Online reading assignment question: interesting Midterm 1 astronomy topics

Astronomy 210 Reading Assignment 7, Spring Semester 2011
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

110316-interestingwordle
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/5532854215/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Wordle.net tag cloud for interesting topics covered in Midterm 1, generated by responses from Astronomy 210 students at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA (http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/3315149/Untitled).

Students have a weekly online reading assignment (hosted by SurveyMonkey.com), where they answer questions based on reading their textbook, material covered in previous lectures, opinion questions, and/or asking (anonymous) questions or making (anonymous) comments. Full credit is given for completing the online reading assignment before next week's lecture, regardless if whether their answers are correct/incorrect. Selected results/questions/comments are addressed by the instructor at the start of the following lecture.

List at least three words describing interesting subjects covered in class (up through this midterm). (Graded for completion.)

[Responses have been edited to consolidate related common subjects.]

Student responses
Sections 30674, 30676

telescopes, moonphases moonrise, moonset, planetfinding
moonphases electromagneticradiation
stars, Sun, telescopes
eclipses
stars Moon telescope
eclipses, sunalogies identification
interesting, notconfusing easy
Moon Sun
planets, stars, moonphases
telescopes, moonphases, starwheel
moonphases
moonphases, eclipses, telescopes
Sun, quantummechanics, telescopes
Keplerslaws
starwheel
starwheel horoscopes stars
astronomers moonphases spectra
moonphases starpositions stellarstructure
planets, moonphases, starwheel
moonphases, electromagneticradiation, Sun
moonphases and moonset moonrise
hot, farout, bright
thoughtproducing, amazing, descriptive
fascinating, fun exciting
Moon, Earth planets, stars
quantummechanics, corona :)
moonphases, enjoyable applicable
moonphases, motions cycles, stars
orbit astronomers telescopes
moonphases, spectra, eclipses
telescopes, moonrise, moonset
moonphases, planets, umbra
eclipses, electromagneticradiation, chromosphere
Idontknow
Moon, electromagneticradiation, telescopes
Confusing, contradictory, wonderful
moonphases, eclipses, planets
telescopes, moonphases, Astronomers
misosoup, Tychosnose, drinkinglavalamps
terminator
new interesting difficult
moonphases, zodiac, stars
astronomers zodiac constellations sunrise sunset seasons
everything
sunspots Keplerslaws planetarymotion
moonphases eclipses
Sun, Moon, Earth
moonphases, sunalogies, Bowenobservatoryvisit
astronomers, galaxy, distance
easy, straightforward, understandable
Moon stars Mars
Sun, stars gravity
Sun eclipses stars
photosphere, chromosphere, corona
stars apparentmagnitude absolutemagnitude
telescopes, moonphases, eclipses
moonphases history astronomers electromagneticradiation
eclipses waning gibbous starwheel
moonphases, astrology Sun
spectra Moon Sun
new, different, exciting
electromagneticradiation Sun

Describe your most interesting subject, and briefly explain why this subject interested you. (Graded for completion.)

The following are all of the student responses to this question, verbatim and unedited.

It was interesting to learn about the moon phases because it was something new."

"The most interesting subject that was covered in the midterm was the moon phases, because it is so cool on how to the the times of the moon and the phases they are in."

"I like the stuff with the starwheel and the way the stars move."

"I enjoyed learning about the eclipses because I was able to China and see a total eclipse (even though it was clouded out I still have 5 minutes shadow time) and I hope to go to Australia in 2012 to witness another one."

"how we can measure how far away stars are because i just dont understand how that is possible"

"the spectrum of light graph because its economically interesting."

"The most interesting subject for me was the moon phases. i seem to be able to do those fairly easily."

"being able to use the star wheel. i thinks its interesting because its cool to look up at the sky during night and see all the stars, and now that i can look them up on the star wheel makes it even better."

"stars because its interesting how they all look different."

"I liked learning about telescope powers because I can see this being applicable to a real life situation: buying a telescope either for myself or as a gift."

"The different moon phases. I didn't realize before how the changed phases and the different phases being highest overhead at different times of month."

"Eclipses were very interesting."

"The different types and properties of electromagnetic radiation. I found how different wavelengths had different properties interesting."

"the car horn changing pitch, didnt expect that waves could work in that sense.."

"Finding out that the zodiac sighs are wrong when you look on wikipedia"

"My favorite topic we have covered so far is moon phases. Although they may be confusing, I like that I can apply the information"

"I have learned from this class to my everyday life. Whenever I see the moon outside I try to identify what phase it is in."

"Spectrums were what I found interesting since it's like fitting a puzzle together, you need all the pieces down to find out you're missing one."

"Moon phases are most interesting to me because I like being able to determine the next phase of the moon"

"Moon Phases. I find it really easy to determine what phase the moon is when it's rising, setting or at its highest point."

"The Sun, I was able to comprehend the differently layers and how to identify them."

"It's easy if you just remember the times and where all the phases are."

"HOT!!! self explanatory."

"The moon phases are interesting because i never really knew all of them."

"The Sun ; There was more information about the Sun that I did not know about as well adding on to what I already know."

"I liked learning about the Moon because I have always wondered about the different phases."

"Eclipses, they're pretty sick."

"i liked learning about how and why the seasons change. it's cool to know this information so you can sound like an arrogant know it all when discussing the weather with your friends."

"I'd have to say that would be stuff about stars because I'm learning a lot of stuff I never knew."

"i liked the theories of orbit and the cannonball because although it was hundreds of years ago, the relativity still makes sense"

"The types of wavelengths that can be gathered by certain levels in elevation. It's an interesting concept to think that electromagnetic radiation is both a wave and particle."

"The most interesting subject for me was the moon rise and set times. It's pretty interesting that they know exactly when the moon will rise and set even years from now."

"I thought the section on eclipses was really interesting, even though I still don't fully understand it, but I'm about to study so hopefully I will by Wednesday!"

"The sun"

"I dont know"

"Light and how the different types of light/ color affect the hotness or coldness of the stars"

"I liked learning about the different astronomers and their past's because I enjoy history."

"I like the moon phasing and setting because I understand that."

"I have enjoyed figuring out what phase the moon is in at different times of the day. I also like learning about how people discover new ideas- like figuring out that the sun, not the earth, is the center of our solar system."

"Starwheels are fun, and if I am ever lost I can now find my way to the North Pole, unless it is daytime and hadn't smoked something."

"retrograde motion because of its unusual occurance"

"phases of the moon because I have never known but have always wanted to before this class."

"Moon phases, I like it because I can use it in every day life. I love looking up in the skye and knowing what phase it is in."

"Moon phases"

"I think the different models by astronomers is the most interesting because it is interesting to see the different theories and how they are similar or different"

"There is too many to pick ."

"sound waves. it was interesting to learn about where you need to be to hear certain sound waves."

"The sun's various layers. Taking an object one see's on a daily basis and breaking it down to its actual elements was pretty cool."

"i have enjoyed learning about the different phases of the moon and what phase it's in when it is highest overhead."

"I think that eclipses are very interesting. I never knew you could actually see them."

"Planets arrangements, i always thought planets were interesting and always wanted to look at them through a telescope"

"Idk"

"mars and the elipses that the planets travel in"

"i dont know"

"Kirchoff's Laws; it was easy for me to grasp and I also find it very interesting to think that it is happening in the sun and everyday life"

"Absolute and apparent magnitude, I like it because I can apply it to what I see in the sky."

"the different types of eclipses and how rare some types are."

"I enjoyed the section on the historical Astronomers (chp. 3) because I really enjoy history of any nature."

"The chapter on the scientists and laws was interesting considering they discovered things without technology."

"So far the most interesting thing I have learned about has been the starwheel because I like stars"

"Most interesting subject I'm interested in is eclipses because of it's unique picture and of it's rarity."

"I don't know that I can pick just one; everything has been pretty interesting so far."

"the twinkling effect"