AST 102 – Stellar Astronomy and Cosmology (Internet) 
Science Department 
 
Semester: Summer 2014 
 
Catalog Course Description: This course is a descriptive survey of the universe with emphasis on basic physical 
concepts and galactic and extra-galactic objects. Related topics of current interest are included in the course. Lecture (3.0), 
Laboratory (6.0). 
 
rerequisite(s): 
 
None 
Credit Hours: 
 
4 
 
Orientation Website: 
http://classes.midlandstech.edu/ast102   (mandatory, one time) 
Course Website: 
 
UR
L: ____________________________________________   
Use
rname: _______________  Password: _______________   
Yo
u will get this information once you complete the mandatory online orientation. 
 
Class/Lab Instructor: 
J
effrey Lynn Hopkins, Physics & Astronomy 
Office:  

B
eltline Campus, Lindau Engineering Technology (LET) 421-B 
Office Hours:  
 
http://midlandstech.com/jlh/general/instructor/wit.htm 
Telephone: 0 
 
8
3-738-7659 (but I recommend using email) 
E
-
mail: 

hopkinsj@midlandstech.edu (Subject of your message must include ‘AST102’.) 
Campus Mailbox: 
 
LET 421 
F
AX:  

8
3-790-7530 
 
Class Schedule: 
It is recommended that you go online, including the class forum, at least three times a 
week if not every day. If you have not logged on for 14 days you are considered over 
the limit unless you contact me first. Detailed instructions on what to do each week are 
on the course website. 
 
Textbook(s):  
 
Lecture: Foundations of Astronomy, Michael A. Seeds, 110 or 1
t
h
th
 Ed. 

 
 
Lab: AST 102 Bundle, LSW, 2
8

Additional Materials: 
Scientific calculator, metric/standard ruler, protractor, and a personal e-mail address 
and computer access.  
 
Departmental Website:  
http://www.midlandstech.edu/science 
ersonal Website: P 
http://midlandstech.com/jlh 

Departmental Assistant:  
J
an Oliver (oliverj@midlandstech.edu) 
Department Chair:   
Dr. Geralyne Lopez-de-Victoria (lopezg@midlandstech.edu) 
 
G
eneral Education Core Competency Statement: This course is designed to meet the college’s general 
education core competency for Scientific Reasoning. 
 
Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course the student will be able to have a working knowledge of stellar 
astronomy and cosmology. 

Summer 2013 AST 102 (Internet) 
2
 
Course Outcomes and Competencies: 
Intended Course Outcome: Students will understand and be able to use scientific reasoning and principles 
through the study of basic astronomy. To promote an interest in astronomy and physics. To enable the student to 
more thoroughly understand the concepts of astronomy in general. To enable the student to apply knowledge to a 
specific problem in a systematic manner. To enable the student to develop skill in handling apparatus and to 
practice the procedures of making accurate measurements and presenting results in a scientific manner.  
 
Course Competency (Performance Measure): Students will demonstrate their understanding and ability to 
use scientific reasoning and principles by answering examination questions based on the learning objectives: To solve 
problems using pre-college level math or answer conceptual questions by 
1.
 
describing a characteristic of astronomical instruments 
2
.
 
describing a stellar property 
3.
 
describing an aspect of stellar formation and evolution 
4.
 
describing an aspect of galaxies and the universe as a whole 
 
Measurement Instrument: Students will complete a set embedded examination questions prepared by faculty 
based on the course learning objectives.  
 
Course Attendance: A student is allowed 2 class absences and 2 lab absences. Participation in the online course is one 
of the mechanisms for determining attendance. Students will be expected to participate on the class discussion forum 
weekly. Missing a test, a lab, or a homework assignment, regardless the reason, is an absence. Students adding courses after 
classes begin are responsible for work covered from the first day of class. All classes missed count as absences. Please note 
the following: You are responsible for all material and announcements presented, whether you are present or absent. You 
will find more information about labs on the Class FAQ on the course website. 
 
Please note the following: You are responsible for all material and announcements presented by email or on the class 
forum. There are detailed questions and answers listed for the most common questions in the Frequently Asked Questions 
(FAQs) section of the website, so read through those pages if you have questions. 
Withdrawal: Students may withdraw from a course anytime before the last week of classes (see the current semester 
college calendar, available on the MTC web site, for official dates). Students who wish to withdraw from a course must 
submit a withdrawal form to records. The date of withdrawal may affect a number of things, including financial aid/ tuition 
reimbursement, tuition refunds, and course grades. The effective date of withdrawal depends upon the date the withdrawal 
form is submitted to records. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of relevant dates, to make an informed decision, 
and if necessary, to submit withdrawal forms in a timely fashion.  
For questions regarding the effect of withdrawal on financial aid or tuition reimbursement students should contact Student 
Financial Services. Deadlines for tuition refunds may be found on the current semester college calendar, available on the 
MTC web site, or by calling the cashier’s office.  
Students who withdraw before midterm will receive a grade of W. Students who withdraw after midterm and have an 
overall class average of 60% or greater will receive a grade of W. Students who withdraw after midterm and have an 
overall class average below 60% will receive a grade of WF, which is calculated as an F. Grades of W or WF are also 
assigned when a student exceeds the maximum number of absences allowed in a course. These grades are entered on the 
final grade roster along with the last date of attendance (LDA). Students should understand that the LDA does not 
constitute an effective date of withdrawal and should not consider a decision to stop attending class to be equivalent to 
withdrawal.  

Summer 2013 AST 102 (Internet) 
3 
Course Grading and Scale: The final grade for this course will be determined as follows: 
•
 
Tests 60% 
•
 
Final Exam 15% 
•
 
Lab 25% 
A
 (90-1
) 
B
 (80-89) 
C
 (70-79) 
D (60-69) 
F (<60) 
 
A
 grade of zero will be recorded for any announced test (or assignment), which is missed. There are no make-up tests for 
any reason.. 
 
lease Note: Should change become necessary, the instructor reserves the right to adjust the requirements, pace, or 
scheduling of this course. Any change will be announced in class before it becomes effective.  
 
The Science Department Chair, Coordinators, and faculty are here to help you. If you are having any problems in your 
classes, please contact the person who can help you. If we don’t know you are having problems, we can’t help you. Gerry 
Lopez is Department Chair and can be reached at 822-3443; Greg Mancini is Beltline Science Coordinator and can be 
reached at 738-7660. Contact Jan Oliver at 822-3548 for information regarding the Airport Science Coordinator.  
 
Laboratory Policies: The labs for this course are designed to be done at home without the need for specialized 
equipment. Each lab is a module and will be submitted approximately once a week using online forms. Exact due dates will 
be on the Lab Schedule page of the website. Late labs will receive a penalty of -1 point per minute after the due date. You 
may use the internet and your textbook and notes; but all work must be your own.   
 
There is only one make-up lab near the end of the term, so try not to miss any. More than two labs not completed/submitted 
will result in a grade of W if the student is passing the course or WF if the student is failing after midterm. Before midterm 
you will get W. You will find more information about labs on the Lab FAQ on the course website. 
 
Tests and Final Exam: Tests may be multiple choice, identification, definitions, short answers, essay and/or a mixture 
of these formats. I will not be any more precise at this time, because the emphasis will be on learning the concepts and 
nature of astronomy - not on the nature of testing.  
 
There will be four on-line tests and a final exam. Their due dates are listed on the test schedule page of the website. The 
dates and times are fixed and will not be moved or altered unless there is some natural disaster or similar event. Please do 
not plan on asking later to change dates or times because of a personal conflict - because these dates are fixed, and there are 
no make-up tests. 

Summer 2013 AST 102 (Internet) 
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AST 102 Lecture Information: 
Week 
Weekly Readings                                 
1 
 Ch. 6 Light and Telescopes                             
2 
 Ch. 7 Atoms and Starlight                             
3 
 Ch. 8 The Sun                             
4
 
 Ch. 9 The Family of Stars &  Ch. 10 The Interstellar Medium                             
5
 
 Ch. 11 The Formation of Stars                             
6 
 Ch. 12 Stellar Evolution                             
7 
 Ch. 13 The Deaths of Stars &  Ch. 14 Neutron Stars and Black Holes                             
8 
 Ch. 15 The Milky Way Galaxy                             
9 
 Ch. 16 Galaxies                             
10 
 Ch. 18 Cosmology                             
11 
 Final Exam                                    
C
hanges to the above schedule may change, so make sure you check out the Class Outline page on the web site. 
Exact test dates are listed on the course website. You will see this after you complete the online orientation. 
 
AST 102 Lab Information: 
Week 
Lab Module                                 
1 
----None----                             
2 
 Our Star - The Sun (No. 26)                             
3 
 Stellar Parallax - Measuring the Distance to Stars (No. 27)                             
4 
 The Moving Stars (No. 28)                             
5 
 Stellar Spectra and Classification (No. 30)                             
6 
 H-R Diagram (No. 31)                             
7 
 Stellar Life Cycles (No. 31)                              
8 
 Variable Stars - Unique Stars (No. 32)                             
9 
 The Material Between Stars (No. 33)                             
10 
 The Galaxies (No. 34)                                    
The exact order of the labs may change term to term, so make sure you check out the Lab page on the web site. 
Exact due dates are listed on the course website. You will see this after you complete the online orientation. 

Summer 2013 AST 102 (Internet) 
5
 
College Policies 
 
Students are expected to read the student handbook and abide by its policies. Copies of the handbook may be 
obtained at various locations on campus and is located on the web: http://www.midlandstech.edu/planner/ 
 
Academic Dishonesty: The Student Code addresses what constitutes academic dishonesty. All forms of dishonesty 
including, but not limited to, cheating on tests, plagiarism, collusion and falsification, will call for discipline. 
 
Ch
eating on Tests includes: 
_
 
C
opying from another student’s paper. 
_
 
Using materials during a test not authorized by the person giving the test. 
_
 
C
ollaborating with any other person during a test without permission. 
_
 
Knowingly obtaining, using, buying, selling, transporting, or soliciting in whole or part the contents of any un- 
administered test. 
_
 
B
ribing any other person to obtain information about tests. 
_
 
Substituting for another student, or permitting another student to substitute for oneself. 
 
lagiarism is the appropriation of any other person’s work and unacknowledged incorporation of that work in one’s own 
work offered for credit. 
 
Campus Emergency Protocol: Students and employees are asked to report safety concerns or suspicious activities 
to Campus Security at 7199 (on campus) or 738-7199 (cell phone or off campus). In the event of an emergency, employees 
and/or students should immediately call Campus Security or local 911. If an emergency occurs, the college will use a 
variety of methods to communicate additional information and instructions including the MTC Information Centers, 
campus loud speakers, MTC Alerts! (http://www.midlandstech.edu/Phone_Alert.htm), voice mail, email, college Intranet, 
and the MTC website homepage. 
 
Inclement Weather Policy: In the event weather conditions or other emergencies cause the closing or a delayed start 
of Midlands Technical College, announcements will be made over local radio and TV stations, on the MTC Web site, and 
on the college’s information line (803-738-8234). Notices will be sent to students via Campus Cruiser Mail when 
applicable. Separate announcements may be made for day and evening classes as weather conditions change during the day. 
  
If the college closing or reopening means that there is at least 30 minutes of a class remaining, plan to attend that class. For 
example, if the college opens at 10:00 a.m. in TTH, classes that normally meet at 8:00 a.m. will not meet, but classes 
beginning at 9:30 a.m. will meet. If the college closes at 8:00 p.m., 6:
 p.m. classes will meet for their regular time, but 
7
:35 p.m. classes will not meet since there are fewer than 30 minutes remaining in class. 
 
Student E-Mail Accounts: All MTC students are assigned a college e-mail account upon admission to the college. 
This account is called “Campus Cruiser Mail.” Campus Cruiser Mail is the primary mode by which the college 
communicates with students. Students are responsible for checking their college e-mail on a regular basis for important 
information and announcements about registration, financial aid, cancelled classes, emergency announcements and other 
notices. Students can use their college e-mail accounts to communicate with faculty, staff, fellow students, and others, in 
support of their educational pursuits. In addition to e-mail, students will also have access to maintaining personal calendars 
and “tasks lists” through their Campus Cruiser e-mail account. 
 
Student Evaluation of Instruction: Students have the opportunity to evaluate this course. The confidential 
evaluation 0process 0is 0conducted 0through 0MTC 0Online 0using 0the 0individual 0student’s 0username 0and 0password. 
Announcements will be made during the term concerning how and when to complete the online evaluation. Students are 
encouraged to participate in this process. 
 
Students Requiring Special Accommodations: If special accommodations are needed for a student with a 
disability, the student should go to Counseling Services on Beltline or Airport Campus for assistance. Documentation 
regarding a specific disability is required in order for special arrangements to be made. Confidentiality of information 
received will be maintained. 

Summer 2013 AST 102 (Internet) 
6 
 
SCIENCE DEPARTMENT CODE OF CONDUCT 
Student rights and responsibilities are outlined in the Student Handbook. We are extremely proud of the quality of students 
in the Science Department; however, there have been occasions where disciplinary action is necessary to prevent disruptive 
and dishonest behavior. The following items are specific violations and consequences supported by the Science 
Department. Your instructor will circulate a form for your signature stating that you understand the Science Department 
C
ourse Syllabus, which includes this document.  
1. Any student who exhibits behavior that is disruptive to the learning process such as talking, discourtesy to faculty or 
fellow students to include obscene language or gestures, or uncooperative actions will be asked to leave the classroom. The 
student will be counted absent for this class. Depending upon the nature of the offense or if it occurs during an test the 
instructor may require that the student see the Science Coordinator, Chair of the Science Department, or the Director of 
C
ampus Life before returning to class. Campus Security will be called for any threatening or violent behavior. 
2
. Beepers, cell phones, personal stereos, and similar devices are not permitted in class. Permission must be obtained from 
the Science Coordinator or Instructor for students who are emergency personnel or where there are extenuating 
circumstances. Campus Security can locate a student and will interrupt a class if there is a situation that needs immediate 
attention  
3. Any student proven to have engaged in academic dishonesty will be given a grade of zero on the test or assignment. This 
includes, but is not limited to, giving or receiving information during an test, use of unauthorized materials during an test or 
assignment, plagiarism, or changing answers after a grade has been assigned. An instructor must have reasonable proof that 
dishonesty has occurred. Until an incident is verified, the student will be assigned a grade of “I” for the work. Witnesses of 
cheating should report this immediately to the instructor. The grade will be discussed confidentially with the student. If the 
student denies that academic dishonesty occurred, the Chair of the Science Department or Science Coordinator will meet 
with the instructor and student. The instructor will be supported if departmental guidelines for handling cheating incidences 
were followed. However, the student is referred to the Student Handbook for the policy on filing a grievance. In any 
incident involving academic dishonesty, a report will be filed with the Director of Campus Life.  
4. Students with complaints about instructors should follow the appropriate chain of command as outlined in the "Science 
Department Conflict Resolution" form. A form can be obtained from the Science Department. Signatures must be obtained 
at each level before the complaint will be validated. There may be some circumstances where the first contact is with the 
Science Coordinator who will discuss the problem with the instructor. All efforts possible will be made to resolve conflicts 
internally. However students should remember that matters can also be handled through the Academic Appeal/Grievance 
process detailed in the Student Handbook.