Offered by the Physics Department of the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas
This 3 semester-hour undergraduate course is delivered entirely on the Web. The instructor will communicate with students through e-mail and discussion messages.
Course Description: This is an introductory course to learn about the tools of astronomy and to study our solar system and planetary home. A systematic study and comparison of the origin and evolution of the components of our local "neighborhood" - reaching from the Earth to the "outer limits" of the solar system. The course is divided into two major portions:
PART ONE - PHYS 1050.007 & PHYS 1050.008
"Astronomy and the Universe"
Striving
to answer the following questions -
1. How do we fit into the grander structure of the universe?
2. How do
modern methods of gathering astronomical data and information compare to
ancient methods?
3. How do
we know characteristics such as size, shape, color, and composition of the
objects in our solar system?
Sample Pages for on-line Astronomy course
PART TWO- "Discovering and Getting Familiar with Our Closest Cosmic
Neighbors"
Attempting
to answer the following questions -
1. What did the ancient astronomers conclude about the planets in
our solar system?
2. What
explanations do we currently have for the varied formations of the
"Terrestrial" versus "Jovian" planets?
3. Many of
these planetary traits are still a mystery, but what has been discovered
and verified by our spacecraft and other observations?
Course Registration: You must be admitted (either degree seeking or non-degree
seeking) to the University in order to register for this course. For
admission information, click
here.
Application
to the University and course registration can all be accomplished on-line.
For an application form, click
here. For registration information, click
here.
Course Pre-requisites: College algebra or the equivalent.
Materials needed:
Students
are required to purchase a textbook: “Foundations of Astronomy” (8th
Ed.), by Michael A. Seeds. You
can choose which text version you want to buy. The complete edition
includes material covered in a follow-up course (Astronomy 1060 - not
online yet) as well as this course. There is also a paperback version in
two volumes and for this course you only need volume one - ”The Solar
System”. If you intend to
take PHYS 1060 also, you should buy the complete textbook because it is
more cost effective. Textbooks
may be purchased from the UNT or other bookstores - or online.
To Login to the course
after you are registered:
Go to http://webct.unt.edu/ , enter
your EUID and password. You should then have the course available to you.
If you can't login to WebCT, contact webct@unt.edu
or call the Help Desk at 940-565-2324. If you can login to WebCT, but
don't see the course on your MyWebCT page, then contact the instructor, KJLowry@unt.edu