ASTR 4811 - Observational Astronomy 1
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 43548,
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 | To Measure the Sky, 2nd Edition | Chromey, F. | 9781107572560 |
| Required | A Student’s Guide to Python for Physical Modeling: Second Edition | Kinder, J. and Nelson, P. | 0691223653 |
Both books will be used in the following class (ASTR 4812), so hold onto your copies!
”CHR” means Chromey, and ”KN” means Kinder-Nelson
Unit 1 - CHR: 1(all), OL: 1905.13189.pdf (sections 1, 2.1, 3), KN 1(all, but skim the Spyder material), Appendix B, CHR 10.5.1, 10.5.2, 10.5.3, 10.5.4, CHR 10.7.1, 10.7.2, 10.7.3
Unit 2 - CHR 2(all), KN 2(all), KN 3(all)
Unit 3 - CHR 3.1, 3.2, KN 4, OL: 1905.13189.pdf (sections 4), CHR 3.3, 3.4, 4(all)
Unit 4 - CHR 5(all)
Unit 5 - CHR 6(all)
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 | Introduction | ||
| 8/31 | Unit 1 | ||
| 9/7 | Unit 2 | Properties of Light Luminosity and Magnitudes |
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| 9/14 | Extinction and Reddening |
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| 9/21 | Unit 3 | Statistics and Uncertainty | |
| 10/5 | Unit 4 | Astrometry Project | |
| 10/12 | Image Surveys and Historical Data |
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| 10/19 | Unit 5 | Astronomical Time | |
| 11/2 | Unit 6 | Telescope Optics | |
| 11/9 | Telescope Types | ||
| 11/16 | Telescope Tours | ||
| 11/30 | Student Presentations | ||
| 12/7 | Final Exams |
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.