Astronomy 161:
An Introduction to Solar System Astronomy
Prof. Richard Pogge, MTWThF 9:30

Unit 1: Introduction to Astronomy

The Earth from Space [NASA]

Astronomy is the oldest of the sciences, and at the heart of all sciences are the practices of observation and measurement. In this unit we will introduce the course, discuss astronomical numbers, the basis of all measurements in astronomy, and begin our exploration of the night sky.

Lectures

An Introduction to Astronomy (Sept 20)

Astronomical Numbers (Sept 21)

The Starry Night (Sept 22)

Lecture Audio Podcasts

Related Readings in Universe:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2, Sections 2-1, 2-2, & 2-3

The links above reproduce the electronic overheads shown in class for each of the lectures. In some cases they have additional text and links covering supplemental material or graphics. Online lecture notes are made available starting the week in which the lectures occur, but some notes may not be accessible until later in the week if I am having problems translating them into a web-accessible form.

Please feel free to print out copies of these lecture outlines in advance of class, so you can follow along with the lecture. Many students find this helps them listen without the pressure of taking down detailed notes of their own, but while still making additional notes in the margins to highlight particularly emphasized points.

Also, see A Note about Graphics to learn why some of the graphics shown in the lectures are not reproduced with these notes.

Students wishing to explore some of these topics beyond the lecture and textbook using the Internet might want to look at the relevant Selected Astronomical Internet Links for this unit.

[ Return to the Astronomy 161 Main Page | Go forward to Unit 2 ]