Astro 4
Black Holes and Cosmic Catastrophes
Spring 2020
Introduction
We experience the effects of gravity in our everyday lives. This
important force shapes our Sun and its evolution, along with all stars and their exotic end-states,
galaxies, and the universe itself. In Astronomy 4, we study the effects
of gravity and other competing forces on the nature of stars, black holes, galaxies, and the
universe as a whole, including an introduction to special and general
relativity.
Course Information
Professor:
Alice Shapley
aes@astro.ucla.edu
Office Hours: Sunday 5:00-6:00 pm, via Zoom (link on CCLE)
TA:
Aidan Gibbs
abgibbs@g.ucla.edu
Office Hours: Monday 10:00-11:00 am, Friday 2:00-3:00 pm, via Zoom (link on CCLE)
Lectures:
Discussion Sections:
1A Thursday 4:00-4:50 pm, via Zoom (link on CCLE)
1B Thursday 5:00-5:50 pm, via Zoom (link on CCLE)
Textbook, etc.:
The Cosmic Perspective: Stars, Galaxies & Cosmology (9th Edition)
Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, Voit
A simple calculator is HIGHLY recommended, though not required.
Grading:
- Homework
50%: Weekly assignments, simple quantitative problems
- Mid-Term, 4/28/20, in class
20%: Combination of multiple choice, true/false, matching
- Final Exam, 6/8/20, 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, Location: TBD
20%: Combination of multiple choice, true/false, matching
- Final Project, due 6/4/20
10%: 3-page (750-word) paper on special topic in black hole current events.
Homework will be assigned roughly every week (a total of 8 assignments). The homework
problem set assignments will be available from the course CCLE site. Each assignment will be made available
on a Tuesday morning, and then will be due by 5 pm on the following Tuesday. Completed homework is to be uploaded
via the course CCLE site, and assignments should be handed in as scanned pdf files. Homework turned in after
the deadline will be considered late. Late homework may be turned in up to 1 week after the due date,
at a penalty of 20% reduction in score. Homeworks will be returned one week after they are turned in.
Special Instructions for Remote Learning in Spring 2020:
Here is some information specific to the spring 2020 quarter
of Astronomy 4:
- Digital tools and the internet:
In case you are having a hard time accessing remote learning tools, please note the following:
- Please let me know! If I know of the issues, I can work to make the course materials more accessible to everyone.
- UCLA is working to address this issue: see this Newsroom story here for more
information on obtaining devices.
- Course Materials:
Our textbook can be purchased through ASUCLA .
It can also be purchased on Amazon. If you prefer a digital edition to hardcopy, that is completely fine.
- Course Communications:
Emails related to the course will be sent through
MyUCLA. Assignments and exams will be posted on and turned in to CCLE.
- Joining Zoom:
The course will use the videoconferencing software
Zoom for lectures, discussion sections, and office hours. Students will have a choice of watching
lectures either live with Zoom or viewing recordings of lectures on CCLE. If
you plan to join live (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) please see the tutorial linked from this website when you search for
"How do I use Zoom to attend my instructor's remote meetings"
to learn how to access the system. Note that the Zoom links for lecture, section,
and office hours will be available from the CCLE course website.
Also note that you'll get a better connection if you download the Zoom desktop client
as opposed to joining through your browser, plus the latter has more limited
functionality.
- Recording:
Astro 4 lectures will be recorded through Zoom and made available to registered students
through the CCLE course website. Please be aware of the following:
- From UCLA: "This program uses video recording or other personal information capture for the
purpose of facilitating the course. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement with
UCLA, the data is used solely for this purpose and any vendor is prohibited from
redisclosing this information. UCLA also does not use the data for any other
purpose."
- If you do not want your image to appear in these recordings, please turn off your video camera.
- You may ask questions through the chat feature to preserve your anonymity.
- Online etiquette:
Here are some principles to follow to make the lecture part of the class more enjoyable:
- Be in a quiet place and use headphones.
- Video on, unless you have privacy concerns or unless you do not have privacy (in
case you have small children running about, for example).
- Sign in with your real name, unless you have privacy concerns.
- Quit all other screens and apps so that you can focus on the (virtual) classroom.
- Mute your microphone unless you are asking or answering a question.
- Use the Raise Hand feature or the chat box to ask questions. (I recommend
having the chat box open throughout the class.)
Course Website: