PHYSICS 105 (ASTROPHYSICS) IMPORTANT STUFF  (2004)
TEACHER INFO  John Kolena

Office: room 140A        hours: Thursday 4:15 - 5:30  pm,  
most Sundays, & other times by appointment

telephone:     660-2509 (Duke);    416-2767 (NCSSM) 

e-mail: kolena@phy.duke.edu 
(if a rapid response is needed: kolena@neverland.ncssm.edu)
READINGS Introductory Astronomy and Astrophysics, 4th edition 
by Zeilik  and  Gregory

readings from current journals and science magazines & the web

course home page: http://www.phy.duke.edu/~kolena/astro2004.html
WRITINGS The portion of your grade based on written work is determined by: 

homework     30%      due once per non-test week; lowest homework 
                                            score will be dropped at semester's end 

jit answers    10%      just-in-time answers submitted over the web; 
                                          posted roughly once per week; due by 9 am 
                                          of the next class day; 
                                        (7 over the course of the semester); 
                                        
tests (2)         20% ea  (the 1st in mid- or late-February; 2nd in April) 

final exam     20%     on the assigned finals day

In truth, homework and tests do not solely determine your class grade. Unlike 

some/many/? other advanced physics classes, I hope that much of the class 
will be a "conversation" between you and me.  I will ask you questions, and 
I will expect you to do the same and to interact with me and the other 
students.  I want you to know that up front. The bottom line is that things like 
your contributions to helping to keep class interesting, your intellectual 
curiosity, keeping up with the text reading, etc. counts some small portion of 
your final grade.  This is especially relevant if your grade is near a borderline.
TELESCOPES Some new 8-inch telescopes have recently been purchased by the 
Physics department  for celestial viewing in Duke Forest. 
Hopefully we will get a chance to use them. Days and times at which 
"observing" happens will be announced in class.