University
of Vermont Fall
2013 Term
Physics Department Astronomy
57 ŇAncient Astronomy, Calendars & ClocksÓ
Instructor: Prof.
Joanna Rankin (A538 Cook) Office
Hours: W 1-2; Th 4-5
Q@; Preliminary Course Syllabus R<>
Wednesday, Aug. 28 (10 UT) Moon Waining Quarter
Saturday, Aug.
31: (00 UT) Moon at Apogee; (17 UT) Jupiter 4ˇ N or Moon
Aug. 27, 29 Birth
of Astronomy/Getting Started
Prepare: Evans:
Chapter ¤¤1.1-1.8
Duncan:
Introductions and Chapter 1
A Observations: Evans ¤¤1.2, 1.7 in notebook
Assignments: Evans
¤1.5 in notebook, timelines
Make/use
a shadow table (see ¤¤1.5, 1.13)
before, on, & after the equinox
Monday, Sept. 2
(10 UT) Mars 6ˇ N of Moon
Friday, Sept. 5: (12 UT) Moon New; (13 UT) Venus
1.8ˇ N or Spica
Sept. 3, 5 Birth
of Astronomy (contŐd)
Prepare: Evans:
Chapter ¤¤1.9-1.18; Duncan: Chapts. 2 & 3
Zodiacal
constellations
Observations: Evans ¤¤1.11, 1.16 in notebook
B Assignments: Evans
¤¤1.13, 1.15, 1.18 in notebook
Choose
culture/calendar of interest
Sunday, Sept. 8: (15 UT) Spica 0.8ˇ S of Moon; (21
UT) Venus 0.4ˇ N of Moon
Monday, Sept. 9 (17 UT) Saturn 2ˇ N of Moon; Tuesday,
Sept. 10 (13 UT) Mercury Superior Conjunction
Friday, Sept.
12 (17 UT) Moon Waxing Quarter
Sept. 10, 12 Celestial
Sphere
Prepare: Evans:
Chapter ¤¤2.1-2.8; Duncan: Chapts. 4 & 5
Aristotle:
extracts from On the Heavens
C Observation: Evans ¤2.8 in notebook
Assignments: Evans
¤¤2.3, 2.7 in notebook
Culture/calendar
paper proposal written,
corrected
& critiqued, due 9/17
Sunday, Sept. 15 (17 UT) Moon at Perigee
Thursday, Sept. 19 (11 UT) Moon Full
Friday, Sept.
20 (00 UT) Venus 4ˇ S of Saturn
Sept. 17, 19 Celestial
Sphere (contŐd)
Prepare: Evans:
Chapter ¤¤2.9-2.17; Duncan: Chapts. 6 & 7
D Observation: Equinox; Evans ¤2.17 in notebook
Assignments: Formal
write-up of ¤1.18 due 9/24
Evans
¤¤2.10, 2.12, 2.14 in notebook
Sunday, Sept.
22 (2044 UT) Autumnal Equinox
Tuesday, Sept.
24 (19 UT) Mercury 0.8ˇ N of Spica
Friday, Sept.
27: (04 UT) Moon Waining Quarter; (18 UT) Moon at Apogee
Saturday, Sept.
28 (09 UT) Jupiter 5ˇ N of Moon
Sept. 24, 26 Applications
of Spherics
Prepare: Evans:
Chapter ¤¤3.1-3.4; Duncan: Chapts. 8 & 9
E Aratus:
Phenomena
Assignments: Evans:
¤¤3.3-3.4 in notebook
Notebook
check: notebooks due 10/3
Tuesday, Oct. 1
(06 UT) Mars 7ˇ N of Moon
Saturday, Oct.
5 (01 UT) Moon New
Oct. 1, 3 Applications
of Spherics (contŐd)
Prepare: Evans:
Chapter ¤¤3.5-3.8; Duncan: Chapts. 10 & 11
Janus
astrolabe instructions
Assignments: Submit
finished sundial 10/12
F Evans:
¤¤3.6, 3.8 in notebook
Sunday, Oct. 6 (22 UT) Mercury 3ˇ S of Moon; Monday,
Oct. 7 (04 UT) Saturn 1.9ˇ N of Moon
Tuesday, Oct. 8 (12 UT) Venus 5ˇ S of Moon; Monday,
Oct. 9 (10 UT) Mercury at greatest ecliptic longitude East (25ˇ)
Thursday, Oct. 10: Mercury 5ˇ S of Saturn; (23 UT)
Moon at Perigee; Friday, Oct. 11 (23 UT) Moon Waxing Quarter
Astronomy 57, Fall 2013 Term Page
2
Oct. 8, 10 Calendars
and Time Reconing
Prepare: Evans:
Chapter ¤¤4.1-4.6; Duncan: Chapts. 12 & 13
G Assignments: Evans:
¤¤4.2, 4.4 in notebook
Culture
paper due 10/17
Monday, Oct. 14 (22 UT) Mars 1.0ˇ N of Regulus
Wednesday, Oct. 16 (16 UT) Venus 1.6ˇ N of Antares
Saturday, Oct.
19: (00 UT) Moon Full, Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
Oct. 15, 17 Calendars
and Time Reconing (contŐd)
Prepare: Evans:
Chapter ¤¤4.7-4.12; Duncan: Chapts. 14 & 15
H Assignments: Evans:
¤¤4.6, 4.8, 4.12 in notebook
Submit finished astrolabe with your plate 10/22
Monday, Oct. 21
(15 UT) Mercury stationary
Friday, Oct.
25: (14 UT) Moon at Apogee; (22 UT) Jupiter 5ˇ N of Moon
Oct. 22, 24 Calendars
and Time Reconing (contŐd)
MID-TERM
EXAM
Sunday, Oct. 27 (00 UT) Moon Waining Quarter
Wednesday, Oct. 30 (01 UT) Mars 6ˇ N of Moon
Friday, Nov. 1:
(08) Venus at greatest ecliptic longitude East (47ˇ); (20 UT) Mercury in
inferior conjunction
Saturday, Nov. 2 ((07 UT) Spica 0.8ˇ S of Moon
Oct. 29, 31 Solar
Theory
Prepare: Evans:
Chapter ¤¤5.1-5.6
I Ptolemy:
Extracts from the Almagest
Assignments: Evans:
¤¤5.4, 5.6 in notebook
Sunday, Nov. 3: (13 UT) Moon New: Total Solar
Eclipse (partial here)
Friday, Nov. 6: (09 UT) Moon at Perigee; (12 UT)
Saturn conjunction
Thursday, Nov.
7: (01 UT) Venus 8ˇ S of Moon; (07 UT) Jupiter stationary
Nov. 5, 7 Solar
Theory (contŐd)
Prepare: Evans:
Chapter ¤¤5.7-5.10
J Assignments: Evans:
¤¤5.8, 5.10 in notebook
Sunday, Nov. 10:
(06 UT) Moon Waxing Quarter; (14 UT) Mercury stationary
Nov. 12, 14 The
Fixed Stars
Prepare: Evans:
Chapter ¤¤6.1-6.10
K Observation: Evans ¤6.3 in notebook
Assignments: Evans:
¤¤6.5, 6.7 in notebook
Sunday, Nov. 17 (15 UT) Moon Full
Monday, Nov. 18 (03 UT) Mercury at greatest ecliptic
longitude West (19ˇ)
Friday, Nov.
22: (05 UT) Jupiter 5ˇ N of Moon; (10 UT) Moon at Apogee
- - - - - - - - - - - - THANKSGIVING VACATION - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sunday, Nov. 25 (19 UT) Moon Waining Quarter
Monday, Nov. 26: (04 UT) Mercury 0.3ˇ S of Saturn;
(23 UT) Mercury Stationary
Tuesday, Nov. 27 (16 UT) Mars 6ˇ N of Moon
Friday, Nov. 29
(17 UT) Spica 0.9ˇ S of Moon
Nov. 26, 28 Planetary
Theory
Prepare: Evans:
Chapter ¤¤7.1-7.14
Observation: Evans ¤7.3 in notebook
L Assignments: Evans:
¤¤7.5, 7.8, 7.14 in notebook
Calendar
paper due 12/3
Sunday, Dec. 1 (10 UT) Saturn 1.3ˇ N of Moon
Tuesday, Dec. 3 (00 UT) Moon New
Wednesday, Nov. 4 (10 UT) Moon at Perigee
Saturday, Dec.
21 (1711 UT) Winter Solstice
Dec. 3 Planetary
Theory (contŐd)
Prepare: Evans:
Chapter ¤¤7.15-7.22
Z T UV W Assignments: Evans:
¤¤7.16, 7.18, 7.22 in notebook
Dec. 13, 7:30
am FINAL
EXAM (Friday)