AST 112 - Stars and Stellar Systems

4 credit hours - Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory weekly; one term.
This course meets the Biological and Physical Sciences General Education Requirement.

Learn about the universe beyond our solar system. Explore topics including the nature of stars and their evolution, galaxies and quasars, the universe as a whole and the possibility of life elsewhere in the Universe. Lab fee $10.

Prerequisite(s): Eligibility for ENG 101 /ENG 101A and eligibility for any general education math.

Location(s) Typically Offered: Arnold Main Campus (MC)

Term(s) Typically Offered: Fall and spring

Course Outcomes:

Describe the nature of science, including the role of observation and experiment, as well as what distinguishes science from pseudoscience and belief systems.
Describe the apparent motions and cycles of objects in the night sky and explain how these observations provided the evidence that the solar system is heliocentric and the Earth is not the center of the universe.
Apply the tools of astronomy, including relevant physical laws, the nature of light, how matter interacts with light, basic optics, and astronomical telescopes and instruments.
Describe what defines a star, how stars are characterized and classified, and how distances to stars and galaxies are established.
Describe the physical process by which stars and planetary systems form and by which stars evolve, including key stages of evolution and types of remnants that may be left.
Describe the large scale structure of the universe and the classification, evolution, and content of galaxies, including the Milky Way Galaxy and our solar system’s location within it.
Discuss cosmology, including our understanding of the age and extent of the universe, the evidence for the Big Bang theory, and factors that affect the evolution and ultimate fate of the universe