ASTR 110 - Survey of Astronomy

Course Description

Survey of the nature of the astronomical universe for non-science majors, with emphasis on scientific method and development of scientific thought.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of ASTR 110, the student will be able to:

  • Gain an understanding of the other sciences that are utilized to conduct astronomy (classical mechanics, optics, spectroscopy, chemistry, geology, meteorology, thermodynamics, relativity, and quantum mechanics).
  • Gain an understanding of the techniques that astronomers use to analyze data.
  • Utilize the information in the textbook to obtain an "inside out" understanding of the universe. That is, starting with the Earth and expanding outward to the solar system, Sun, stars, galaxies, and finally the whole universe.
  • Discover that even the most recent textbooks are always somewhat out of date. Investigating information available on the Internet will demonstrate that our knowledge of astronomy changes continuously.