Physics 015: Queen's University, Fall Term 2011
This is the introductory webpage for the Queen's University course entitled
PHYS P15: Astronomy I: The Solar System presented by Prof Dave Hanes.
Important note about Wikispace.
This year, for the first time, I am using a
'Wikispace' as a facility where I can post information in a way that is
immediately available to the whole class without any reliance on emails. This means
that
- any student can post questions and/or engage in chats
- I can answer questions and
elaborate on any issues that seem to be confusing you
- everyone will see and benefit from the clarification
- updates and information can be posted about upcoming events like midterm tests,
observing sessions, and the like
- I can update the lists of suggested readings
- I can clarify any ambiguities about assigned work
- and so on.
I believe that this Wikispace facility will be a very useful tool, and would ask all students in the PHYS P15 course to
register with it. This means that you have to respond to an invitation that I will send out to your email address (which has
been provided to me as part of the course list). If you never receive such an email invitation, please let me know so that
I can arrange for that.
From the following links, you can springboard your way to:
- The complete Course Outline -- read this first!
All the information
you will need on
- the course content, in general terms
- a more detailed syllabus
- the style and philosopy of this course
- the marking scheme (quizzes, tests, assignments, final exam)
- textbooks and suggested other resources
- my office hours
- contact information for the Teaching Assistant in the course
- and so on...
- Twelve Great Astronomical Themes (the syllabus, providing
an overview of the planned topical coverage in the course)
- Direct links to the Course Notes. ( In general, these
links will be provided in advance of the lectures, so that you
can read ahead and come to the lectures prepared.)
- Direct links to the Powerpoint presentations. (These too will
generally be posted some time ahead of the lectures so that you can take a 'forward look' in
anticipation of what we will be covering.)
- Any Assignments in the course can be retrieved via this link, along with
instructions for their completion and submission
- A guide to the Readings and Resources for the course. Regular updates will be provided on the
'Wikispace' site.
- In due course: a discussion of the nature and content of
the final examination. This link will not be brought to life until we are into the last few weeks of lectures.
- A general description of the two midterm tests -- time, place, nature -- which you will
encounter in the course. See the 'Wikispace' site for updates and instructions.
- A link to the Queen's University Observatory, where you can learn all
about opportunities to visit during one of the frequent open houses.
You can find my home page at
www.astro.queensu.ca/~hanes. On it, you will find links to a brief autobiographical
description, comments on my research interests, and so on.