Instructor: Prof. Chung-Pei Ma
Office: Campbell Hall 641B
Phone: (510) 642-4850
Fax: (510) 642-3411
Email: cpma(at)berkeley.edu
Office Hours: Nov 24 Tuesday 2-4pm

Grader: James McBride
Email: jmcbride(at)berkeley.edu
Office Hours: Monday 4:10-5pm, Tuesday 12-1pm, Campbell 415

Meet: Wednesday 3-5pm; Campbell 544

Required books:

"Blind Watchers of the Sky" by Rocky Kolb (Addison Wesley; QB981.K689) and "Black Holes and Time Warps" by Kip S. Thorne (Norton)

Class format and requirement:

Each week we will discuss one of the questions about the Universe listed below.

For each class, you are required to read book chapters and articles beforehand and come to class with a one-page summary writeup of the reading and at least three questions about the reading to facilitate the discussion. In addition, there will be (approximately) four problem sets containing quantitative questions and two online "virtual" observation projects to be completed during the semester.

Your grade is based on the problem sets (35%; due in class; no late homework accepted), two online projects (30%), writeups (25%), and class attendance and participation (10%).

List of questions we will ponder:

Aug 26: Course introduction

How big is the Universe?

Sep 2: Read Chapters 1-3 of Kolb (p. 1-71)

What did the old folks think of the Universe?
(Tycho, Copernicus, Kepler's laws of planetary motion)

Sep 9: Read Chapters 4-6 of Kolb (p. 73-168)

How is light used to study the universe?
EM spectrum

Blackbody spectrum; Solar spectrum 1; Solar spectrum 2; Solar spectrum 3; Doppler effect

Sep 16: Read Chapter 7 of Kolb (p. 169-197) Problem Set 1 due

How do we know the Universe is expanding?
Messier Catalog 1, Messier Catalog 2, M100,M104,Cepheid Variable Stars

Sep 23: Read Chapters 8-9 of Kolb (p. 201-259)

How do we know the Universe was once hot?

WMAP-Cosmology 101

Sep 30: Finish Kolb (no writeup this week). Virtual Project 1 due. Go to this website. Click on "Software" (in left menu bar). Click on "The Hubble Redshift-Distance Relation." Download HubLab.EXE and make sure it runs on a PC computer. Record your measurements on this worksheet and turn it in.

How were the first elements in the Universe created?

Oct 7 : Read Mr Thompkins, and Thorne: Prologue (p. 23-58)

What happens when we travel near the speed of light?

Oct 14 : Read Thorne: Chapter 1 (p. 59-86) Problem Set 2 due

Why are we made of star dust?

Oct 21 : Read Thorne: Chapters 2-3 (p. 87-139)

Why is a black hole black?

Sirius AB, Planetary Nebula Gallery
Crab Nebula and Pulsar, Kepler SN Remnant, Supernova 1987A
Cygnus X-1

Oct 28 : Thorne: Chapters 4 & part of 5 (p. 140-178) Problem Set 3 due

What happens when we travel near a black hole?

Stars near the Galactic Center, Quasar 3C273, NGC6240: double black holes

Nov 4 : Scientific American article Gravity's Kaleidoscope

Why do we think there is dark matter?

Nov 18 : No readings this week. Virtual Project 2 due. Go to this website. Click on "Software" (in left menu bar). Click on "The Revolution of the Moons of Jupiter." Download JupLab.EXE and make sure it runs on a PC computer. Record your measurements and analysis on this worksheet and turn in this worksheet. (At the top of page 2 of the worksheet, ignore the website address and "Mac Software" -- neither is available.)

What can dark matter be?

Dec 2 : Read Thorne: Chapter 14 (p. 483-527). Reading writeup due in class on Dec 2. Problem Set 4 due at 5pm Friday Dec 4

Finale: Wormholes and Time Machines

What is the geometry and fate of the Universe?