Astronomy 17 — Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy

Syllabus, September 1, 2020

Harvard University, Fall 2020
Class: Monday & Wednesday 1:30 pm – 2:45 pm
Study Session: Friday 1:30 pm – 2:45 pm

Course Summary
This course will introduce you to the physical principles describing galaxies and the
composition and evolution of the Universe. We will cover a wide range of topics from nearby
galaxies to quasars to the Big Bang.
The goals of the course are 1) to introduce you to the broad sweep of extragalactic
astronomy and cosmology, including major concepts and common jargon, 2) to develop
detailed applications of physics, particularly mechanics, to galaxies and cosmology, 3) to
gain exploratory experience in observational astronomy.
Relative to past years, in Fall 2020 we are making some important changes to the course.
While the topics are largely the same, we are going to integrate observational methods and
survey astronomy into the course on a weekly basis, using the upcoming Dark Energy Spec-
troscopic Instrument at the Kitt Peak National Observatory Mayall telescope as a continuing
example (http://desi.lbl.gov). In small groups, students will explore the imaging and spec-
troscopic data sets of DESI, the Legacy Survey, and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, as a way to
learn about the observational practice of astronomy as well as the engineering considerations
of a major observatory.
The course requires attendance at both the Monday and Wednesday classes; this is not
an asynchronous course. These classes will be interactive discussion and problem-solving
sessions, rather than traditional lectures. There will be required readings before Monday
in-class discussions. Each week will involve a multi-step assignment, including in-class group
work on Wednesdays, a problem set, and a short quiz due by the end of the week. We are
designing it to require about 10 hours/week, including class time.
Astronomy 17 is a required course for both the concentration and the secondary field in
Astrophysics. Astronomy 16 & 17 form a complete introductory survey of astrophysics. You
can take these courses in either order.

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Instructors
Prof. Daniel Eisenstein
TF: Nina Maksimova
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Office Hour: Thurs. 12:00 noon Eastern
Office Hours: Saturday 11 am
or by appointment

TF: Claire Lamman TF: Magdalena Siwek

Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Friday 3 pm Office Hours: Thursday 3 pm

The TFs will hold a study session each week on Friday at the normal course times. This
is optional, but it is a good time to connect with the TFs and classmates, so we recommend
that you keep this time available in your schedules.
You can make appointments to meet with the TFs or with Prof. Eisenstein at other times.
Prerequisites
College-level mechanics (e.g., Physics 12a, 15a, or 16) is a co-requisite. The concepts
of mechanics figure heavily in this course, so please discuss with Prof. Eisenstein if you are
taking mechanics concurrently.
This course will use single-variable calculus (e.g., Math 1a and 1b or AP calculus BC)
extensively. We recommend treating Math 1b as a co-requisite; please discuss with Prof.
Eisenstein if you are taking it concurrently. You are not expected to have preparation in
multi-variable calculus (e.g., Math 21a) or linear algebra and differential equations (e.g.,
Math 21b).
Astronomy 16 is not a pre-requisite for this course. Indeed, this may be your first course
in astronomy.
Course Structure
The weekly cadence of the course will be based around a multi-step assignment that is
due at 2 pm Eastern on Saturdays. This has the following weekly components:
1) A reading required prior to the in-class discussion on Monday.
2) 5 short-answer questions to be answered, either before or after Monday’s class.
3) Group exploratory exercises, usually around the on-sky data or some initial quantitative
questions, to be initiated in the Wednesday class and possibly completed thereafter.
4) Additional problems, which you should work individally but on which you are permitted
to consult with classmates.
5) A 30-minute timed quiz that must be done strictly individually.
Weeks with only 1 class will obviously require some adjustments to this pattern; we will
announce these at the time. There will be a short reading before the first class on Wednesday,
September 2, and the first assignment will be due on September 12.
The readings will be a mixture of class handouts and sections from the required text,
An Introduction to Galaxies and Cosmology, Second Edition, by Jones, Lambourne, and

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Sarjeant.
Alas, the order of topics for this course is not identical to that of the book. We are
therefore going to read the book out of order; please attend to the announced sections.
You are responsible for the major concepts in the assigned sections of the book, regardless
of whether we cover them in class. The final exam will include material from the book, not
simply the classes. However, astronomy has many tiny details and the book is dense with
facts that support the major concepts. Try not to get bogged down in the minutia; we are
focusing on the bigger concepts.
The textbook is at a good level as regards the descriptive topics we intend you to learn.
However, the other course material will go into substantially more quantitative detail. You
will exercise the quantitative side of the course on the assignments and in the quizes.
You are expected to complete the assigned readings before coming to the Monday class.
All students should prepare one or more questions to contribute to that discussion; each
time, a small number of students will be randomly selected to present one or more of their
questions. You are not required to know the answer to your question! Indeed, it is better to
select a topic that you are curious to know more about. The readiness to present questions
and the participation in the resulting discussion will figure into the class participation grade.
Expectations for our Remote World
We will be conducting our classes and study sessions on Zoom, including the use of
breakout rooms.
Please keep your video on, unless there is a strong counter-reason like insufficient network
bandwidth, and keep your audio muted except when speaking or in a small group. And
please set your screen name to the name that you prefer to be addressed by, and include
your last/family name and preferred pronouns.
One of the omnipresent challenges in the remote world is the temptation to attempt to
multitask (check email, web, etc). Please avoid this so that you can focus on the class.
During discussions, we’ll use the raise hand feature on Zoom, as this keeps track of the
order of requests. But it is also encouraged to ask questions using the chat window; a second
course instructor will be monitoring this and can either answer the question themselves or
ask the lead instructor to address it. Private chat questions are also ok, but best sent to the
second instructor.
During discussions, the instructors may call on students by name to contribute. It is
acceptable to say “Pass”.
The course will use a Slack workspace, which you should join. This is simply to facilitate
communication among the group. We note that the course instructors may not be available
all of the time!
Because of the focus on discussion and group work, it is important to be mindful of
behavior both in live interactions and in electronic communications. Be careful to take turns
speaking, avoiding interruptions but also pausing so that others can have a turn. As always,

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courtesy matters! Be careful to give others credit for the ideas that they have introduced. We
want to create a supportive environment for collective learning. If you are having repeated
problems with another classmate, please speak to the instructional staff so that we can help.
We will record the non-breakout portion of classes for your review.
Grading
Weekly assignments 70%, Class Participation 10%, Final Exam 20%.
There will be a total of 11 assignments, which include the associated quiz for about 25%
of the credit. The lowest grade on an assignment will be dropped. Assignments may differ
mildly in the amount of credit for each.
Assignments can be either typed or hand-written and scanned. You should submit each
assignment via Canvas as one PDF.
You are expected to attend and participate in both Monday and Wednesday classes. We
understand that you may have to miss a couple classes during the term, but please make
every effort to attend. Please notify Prof. Eisenstein or a TF in advance if you are unable
to attend.
Exams
There will be only a single exam: a timed 3-hour open-book open-notes exam that will
focus on essay questions drawing from all areas of the course.
Independence of Work
All material submitted to meet course requirements is expected to be a student’s own
work unless otherwise indicated.
Notably, your response to questions must be your own words, not those of the textbook,
wikipedia, or other sources. Small excerpts from external sources may be used, with appro-
priate citation. However, since the point of the questions is to engage the textbook, you do
not need to cite the textbook when you use (in your own words) information that it provides.
Regarding the assignments, you are permitted to consult with your classmates about the
substance of the problems, save for the quiz portion. However, after discussions with
peers, you must write your answers separately. The answers and reports that you
submit for evaluation must be the result of your own efforts. In addition, you must cite any
books, articles, websites, lectures, etc that have helped you with your work using appropriate
citation practices. Similarly, you must list (on page 1) the names of students with whom
you have discussed the problem set.
The quiz portion is open-book and open-notes (including your answers for the rest of
the weekly assignment), but must be done strictly individually, without discussion with oth-
ers save the course instructional staff. Further, it must be done within the 30-minute time
limit, although each student can schedule that whenever they want before the deadline of
the assignment. Students must hold the contents of the quiz confidential until the assign-
ment deadline, and later if requested by the course staff. If an extraordinary circumstance
interrupts a quiz after it has started, please alert the course staff as soon as possible.

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 Any use of solution sets, student solutions, or student laboratory reports from past years
of this course is strictly forbidden.
Your adherence to the above is required as a matter of the Honor Code.
Late Assignments
Assignments will be due on Saturday at 2 pm Eastern. There will be no credit for
assignments turned in late, as we plan to distribute the solution sets promptly. If you run
short on time, you are encouraged to turn in what you have completed for partial credit.
Each student has permission for two no-questions-asked extensions until Monday at 1:30
pm (i.e., class time).
Beyond this, exceptions can be made for extraordinary circumstances, such as medical
or family emergencies; please contact Prof. Eisenstein. Not planning ahead to handle the
deadlines of your courses and extracurricular activities is not sufficient for an extension.
If you feel that you are falling behind in your work for this course or otherwise struggling,
please do reach out, whether to the course staff, your Resident Dean, or Academic Resource
Center. We are here to help!
Accomodations for students with disabilities
Any student needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to present
their letter from the Accessible Education Office (AEO) and speak with the professor by the
end of the second week of the term. Failure to do so may result in the course head’s inability
to respond in a timely manner. All discussions will remain confidential, although AEO may
be consulted to discuss appropriate implementation.
Note that the first assignment is due on Saturday, September 12, and there are reading
assignments for the prior classes, so if you need adjustments or accommodations in regard
to problem sets or reading assignments, please talk to the AEO or the professor as soon as
possible.
Required Text
An Introduction to Galaxies and Cosmology, Second Edition, by Jones, Lambourne, and
Sarjeant.
Other References
Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology, by Peter Schneider. This book covers many
topics to moderate depth and with modern notation. It is more quantitative than Jones &
Lambourne, which may be helpful for some of the lecture material. Harvard has an electronic
subscription to this book, so you can get to the full book from the course website.
Beyond this, there are many books about galaxies and cosmology. Here are a few at the
advanced undergraduate level.
An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, by Carroll and Ostlie.
Galaxies in the Universe: An Introduction, by Linda Sparke and Jay Gallagher.
Introduction to Cosmology, by Barbara Ryden.

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Order of Topics (subject to change)

1. Exploring the extragalactic sky; introduction to deep-sky imaging; galaxy colors, mor-
phologies, scales; astronomical coordinate systems.
2. Observing with light: the electromagnetic spectrum; optical telescopes principles and
engineering.
3. Stars and spectroscopy: Atomic lines; stellar populations; distances; doppler shifts;
stellar spectroscopy
4. The Milky Way and Local Group: gravitational orbits; dynamical masses; Sag A∗ ;
shell theorem; dark matter
5. Galaxies: distances & the Hubble law; galaxy spectroscopy; redshifts
6. Galaxy demographics: statistical populations of galaxies; scaling relations
7. Galaxy clusters: dynamics and dark matter; morphology-environment relations
8. Non-optical astronomy and quasars: atmospheric windows; engineering constraints;
active galactic nuclei and accretion disks; AGN spectroscopy
9. Homogeneous cosmology: dynamics of the expanding universe; comoving coordinates.
10. Distances and cosmological tests: cosmological distance calculations; applications to
the deep sky.
11. Cosmic microwave background: recombination; thermal history of the universe; acous-
tic oscillations.
12. Dark matter and dark energy: large-scale structure; galaxy redshift surveys; cosmic
composition.

Schedule of Course Reading Assignments and Deadlines (subject to change)

In the case of reading assignments, you should come to class with one or more questions
to initiate discussion about the material.
Wed 9/2: First class (counts as Monday). Light reading before class.
Wed 9/9: Reading assignment and prepare for discussion.
Sat 9/12: Assignment #1 due.
Mon 9/14: Reading assignment and prepare for discussion.
Wed 9/16: In-class group work.
Sat 9/19: Assignment #2 due.

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Mon 9/21: Reading assignment and prepare for discussion.
Wed 9/23: In-class group work.
Sat 9/26: Assignment #3 due.
Mon 9/28: Reading assignment and prepare for discussion.
Wed 9/30: In-class group work.
Sat 10/3: Assignment #4 due.
Mon 10/5: Reading assignment and prepare for discussion.
Wed 10/7: In-class group work.
Sat 10/10: Assignment #5 due.
Mon 10/12: NO CLASS
Wed 10/14: Reading assignment and prepare for discussion.
Sat 10/17: No Assignment due, but work toward #6.
Mon 10/19: Reading assignment and prepare for discussion.
Wed 10/21: In-class group work.
Sat 10/24: Assignment #6
Mon 10/26: Reading assignment and prepare for discussion.
Wed 10/28: In-class group work.
Sat 10/31: Assignment #7
Mon 11/2: Reading assignment and prepare for discussion.
Wed 11/4: In-class group work.
Sat 11/7: Assignment #8
Mon 11/9: Reading assignment and prepare for discussion.
Wed 11/11: In-class group work.
Sat 11/14: Assignment #9
Mon 11/16: Reading assignment and prepare for discussion.
Wed 11/18: In-class group work.
Sat 11/21: Assignment #10
Mon 11/23: Reading assignment and prepare for discussion.
Wed 11/25: NO CLASS.
Sat 11/28: No Assignment due.
Mon 11/30: Reading assignment and prepare for discussion.
Wed 12/2: In-class group work (last class).
Sat 12/5: Assignment #11