Central Coast Astronomical Society meeting: "The Moon and Mercury, the First Billion Years"

1110224-1220343
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/5480919190/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

California Polytechnic State University Physics Department professor Dr. John Keller gives a presentation on "The Moon and Mercury: The First Billion Years" at a monthly Central Coast Astronomical Society meeting held the United Methodist Church Wesley Building, San Luis Obispo, CA. Video by Cuesta College Physical Sciences Division instructor Dr. Patrick M. Len.

"Every time something smashes into something, there's less stuff around that can smash into something."
--John Keller, California Polytechnic State University Physics Department

110224-1220347
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/5480922318/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Lunar rock sample replicas on display at a monthly Central Coast Astronomical Society meeting held the United Methodist Church Wesley Building, San Luis Obispo, CA. Photo by Cuesta College Physical Sciences Division instructor Dr. Patrick M. Len. Photo by Cuesta College Physical Sciences Division instructor Dr. Patrick M. Len.

Cuesta College Bowen Observatory open house

110209-1220288-r
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/5445986711/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Waxing gibbous moon, photographed with a Panasonic Lumix LX-8 held up to a 40 mm eyepiece of a 14" Meade reflector, Bowen Observatory, Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA. Photo by Cuesta College Physical Sciences Division instructor Dr. Patrick M. Len.

Physics quiz archive: lenses, optical instruments

Physics 205B Quiz 2, Spring Semester 2011
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Section 30882, version 1

Section 30882 results

 0- 6 : 
 7-12 : 
13-18 : *  [low = 16]  
19-24 : ***  [mean = 23.8 +/- 3.8]
25-30 : ****    [high = 27]

Astronomy quiz archive: eclipses/history of astronomy

Astronomy 210 Quiz 2, Spring Semester 2011
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Section 30674, version 1

Section 30674

Quiz 2 opinion
Very difficult: *****
Difficult:      **********
Neutral:        **********
Easy:           *****
Very easy:      *

Quiz 2 results (max score = 40):
   0- 8.0 : *  [low = 8.0]
 8.5-16.0 : ****
16.5-24.0 : ****************
24.5-32.0 : *********  [mean = 25.7 +/- 8.3]
32.5-40.0 : ************  [high = 40.0]

Section 30676, version 1

Section 30676

Quiz 2 opinion
Very difficult: ****
Difficult:      *********************
Neutral:        ***********
Easy:           **
Very easy:      (0)

Quiz 2 results (max score = 40):
   0- 8.0 : **  [low = 0.5]
 8.5-16.0 : ************
16.5-24.0 : ********************  [mean = 20.2 +/- 7.9]
24.5-32.0 : *********
32.5-40.0 : ****  [high = 36.5]

Overheard: prograde/retrograde/diurnal planetary motion

Astronomy 210, Spring Semester 2011
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

(Overheard after a whole-class discussion following an in-class activity ("lecture-tutorial") on the relative motions of prograde/retrograde motions of planets with respect to the background stars, and motions of planets across the celestial sphere in a single night.)

Student (realizing that prograde/retrograde motion of planets is much slower than their diurnal motion over a single night after instructor's class-wide explanation): "I don't know if it's because I'm a genius or if you're just a good explainer, but I totally get it now."

(Beat.)

Instructor: "I'm willing to split the difference."

Student: "Fair enough."

Backwards faded scaffolding laboratory/presentation: student research question presentations

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/5428637944/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Student group presentations of backwards faded scaffolding (Tim Slater, Stephanie Slater, Daniel J. Lyons, Engaging in Astronomical Inquiry, W.H. Freeman & Company, New York, 2010) research questions on whiteboards. Astronomy 210L laboratory, Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA. Video by Cuesta College Physical Sciences Division instructor Dr. Patrick M. Len.

Physics quiz archive: electromagnetic waves, reflection/refraction

Physics 205B Quiz 1, Spring Semester 2011
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Section 30882, version 1

Section 30882 results

 0- 6 : 
 7-12 : 
13-18 : ***  [low = 15]
19-24 : **  [mean = 22.9 +/- 5.3]
25-30 : ***  [high = 30]

Astronomy current events question: Betelgeuse bubble

Astronomy 210L, Spring Semester 2011
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

The Canadian Press, "Betelgeuse Close-up Reveals Dying Star," July 30, 2009
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/07/30/betelgeuse-dying-telescope-star.html

The Very Large Telescope in Chile recently observed __________ the star Betelgeuse.
(A) a terrestrial planet with oceans orbiting.
(B) gas plumes and a bubble emerging from.
(C) dark matter being drawn in towards.
(D) the start of the gravitational collapse of.
(E) a companion black hole orbiting.

Correct answer: (B)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 3 students
(B) : 36 students
(C) : 3 students
(D) : 14 students
(E) : 3 students

Astronomy current events question: Gliese 581g eyeball?

Astronomy 210L, Spring Semester 2011
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

Rachel Courtland, "Is First Life-Friendly Exoplanet an 'Eyeball'?," January 13, 2011
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20927953.700-is-first-lifefriendly-exoplanet-an-eyeball.html

According to a University of Chicago researcher, the recently discovered exoplanet Gleise 581g may resemble an eyeball because:
(A) of its extremely dense, collapsed core.
(B) ice on the side facing its star would melt.
(C) its optical properties would focus light.
(D) its lopsided core protrudes above its surface.
(E) of a large impact crater centered on its north pole.

Correct answer: (B)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 12 students
(B) : 35 students
(C) : 5 students
(D) : 2 students
(E) : 4 students

Astronomy current events question: Stardust-NExT flyby of Tempel 1 comet

Astronomy 210L, Spring Semester 2011
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

Astronomy.com editors, "Stardust-NExT Spacecraft Prepares for Valentine's Day Comet Rendezvous," January 20, 2011
http://astronomy.com/en/News-Observing/News/2011/01/Stardust-NExT%20spacecraft%20prepares%20for%20Valentines%20Day%20comet%20rendezvous.aspx

NASA's Stardust-NExT spacecraft will pass by comet Tempel 1 in a few weeks, in an attempt to:
(A) pick up speed to escape from the solar system.
(B) detect the presence of organic chemicals.
(C) observe an impact crater created by an earlier space mission.
(D) plant demolition charges to make seismic measurements.
(E) nudge the comet away from a future collision with Earth.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 1 student
(B) : 27 students
(C) : 27 students
(D) : 2 students
(E) : 0 students

Overheard: Febtober

Astronomy 210L, Spring Semester 2011
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

(Overheard during a backwards faded scaffolding introductory astronomy laboratory on the motions of the sun on January 31, 2011.)

Student 1: "Could you take a look at our computer? It [the Heavens-above.com Astronomy > Whole sky chart webpage] is giving us error messages."

Instructor: "What's going on?"

Student 2: "If we put in today's date, we get the star map to load. [Inputs 01 31 2011; star map loads.] If we put in two months from now, we also get that star map to load. [Inputs 03 31 2011; star map loads.] But when we go back to just one month from now, we get an error message. [Inputs 02 31 2011; error message comes up.]"

Instructor: "There's your problem right there."

(Beat.)

Instructor: "How many days does February have?"

(Beat.)

Student 1: "What?"

(Beat.)

Student 2: "Oh."

Esprit d'escalier:
Instructor (using best Sean Connery voice): "Since next month has 31 days, it must be...Febtober."

Student 2: "Then would Jantember be when this month has only 30 days?"

Astronomy quiz archive: stars/sun/seasons/moon phases

Astronomy 210 Quiz 1, Spring Semester 2011
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Section 30674, version 1

Section 30674

Quiz 1 opinion
Very difficult: *****
Difficult:      ***********
Neutral:        ****************
Easy:           ****
Very easy:      *

Quiz 1 results (max score = 40):
   0- 8.0 : **  [low = 7.5]
 8.5-16.0 : ****
16.5-24.0 : *****************  [mean = 23.7 +/- 7.8]
24.5-32.0 : ***********
32.5-40.0 : ********  [high = 40.0]

Section 30676, version 1

Section 30676

Quiz 1 opinion
Very difficult: ****
Difficult:      ****************
Neutral:        *************
Easy:           ****
Very easy:      (0) 

Quiz 1 results (max score = 40):   0- 8.0 : 
 8.5-16.0 : ******  [low = 10.5]
16.5-24.0 : ****************
24.5-32.0 : ********************  [mean = 24.4 +/- 6.9]
32.5-40.0 : ********  [high = 36.5]