Online reading assignment question: interesting Midterm 1 astronomy topics

Astronomy 210 Reading Assignment 7, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

120311-interestingwordle
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/6973309449/
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/4989847/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
eclipses, orbits, constellations
moonphases
telescopes, moon ellipses.
starwheel, history, moonphases
prograde retrograde
science, lightpollution, revolution
precession, absolutemagnitude, moonphases
starwheel, moonphases, telescopes
cool fun new
zodiac, gammarays, lightgatheringpower
starwheel, sun, history
precession, moonphases, turbulence
stars, moon, times
telescopes, penumbra, starwheel
moonphases, starwheel, history
stars, moon, history
epic, surprising, outofthisworld
eclipses, prograde retrograde, moonphases
stars, moon telescopes
photosphere chromosphere sunspots
zodiac Ptolemy eclipses
moonphases, eclipses, sun
moonphases, eclipses, constellations
stardistances, knowledge, lookbacktime
fascinating, boring, interesting
stars rotations tides.
blackbody radiation, telescopes
orbits sun telescopes
rotation, revolution, precession
moonphases, telescopepowers, starlocations
starwheel, absorption, lightpollution
moonphases, starwheel, scientists
moonphases, rise set, telescopepowers
retrograde planets
planets, tilt, revolution
video, misosoup, telescopes.
planets motion, moonphases, telescopes
granules, misosoup, retrograde
beautiful, simple, applicability
moon, star, gravity
moonphases, starwheel stars
stars, moon, misosoup
eclipses, moonphases, zodiac
constellations, rotation, moonphases
moonphases, constellations, telescopes
eclipses, moonphases, solarflares
light, adaptiveoptics, moonphases
solstice, retrograde, magnifyingpower
inspiring, interesting, easy
moon planets stars
precession, chainsofinference
moon, history, light
rays, telescopes, cycles
quantumleaps, transparency, HRdiagram

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.

"Temperatures of stars, because I always wondered what colors corresponded to what temperatures."

"Phases of the Moon because it is something that we can see each night. If you have the knowledge and the understanding you will be able to give an explanation."

"I thought learning about different electromagnetic radiation was interesting because there is only a small about of wavelengths we can see."

"moon phases"

"the teleoscopes and how companies built them to fit the best situtions"

"Light Pollution"

"Precession is the most interesting concept that will be on this midterm, i find it interesting that the stars we see today rotate their relative position in the sky every 26k years."

"Learning about moon phases because now I can actually look at the moon and tell what phase it is and I'm more aware of the moon now."

"finding out that the moon isnt a planet"

"learning about revolution and the constellations. its interesting because now i know im not really aries but pisces."

"I enjoyed learning about the astronomers!!"

"Turbulence, because I was always curious to know why stars twinkle."

"The moon phases and when the moon will be in which position, sorta caught my attention."

"Star wheels! They are straight up awesome!"

"I liked learning about the phases of the moon and even though I don't have the hang ofit, I'll probably still practice it outside of this class."

"So far the moons are the most interesting subject to me. I like learning about the different phases and and figuring out what time they rise and set."

"The moon because its cool being able to look at it and actually know stuff."

"How the stars move across the sky. I really enjoy seeing which stars are visible at certain times and dates throughout the year."

"Not sure if it's the most interesting but the moon is one subject that sticks out to me. For example, whenever I see the moon, I now know what phase it is in."

"Electro magnetic radiation was interesting for me because it is simple and complicated at the same time."

"kepler's laws, interesting how he took information and came up with accurate ways of how things are without modern technology."

"I like the fact I can predict different moon cycles now! SO DOPE!"

"The most interesting subject for me was learning about the solar and lunar eclipses. I've never seen either of those so it was interesting to learn all the different aspects of both types of eclipses"

"How many galaxies there are, because its fascinating to think there might be other people."

"Phases of the moon because we have so many"

"Using the starfinder, because it's neat to find different stars and see how they change."

"star sizes/temp/luminosity, because i wanted to learn about stars most going into the class."

"i think it is the orbits of everything. it is interesting because it is very hard to understand. with all the gravity and other important causes!"

"Retrograde and prograde of planets is interesting because the way we see them compared to the background stars is really quite interesting."

"Star locations--it's an intriguing study."

"I don't really have a most interesting subject so far in this class but i believe that i will."

"The star wheel and the stars location in the sky. I found it interesting because it is useful."

"Telescope powers because it let me identify how good a telescope was."

"the astronomers, i'm interested in history"

"It was interesting that the time frame for zodiac signs shifted over the past thousand years."

"It was all interesting to me."

"Most interesting is learning about the planetary and moon motions and phases. I find it extremely relevant for all humans to understand this basic knowledge about where we live."

"The differences in temperature and distance of stars. Its cool to see what astrologists can figure out"

"the moon setting/rising/phases. I just get it because i can draw out an understandable diagram. and i find myself always naming what moon phase it is to my boyfriend when we are out at night."

"star size"

"I really like learning about the moon. It is something we see almost every night and understanding that the moon is related to months and other stuff makes it seem very relevant."

"the star formations"

"Eclipses were very interesting to me because I have seen one or two before and never understood how they worked. When we discussed them, understanding how and why they happen was very exciting and interesting to learn."

"I am most interested in the constellations."

"So far I've liked telescopes the best because I've been able to understand them the most"

"Telescopes, because you dont get to see jupiter everyday...."

"Now when I see the moon, I understand where it is in its orbit and can figure out when it will be highest overhead."

"The most interesting subject covered on this midterm is Newton's laws and how the cannon model works"

"I really liked when we talked about revolution and rotation. My neighbor is in SEAL sniper school and hes talked to me about all the elements that come into play when judging a shot. One of those elements being rotation when taking extremely long shots.
depths of space its cool how far it is"

"three interesting subjects that i learned for the midterm might not be the most intresting or important but precession the way the earth revolves around the sun, and photon energy levels moving up and down energy levels."

"i liked this history of the astronomers because i like that history is tangible and interesting"

"The most interesting subject covered in this midterm would have to be the cycles of moon phases. Interesting because no matter where you are during night, you are able to identify what stage/phase the moon is in."

"I thought it was interesting how different types of the light spectra make it through and how some do not."