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ASTR 205

Astronomy and Astrophysics
(ASTR) 205
Universe—The Ultimate Frontier (Revision 4)

Revision 4 closed, replaced by current version.

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Delivery mode: Individualized study with a video component,* or grouped study.
*Overseas students, please contact the University Library before registering in a course that has an audio/visual component. The video must be requested from the Library.

Credits: 3 - Science.

Prerequisite: None.

Centre: Centre for Science

ASTR 205 has a Challenge for Credit option.

Télé-université du Québec equivalency: PHY 2001.

Course website

Overview

ASTR 205 will show the student our natural world on a cosmic scale. The universe may be seen better and understood through scientific methods which are described and viewed.

This course is suggested for students beginning their study of astronomy.

ASTR 205 has the following goals:

  • to describe the universe as we presently
    understand it
  • to explain how our present understanding came about
  • to show the scientific method in action as the basis for tools and theories in astronomy.

Outline

Unit 1: Exploring the Sky

Unit 2: The Stars

Unit 3: The Universe of Galaxies

Unit 4: Planets in Perspective

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Evaluation

To receive credit for ASTR 205, you must achieve a course composite mark of at least a “D” (50 percent) and a grade of at least 50 percent on the final examination. The weighting of the composite mark is as follows:

4 Quizzes
(5% each)		 Tutor-marked
Exercise 1 		Tutor-marked
Exercise 2 		Tutor-marked
Exercise 3 		Mid-term
Exam		 Final
Exam		 Total
20% 5% 5% 10% 20% 40% 100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbook

Seeds, Michael A. Horizons: Exploring the Universe, 10th ed. Belmont, CA: Brooks-Cole, 2008.

Telecourse Student Guide

Lattanzio, Stephen P., Levine, Joel M., and Lee, Valerie L. Universe: The Infinite Frontier, 6th ed. Fountain Valley, CA: Brooks-Cole, 2006.

Other materials

The course materials also include a student manual, spectrum viewer, and an assignment manual.

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