagiarized from other classes and other
years
It is better to get a lower mark for
fewer/shorter/poorer journal entries than a mark
of zero and a record for academic dishonesty
Projects
Partner presentations in front of your tutorial group. See
Details on the Avenue to Learn website
Start looking at the topics, and selecting your
partner(s)
Topic and partner selection by September 30th
Written proposal due October 7th
Also, just wanted to ask one last time if you would
consider raising my mark from an 8 to a 9. I know that
this is a lot to ask, but I really tried my best in this
course.
Are you sure my nal grade was right? I am sure I deserved a higher mark!
I was just wondering if I could look at my final exam. I was sure I
was going to get a 12 in this course. Are there any specific
procedures for me to go through if I want to try and get my mark
changed?
But I only took this course because I heard it was an easy 12
and I need a 12 to get into medical school. Its not fair.
But Dr Wilson, by not raising my grade you are forcing me to go to medical school
overseas!
Mark Complaints - legitimate mistakes can happen, and well fix them,
but . Dont let this be you!
Lets get started!!!!
Whats Out There?
A first impression about things in the universe
Objects in the universe come in a
hierarchy of scales and sizes:
Planets
Stars
Galaxies
The universe as a whole
These scales are so different from one step to the
next that they are incredibly hard to comprehend all at
once no everyday experience to refer them to
If the Earth were a
basketball how big would
the moon be?
a)golf ball b)tennis ball c)softball d)volleyball
Sun and Earth to scale Sun and Jupiter to scale
Jupiter
How many Earths would fit into the Sun?
a) ~100
b) ~1000
c) ~1 million
d) ~1 billion
How many Jupiters would fit inside the Sun?
a) 90
b) 900
c) 9000
d) 90000
How many Moons would fit inside the Earth?
a) 2
b) 5
c) 20
d) 50
e) 100
If we say the distance from here to Toronto (71 km)
represents the distance between the Earth and the
Sun, how far are we from Pluto?
Answer: about a million
Answer: 900 Jupiters. Jupiter is about
10 times bigger in diameter than the earth
is.
Answer: around 50 moons
Distance will be
from hamilton to
mexico or calgary
If we say the distance from here to Toronto (71 km)
represents the distance between the Earth and the
Sun, how far is the Earth from the Moon?
If we say the distance from here to Toronto (71 km)
represents the distance between the Earth and the
Sun, how big is the Earth?
If we say the distance from here to Toronto (71 km)
represents the distance between the Earth and the
Sun, how far is the Sun from the next nearest star?
forsyth
1/10 the distance from the
sun to earth
3 meters