AST 1002
General Astronomy
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AST 1002 General Astronomy |
The astronomy course is generally taught in the Fall and Spring semesters and as a distance learning course. General Astronomy is a general science course which is designed to give you an appreciation of the universe and a basic understanding of the various celestial inhabitants which surround the earth and our solar system. There are no math prerequisites for the class although it is expected that the student can read and comprehend material covered in the text. The main course objectives are as follows:
The college has also recently purchased a telescope which will be used some nights for the Astronomy course. It is an LX200GPS 12" Reflecting Telescope which was purchased from Meade which has an observing power which is nearly comparable to small observatory telescopes. This telescope is much easier to use compared to the old Dobsonian Mount manual reflector since it is computer-controlled using 3 global positioning satellites and tracks for the motion of the earth. The pictures below show members of the Chipola community making observations with our new telescope and the old 8" Dobsonian Mount Reflector.
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The 12" LX200 GPS Reflector is used for the astronomy class, and for Astronomy Night viewings hosted by the Science Club. Everyone in the community is welcome to come and see the planets and stars during these events. The photos to the right show Science Club members as they host astronomy night for college students and Marianna residents wishing to see the planets through the GPS telescope. |
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Several astronomy students get an opportunity to look at the Moon and Jupiter through the 8" Dobsonian Reflector after an astronomy lecture. This telescope must be guided by hand and tracked every minute as the earth rotates away from where it is initially aligned. |
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Sky & Telescope -- Astronomy and Space Links
