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The Known Universe

ü https://www.amnh.org/our-research/
BC1754: Stars, Galaxies and hayden-planetarium/digital-universe
Cosmology

The scale of things….




Reduce the size of the solar system by a factor of
10 billion; the Sun is now the size of a large
grapefruit (14 cm diameter).



How big is Earth on this scale?

A.  an atom
B.  a ball point
C.  a marble
D.  a golf ball
Earth viewed by Voyager 1, 4 billion miles or
6.4 billion kilometers away





The scale of the solar system On the 1-to-10-billion scale, a few minutes to walk
to Neptune.



ü  On a 1-to-10- How far would you have to walk to reach Alpha
billion scale:
Centauri, one of the closest stars to the Sun?
ü  The Sun is the
size of a large
grapefruit (14 A.  1 mile
cm). B.  10 miles
ü  Earth is the
size of a ball C.  100 miles
point, 15 D.  the distance across the United States
meters away.
(2500 miles)

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Scale of the Solar System w/ Bill

Nye the Science Guy

ü http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=97Ob0xR0Ut8

How far into our Galaxy can we •  The Milky Way is one of about 100 billion galaxies.
see with our eyes? •  1011 stars/galaxy x 1011 galaxies = 1022 stars

There are as many stars as grains of (dry) sand on all Earth’s beaches.

How large is the Universe?

ü http://cds.cern.ch/record/1002700?ln=en
ü https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140112.html

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Some Basic Information…..

Professor Putman
Office: Pupin 1318 Reading
Office Hours: Mon. 11-12 in 1318 Pupin or email
ü Readings are noted in the Syllabus
to make another time
ü Book: 21st Century Astronomy: Stars and
Email: mep2157@columbia.edu (do not expect an
immediate response) Galaxies, Fifth or fourth edition, by Kay, Palen
& Blumenthal
All information is on Canvas.
ü Strongly recommended
Teaching Assistant: Aliya Babul
Office Hours: Tues. 4-5 after class in 514 Altschul
or email to make another time
Email: aliya.babul@columbia.edu
Who are you?

Lectures Grades
ü Focus on comprehension and key points ü 30% - Homework
ü Abbreviated lecture notes will be posted ü 5% - In-class
ü Regular in-class activities, ABCD questions (bring ü 20% - Exam 1 (Feb. 13)
this every day)
ü 20% - Exam 2 (March 27)
ü Sit in the front 2/3 of the classroom
ü 25% - Final Exam (TBD)
ü Laptop use is discouraged
No make-up exams. Let me know at least a month
ü Phones should be off
before if there is a problem with an exam date.
ü Start time is 2:40; come in the back if you are late
This class is typically not heavily curved. No extra
ü Don’t pack up until class is finished credit is planned.

Homework In-Class
ü  Will be made available on Canvas
ü  Assigned and due approximately every 1.5 weeks (~7 HWs)
ü In class activities every week (or two)
ü  Hand in at the beginning of class on the due date ü Question and ABCD card participation
ü  -5 points if handed in after class on the same day, -10 ü Most likely a weekly Exit Poll
points for each day late (max 6 days)
ü  Make sure you write up the HW on your own.
ü  Familiarize yourself with the Columbia Academic Integrity
Information: https://www.college.columbia.edu/academics/
academicintegrity

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Math and Units

Exams
ü Combination of short answer and
multiple choice
ü Not exactly cumulative, but the course
builds on itself (i.e., need to know earlier
material to understand later)
Basic high school math background required (algebra and geometry)
Metric system:
-  length: metric system: 1000 mm = 100 cm = 1 m 1000 m = 1 km
-  You are 1.5-2 m tall.
-  Manhattan is 21.5 x 3.7 kilometers (13.4 x 2.3 miles)
-  Distance to sun is 150 million km.
-  Wavelength of visible light: 500 nm = 500x10-9 m
Scientific notation
0.001= 10-3
Dist. to sun 150,000,000,000 m= 1.5x1011 m
Geometry and Proportional
Circle circumference, C = 2πr, or C α r

•  Look over Math Tools 1.1-1.2 and Appendix 1 in the

book
•  Come and talk to us if you need help

BC1754: 

Announcements Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology

ü Relevant readings are the first chapter ü What is a star?

ü If you have taken either UN1404 or UN1420
ü What is a galaxy?
you should not be in this course
ü Feel free to send me pictures or videos ü What is cosmology?
relevant to class
ü HW#1 is posted and will be due next Thursday
Jan. 25th at the beginning of class
ü Syllabus is subject to change

What is Cosmology?
What is Cosmology?
A.  Having wide international sophistication x Cosmopolitan
A.  Having wide international sophistication
B. The study of the origin and structure of the B.  The study of the origin and structure of the
universe universe
C. The study of treating the hair, nails, and skin xC.Cosmetology
The study of treating the hair, nails, and skin for
for aesthetic improvement aesthetic improvement
D. The study of objects and matter outside the xD.Astronomy
The study of objects and matter outside the
earth's atmosphere and of their physical and earth's atmosphere and of their physical and
chemical properties chemical properties