Astronomy 27: Field Astronomy at Pinnacles National Park

Syllabus - Spring '24

Post Trip Pictures

PowerPoint on Solar System Formation and Other Solar Systems Around Other Stars

General Information

We're going to Laguna Mountain and Pinnacles National Park! This will be a fun and educational course which will get you hip-deep in astronomy. This is a weekend course on general astronomy by direct observation. Upon completion, you'll have earned 1 unit of astronomy credit. Maps and details will be given out at the pre-trip on-campus session. We have a pre-trip on campus meeting on Thur eve Mar 21 6-8pm in room 705. We'll do logistics (food, carpooling, signing liability waivers), lecture on origin of solar system/stars in the planetarium, followed by planetarium session. I'll also have maps and any further instructions for arrival.

Schedule:

Mar 21- Pre-Trip Meeting
6pm- about 8pm: Meet in room 705 (or 806 if 705 is in use), for the pre-trip meeting. Here, we'll help you arrange carpools, pass out maps, sign liability waivers, and have a planetarium show on star formation and solar system formation. Your course grade will include in part, your participation in all meetings of this course, so don't skip this, please.

Fri Apr 5
* 5pm - Meet at the Laguna Mtn campground. We should be on the little hilltop to the right of the bathroom at the top of the camp acess road. I'll have maps.

* 6:30pm - lectures around the campfire or at the telescopes depending on the weather, photography of the sunset.

* 8:00pm - 11:30pm : Telescopic explorations of the sky, last views of the winter Milky Way objects of Orion, Gemini and Perseus before they set in the west. Around-the-telescope micro-lectures on star formation, structure of the Milky Way Galaxy, stellar classifications and the relation of color to surface temperature. We'll have some big scopes for you to enjoy, and big binoculars when Karl shows up. We'll also have laser-pointing of key objects. A key highlight of observing will be Comet Pons-Brooks, low in the west to the right of Jupiter. We'll bring binoculars to enjoy, and telescopes of course. We may have photographers try and get shots too, setting over the distant mountains. We have excellent western horizons at our camp.

Comet Pons-Brooks

This bright comet may be as bright as 5th magnitude, nicely visible in binoculars with a tail pointing straight up. It is known for frequent outbursts with jumps in brightness and tail structure.

Sat - Apr 6
8am - Breakfast. My famous French Crepes!

9:45am - Micro-lecture on the sun and solar cycles, using Kirk's 12" scope and/or the 8SE scope I'll bring, and solar filter for examining the sun here during the rise towards Solar Maximum. We'll talk about the solar eclipse happening on this coming Monday.

10:30am - Start our hike to Laguna Falls, a 5 mile round trip from Laguna Mtn camp, with great views of "the Gorge" and a big swimming hole under the Falls to enjoy once we arrive. Micro-lectures along the way, on the origin of the chemical elements in stars, and the make-up of the crust of the inner planets, the moon, and our atmosphere. We'll compare the landscapes of Earth and Mars, both of which have been subjected to water in their history. Bring some swim-worthy clothes!

3:30pm - Approximate return time. Free time till we prep for dinner at 6pm. there's a second hike option along a dirt trail to beneath 4,400 ft Laguna Mountain if desired. More micro-lectures on astronomy topics along the way.

6:00pm - Dinner (Asian Rice a'la Nolthenius) and clean-up, getting the telescopes re-set up and deployed. Demo of telescope use and telescope types.

7:40pm - Twilight, sunset pictures, evening comet and Jupiter to enjoy. Enjoy and micro-lecture on the Zodiacal Light as soon as it gets dark.

9pm-11:30pm - Telescopic inspections of Galaxies, the first large globular clusters of the Spring sky, binary stars, and other wonders, all accompanied by my traditional "micro-lectures" of what you're seeing.

Sun - Apr 7

* 7:00am - up early, get breakfast going. and pack up quickly.

* 8:45am - Head out, drive north about 50 minutes, to arrive at Pinnacles National Park. Here, we'll do either the Balconies Caves hike, or the Bear Gulch Caves hike. I'll discuss volcanism in the solar system: Ancient volcanism on Mars, ongoing volcanism on Venus, and contrast with the Earth, and a brief history of Pinnacles National Park as an ancient volcano. I'll give another micro-lecture at the far side of the caves, at the Reservoir, and that will end the formal part of the course. We can chat further on the hike back down to the shuttle and out to our vehicles at the parking lot. At that point, you can fill the remainder of your day as you please! The final exam will be on Canvas and due at the end of April.

Links to the PDF's for select PowerPoints:

"Oumuamua: What IS it?" (you can also go to the Astro 5 website to find this link)

Campers Checklist:
- sleeping bag
- tent (there are wild boar to watch out for)
- camp food (keep it in the car unless you're eating it!)
- cooking gear
- warm clothes (It has sometimes dropped below freezing before dawn)
- sunscreen, Ray-bans
- binoculars or telescope would be nice if you have them
- field notebook
- daypack for the geology day hikes.
- lawn chair for relaxing/ listening to the lectures

* The campsite is accessible by car so you do not need backpacks. It has restrooms, but you'll need to bring your own water for drinking. I'll bring water for cooking and cleanup around the camp kitchen.
* The trip will go, rain or shine. If it's raining, bring rain gear.

 * This is an officially sponsored Cabrillo course and the instructors and the College can get in a lot of trouble if anybody does anything dumb. So....leave your automatic weapons, rifles, alcohol, and recreational drugs home for this one! Anyone caught with alcohol or drugs risks getting an automatic "F".

* Supplementary reading: "The Cosmic Perspective" by Jeffrey Bennett et al. Read the following chapters... You can buy cheap older versions on Amazon or other sites for just a few dollars. I'd recommend doing so.

Chapter 6 - Telescopes
Chapter 15 - Surveying the Stars
Chapter 16 - Star Formation
Chapter 17,18 - Stellar Evolution and the Stellar Graveyard
Chapter 19 - The Milky Way Galaxy
Chapter 20, 21 - Galaxies and their Evolution
Chapter 22 - Dark Matter
Chapter 23 - Cosmology and the Origin of the Universe
Chapter 24 - Life and the Universe

This book is on reserve in the library. Please pay special attention to the sections on stars and galaxies and cosmology, towards the end of the book. Try and do your reading before our trip, so you can ask impressive questions around the telescopes! * Your grade will be based on your curiosity and participation at all sessions, and on a Canvas-based, open book final exam. 30% of your grade will be based on the level of your full participation at all sessions - including the planetarium lecture, and at the telescopes on weekend mornings and evenings. Make sure you have whatever warm clothes you need when the sessions start. You're expected to study each telescopic object and answer any questions posed by the instructor. This class is short-term and full participation is important. 70% of your grade will be based on the Canvas final exam. The grading scale for the final exam is:

A = 80% or above
B = 70%
C = 60% (or Pass)
D = 50%
F = less than 50%

Student Learner Outcomes

1. Describe the motion of stars and planets caused both by daily and orbital motions.
2. Diagram the life history of stars from birth to death, and describe examples of each in the telescope.
3. Relate the chemical composition of the Earth's crust to the nuclear fusion processes in stars.
4. Trace the source of major geologic activities to processes present during planetary formation, and explain examples seen in the field.
5. Examine the broad outlines of the evolution of the universe as a whole, and theories of the origin of the universe.

Students needing accomodations:
Students needing accommodations should inform the instructor. As required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), accommodations are provided to insure equal access for students with verified disabilities. To determine if you qualify or need assistance with an accommodation, please contact ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORT CENTER (Formerly DSPS), Room 1073, (831) 479-6379.There will be more handouts, help with car pooling, and details on where we will be staying, etc. at the pre-trip session. Please note that these are required attendance. I look forward to seeing you!