Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASTR) 205

Overview

ASTR 205 is a three-credit, introductory-level course designed to

• describe the Universe as we now understand it.
• explain how our current understanding came about.
• show how the scientific method forms the basis for both the tools and the theories of astronomy.

Outline

Part 1: The Sky—This unit describes the cosmos and traces the history of our attempts to understand it, including the tools developed to help us do so.

Part 2: The Stars—This unit describes light and how it carries information to us. It discusses what we have learned about the structure of stars and how they form, age, and die.

Part 3: The Universe of Galaxies—This unit describes how stars group together into galaxies, how galaxies are themselves distributed, and how we think this entire cosmic structure began and may end.

Part 4: The Solar System—This unit describes the characteristics and origins of planets and other bodies in our solar system.

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:

The final examination for this course must be taken online with an AU-approved exam invigilator at an approved invigilation centre. It is your responsibility to ensure your chosen invigilation centre can accommodate online exams. For a list of invigilators who can accommodate online exams, visit the Exam Invigilation Network.

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

Course Materials

Textbook

Telecourse Student Guide

Other materials

The course materials also include a spectrum viewer, and a planetarium program CD. Supplementary video lessons are available as streaming videos through the course website. Alternatively, the videos can be borrowed as DVDs from the Athabasca University Library.

Challenge for Credit Course Overview

The Challenge for Credit process allows students to demonstrate that they have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university level course.

Full information for the Challenge for Credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.

• Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Policy
• Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Procedures

Challenge Evaluation

To receive credit for the ASTR 205 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least “C-” (60 percent) on the examination.

Paper Exam (3 hours)

Undergraduate Challenge for Credit Course Registration Form

• Challenge for Credit Form