Last update by course teacher:

1 September 2017 The Chinese University of Hong Kong

UGE Archive Form A
UGE Course Information
Year 2017-2018 Term 1
Course Code & Title UGEB 2401B Astronomy
Time Mon 2:30pm-4:15pm (SC L1) Course website CU eLearning System:
and Wed 1:30pm-2:15pm (TYW LT) https://blackboard.cuhk.edu.hk
venue

Contact with students

Course Teacher Lin Lap-Ming () Office: SC221 Email lmlin@phy.cuhk.edu.hk
Office Hour University office hours or by appointment Tel / Fax 3943-4072
Teaching Assistants We have 3 assignment markers: Emails
Hung Siu Fai () sfhung@phy.cuhk.edu.hk
Sun Chumin () cmsun@phy.cuhk.edu.hk
Tang Shixiang () sxtang@phy.cuhk.edu.hk

Course Description
A qualitative and non-mathematical survey of major ideas in astronomy. Topics covered will include: earth
and sky, moon, origin of modern astronomy, starlight and atoms, stellar evolution, neutron stars and black
holes, Milky Way, galaxies, the structure of the universe, solar system, meteorites, asteroids and comets.
This course aims at introducing basic concepts rather than mathematical and factual details. Lectures are
designed not only to present a volume of knowledge, but also to arouse students curiosity in how nature
works. Optional activities (e.g., star-gazing, tutorials) may be arranged.

Detailed Course Syllabus (tentative teaching schedule)

Part 1: A survey Chapter 1 The Universe at Different Scales Week 1
Chapter 2 The Solar System I Week 1, 2
Chapter 3 The Earth and the Sky I Week 2, 3
Part 2: Basic principles Chapter 4 The Origin of Modern Astronomy I Week 4
Chapter 5 The Origin of Modern Astronomy II Week 5
Chapter 6 The Earth and the Sky II Week 6
Chapter 7 Theory of Motion and Gravitation Week 7
Chapter 8 Lunar phases, tides and eclipses Week 7, 8
Chapter 9 The Solar System II Week 9
Part 3: Evolution of stars Chapter 10 Measuring Stars Week 10
Chapter 11 The Formation of Stars Week 11
Chapter 12 Main-sequence Stars Week 12
Chapter 13 The Deaths of Stars Week 12
Chapter 14 Relativity (Optional) Week 13
Chapter 15 Black holes Week 13, 14

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 The Chinese University of Hong Kong
UGE Archive Form A

Assigned / Core Reading

[1] Lecture notes (available in PDF formats, downloadable from the course webpage).
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[2] Michael A. Seeds, Foundations of Astronomy, 8 ed. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2005 (see details below):
Chapter in [1] Relevant pages in [2] Chapter in [1] Relevant pages in [2] Chapter in [1] Relevant pages in [2] Chapter in [1] Relevant pages in [2]

1 1-8 5 60-74 9 406-415 13 240-246, 255-275

2 415-430 6 19-28 10 170-178 14 89-95

3 10-19 7 76-89 11 196-202, 214-222 15 291-302
4 52-60 8 30-48 12 233-240

Internet Resources
On the course webpage, links to internet resources are provided. These resources mainly come from
- NAAP Astronomy Lab
- NASA
- Hong Kong Space Museum
- Astroworld (A website on astronomy hosted by Physics Department, CUHK)
Assessment (Please specify the composition of the assessment scheme and the weighting of each component)

Assessment Methods Quantity % Remarks (e.g. nature, detail breakdown)

Mid-term exam 1 35 Structured problems and MC questions
Final exam 1 45 MC questions
Written assignment 4-5 20 Structured problems. Late submission is not
accepted.
Total : 100%
Tutorial topics (if applicable)

Others
1. Attention is drawn to University policy and regulations on honesty in academic work, and to the
disciplinary guidelines and procedures application to breaches of such policy and regulations. Details may
be found at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty.
2. Revision exercise (with answers) on every chapter is provided to help students assess themselves.

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