ASTR 1504 - Descriptive Astronomy
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 04, CRN 40007,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
John Feldmeier
Email: jjfeldmeier@ysu.edu
Course Description
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | Astronomy-2E | Fraknoi, Morrison, and Wolff | 978-1-951693-50-3 |
| Required | Lecture Tutorials for Introductory Astronomy, 4th Edition | Prather | 0135807026 |
- Astronomy-2E - this is a free online astronomy textbook at https://openstax.org/details/books/astronomy-2e
- Lecture Tutorials for Introductory Astronomy, 4th edition - don’t use earlier editions. The latest copy has a purple cover. Bring this workbook to class every day!
Course Reading Assignments from the Class Textbook
In almost all college classes, you will need to read some written material, think about that material, and then use that material in class. Astronomy is no different. This section will show how we will handle required reading in this class.
Remember you can read the textbook two ways for free online: 1) go to https://openstax.org/ details/books/astronomy-2e and read it using a web browser, 2) go to the same website, and download the PDF file for the entire book and read the textbook using a computer or tablet.
We do not read the entire textbook - instead, we read specific sections of the textbook, given below. Each chapter of the textbook has an introduction section, usually called “Introduction” or “Thinking Ahead.” I have labelled these introduction sections with zero in the decimal point in the table below - for example “1.0” means “Read the introduction section in Chapter 1.” Other sections of each chapter are numbered in the decimal point, and have names - for example, “6.1” means “Read Chapter 6, Section 1 - Telescopes.” At the end of the book, there are some articles in the appendix that have also been assigned for you to read. These are listed by letter.
For each reading assignment, look at the listing below. If only a number or letter is present, that means “Read that entire section.” If the number has words after it, that means “Read the specific subsections named inside the parentheses, but you don’t have to read the entire section.” The symbol "L.O." means "Read Learning Objectives subsection." Do read the sections in the order I’ve given - they are designed to match the class notes and lectures. If you are not sure, please ask me!
Your class reading will be graded by questions in the Checkpoint assignments and in the class exams. Some of these questions will not be covered within class time. So, to be clear: If you don’t do the class reading, you will do poorly in the class!
Reading Assignment 1: Appendix A, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.6, 2.0, 2.1, Appendix M, 4.0, 4.1
Reading Assignment 2: 4.2, 4.3, (L.O., The Length of the Day), 4.5, 4.7
Reading Assignment 3: 2.2 (L.O., Astronomy around the World, Early Greek and Roman Cosmology, How do We Know Earth is Round?, Ptolemy's Model of the Solar System), 2.4, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5
Reading Assignment 4: 6.0, 6.1, 6.2(L.O., The Resolution of a Telescope, How Astronomers Really Use Telescopes), 6.5, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 6.3 (Infrared Observations)
Reading Assignment 5: 5.3, 1.8, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6
Reading Assignment 6: 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 9.3(L.O., The Cratering Process, Using Crater Counts), 8.5(L.O., Where are the Craters on Earth?), 10.1(L.O., Basic Properties of Venus and Mars), 10.3 (L.O., Surface Temperature on Venus), 10.5 (L.O., Channels and Gullies on Mars, Ancient Lakes and Glaciers, Climate Change on Mars), 11.2, 3.6(The Discovery of Neptune), 12.1, 12.4, 7.4, 14.3, 13.4 (The Kuiper Belt & The Oort Cloud), 21.4, 21.5
Reading Assignment 7: 8.1, 8.2 (L.O., Plate Tectonics), 8.4, 15.0, 15.1, 15.2 (L.O., Sunspots, The Sunspot Cycle), 17.0, 17.1(L.O., Luminosity, Apparent Brightness), 17.2(L.O., Color and Temperature), 19.0, 19.2, 17.3, 18.0, 18.4
Reading Assignment 8: 16.2, 16.3, 21.1(L.O., Molecular Clouds: Stellar Nurseries, The Birth of a Star), 21.2, 22.0, 22.1, 22.4, 23.0, 23.1, 23.2, 23.4, 23.5, 24.0, 24.5, 24.6
Reading Assignment 9: 1.7, 25.0, 25.1(L.O., Disks and Haloes), 25.4, 25.3, 28.4, 25.6, 26.0, 26.1, 26.2
Reading Assignment 10: 1.5, 28.0, 28.1(L.O., Spectra, Colors, and Shapes), 28.3(L.O., The Local Group), 26.5, 29.0, 29.1, 24.1, 24.2, 24.3(L.O., Deflection of Starlight), 29.2, 29.3(L.O., The First Few Minutes), 29.4, 29.5
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | Assignment 1 | Introduction, Scientific Method | |
| 8/31 | Star Motions, Constellations | 9/4/26 - Exploration Exercise Due | |
| 9/7 | Assignment 2 | Earth's Orbital Motion, The Ecliptic, Path of the Sun | 9/9/26 - Checkpoint 1 |
| 9/14 | Seasons, Lunar Phases 1 |
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| 9/21 | Lunar Phases 2, Eclipses | 9/23/26 - Exam 1 9/23/26 - Extra Credit 1 Due |
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| 9/28 | Assignment 3 | Historical Astronomy Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion |
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| 10/5 | Assignment 4 | Newton's Laws Gravity |
10/5/26 - Checkpoint 2 |
| 10/12 | Assignment 5 | Telescopes and Astronomy Light and Its Properties 1 |
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| 10/19 | Light and Its Properties 2 | 10/19/26 - Checkpoint 3 | |
| 10/26 | Assignment 6 | Solar System Astronomy | 10/26/26 - Exam 2 10/26/26 - Extra Credit 2 Due |
| 11/2 | Assignment 7 | Outer Solar System Astronomy Exoplanets |
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| 11/9 | Assignment 8 | The Earth compared to other planets The Sun |
11/13/26 - Checkpoint 4 |
| 11/16 | The Luminosity of Stars The Temperature of Stars The H-R Diagram |
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| 11/23 | Assignment 9 | Stellar Evolution The death of stars White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, and Black Holes |
11/23/26 - Exam 3 11/23/26 - Extra Credit 3 Due |
| 11/30 | Assignment 10 | The Milky Way Galaxy Types of Galaxies The Expanding Universe |
12/2/26 - Checkpoint 5 12/4/26 - Checkpoint 6 12/4/26 - Extra Credit 4 Due 12/4/26 - All other work due |
| 12/7 | 12/7/26 - Monday, Final Exam - 5:30pm - 7:30pm |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.