FAQ

ASTRONOMY II:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I take Astronomy II if I haven't taken Astronomy I? Astronomy I and Astronomy II are independent classes, which can be taken in either order. It is not necessary to have taken Astronomy I before taking Astronomy II.
Where is the campus observatory? Here are some directions and a map.
Where is the ETSU Planetarium? Room 207 (top floor) of Hutcheson Hall. Here is a map.
How can I find the web pages of various observatories? Here are some useful links, which will connect you to the web pages for various observatories.
What is the format of the quizzes? How many questions will they have? The quizzes will consist of 20 multiple choice questions that are similar to the problems on the practice quizzes, so make sure you understand the answers to these problems.
How can I get extra credit for this course? There are two ways to get extra credit. There are 12 scheduled evening labs during the semester, but only 10 are required for full credit-- the 11th and 12th are extra credit labs (or make-ups, if you missed a lab or labs). In addition, you can earn up to 3 percent extra credit by class participation, which includes helping with class demonstrations, speaking up in class, or good attendance.
What are the pictures on the Astro 1020 home page? Click on the images below and see!
I was sick and missed the last quiz. Can I take a makeup? Do not worry about missing a single quiz. The lowest two quiz grades OR your grade on the final will be dropped. There will be NO individual makeups for the quizzes. Instead, the final is, in a sense, a general `makeup' for everyone in the class. If you are sick and missed a quiz, take it easy and get healthy, and don't worry about it. Missing one quiz will not hurt your grade. I urge you, however, to take every quiz unless there is an extreme emergency, in case other unforeseen problems arise later on in the semester.
Do you have any suggestions that may help me study for the quizzes? Review the practice quiz problems, and use the study guide as a checklist, making sure you know all the definitions, formulae, and other topics on the study guides. Also, study the review problems at the end of the each chapter in the book, and try the practice quizzes. Make sure you understand the answers you got incorrect on the practice quizzes.
Can I take the final earlier than the scheduled time? (or later?) The final *must* be taken at the regularly scheduled time. There will be NO make-ups or early exams. Remember, the lowest of either the lowest two quiz grades OR the grade on the final will be dropped, so if you take all of the quizzes, you do not need to take the final.
When is the final for this course? The final will be on Tuesday May 5 at 10:30 AM.
Do you have any suggestions that may help me study for the final? One hint is that the final will cover the same material that was covered in the quizzes (plus the additional material covered in class after the last quiz). In studying for the final, make sure you understand the answers to the quiz problems, and review the six study guides again. Go over the problems that you got wrong on the quiz, and make sure you understand the correct answers. If you are uncertain about the answers to any quiz problem, get in touch with me.
The final is worth two quiz grades, that is, it will replace the lowest two quiz grades if one does well. What if the final exam score is only higher than ONE of the quiz grades? (What if all the quiz grades save one are higher than the final exam score?) If the final grade is higher than the sum of the two lowest quiz grades, then it will replace both of them. Otherwise, the two grades will stand. For example, if your lowest quiz grades are 5 and 16, and you get a 20 (out of 40 problems) on the final, then the final won't replace them. But if you get a 22 on the final, it will replace them.
Is the final cumulative? Yes, it may contain questions on anything we covered during the entire semester.
Because of an emergency, I missed my lab (or will have to miss my lab). Can I go to lab on a different night?
No, students are NOT permitted to attend a different lab section. Students will get NO CREDIT if they attend a lab section they are not enrolled in. If you miss a lab, you can make it up by attending the 11th or 12th meeting of your regularly-scheduled lab period. Since only 10 labs are required for full credit, the 11th and 12th labs can be used as a make-up or as extra credit.
Will you tell us our grades in the course before the final? I would like to know if I need to take the final or not.
On the last day of classes, I will tell everyone the grade they will get in the course IF THEY DO NOT TAKE THE FINAL. These pre-final grades will be posted on the http://elearn.etsu.edu web site. Remember that the final exam is worth two quizzes. The grade on the final can be used to replace your two lowest quiz grades, or can be used as a make-up if you have missed 1 or 2 quizzes. If you have taken all 6 quizzes, you do not have to take the final unless you want to improve your grade. If you do not have an A in the course before the final, I strongly advise you to take the final. Taking the final cannot hurt your grade; it can just help. If you have a pre-final grade of a C and do worse on the final than your two lowest quizzes, your course grade will be a C.
What would happen to an unprotected human being in the vacuum of space? Would they explode?
See the answer on the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center `Imagine the Universe!' web page.
Do I need a doctor's note if I miss a lab because I am sick? In general, no doctor's notes are needed. Students do not need to provide written excuses for missed labs, whether they are missed for sickness, family emergency, musical performances, or other activities. Just be sure to attend one of the extra labs at the end of the semester to make-up the missed lab. Remember there are no individual make-ups for labs; the 11th and 12th evening labs are general make-ups for the whole class. I emphasize that students should not skip labs except in an emergency, since a true emergency may occur later in the semester. If you need a ride from campus to the observatory for a lab, call me at 423-439-8418 or send me an email at smithbj@etsu.edu. I can arrange a ride to the observatory for you with a student worker.
I am interested in doing a minor in Astronomy. Do you have any suggestions? Astronomy II is one of the required courses for an Astronomy minor. You will also need to take either General Physics I and II, or Technical Physics I and II, as well as some upper level Astronomy classes. For more information, see the Physics and Astronomy Dept Web Page or contact me.
It is the day before the final exam, and I am worried about my grade in this class. Is there anything I can do for extra credit? No.
I am a graduating senior, and I need this course to graduate. Any advice? If you are asking this question at the beginning of the semester, here are some suggestions: 1) come to every lab, unless it is an emergency. Do not miss any labs. 2) come to every class, unless it is an emergency. Especially do not miss any quizzes if possible. 3) see the above advice on how to prepare for quizzes.
Are the questions for the final going to be pulled from the practice problems or from the quizzes? No. The questions on the final will be new questions.
I registered late for this class, so missed the first lab. What should I do? Don't worry about missing one lab. Remember that the last two labs of the semester are extra-credit or make-up labs. Just go to one of those labs to make up the missed lab.
Last updated: December 31, 2019