School: Science

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Astronomy
  • Unit Code

    SCI2123
  • Year

    2025
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    2
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    A/Prof Steven HINCKLEY

Description

This unit provides students with an introduction to some of the major concepts in astronomy. The unit includes the origin and nature of stars and the solar system and the use of telescopes for observing and photographing features of the night sky.

Non Standard Timetable Requirements

Students will be expected to participate in external observing sessions, which may occur after hours; e.g. in the late evening/early morning.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded QST0030

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Describe the general structure of the Universe and the Solar System, incorporating diverse perspectives.
  2. Explain the major theories of the formation and evolution of planets and stars.
  3. Competently handle a range of astronomical equipment and software used to photograph and process images of celestial objects.

Unit Content

  1. The Universe: The constituents of matter and energy. The components of galaxies, stars, solar systems, interstellar molecules, and cosmic rays. Distances of astronomical unit, parsec, and light year.
  2. Gravity and Motion: Newtons' Laws of Motion, Law of Universal Gravitation. Kepler's Laws of Elliptical Motion.
  3. Light: Sources of light in astronomy - broadband and characteristic; absorption spectra and stellar composition. The Doppler effect; red-shift and blue-shift.
  4. Astronomical Instruments: Refracting telescopes. Reflecting telescopes of prime, Newtonian Cassegrain and Coude focus designs. Schmit telescope. Equatorial and altazimuth telescope mountings. Functions and features of radio telescopes.
  5. The Solar System: Formation of Solar System, orbits of planets, planetary periods, composition of planets, atmospheres, and natural satellites. Meteorites, meteors, asteroids, and comets.
  6. Planets: Detailed descriptions of Mercury and Mars as examples of terrestrial planets, and Jupiter and Saturn as examples of Jovian planets. ExoPlanets.
  7. ExoPlanets
  8. Sun: Structure of the sun, and the physical properties of the structural regions. Surface features of sun spots, flares and prominences. Rotational period of sun.
  9. Stellar Evolution: Luminosity and surface temperatures of stars. Apparent and absolute magnitudes. Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. Evolution of star from a nebula to a black hole.
  10. Galaxies: Hubble classification of galaxies. Detailed description of the Milky Way Galaxy. Galactic evolution.
  11. Cosmology: Recession of the galaxies. Models of universe by Big Bang, Steady State, and Oscillating Universe theories. Tests for models of universe. Problem of red shift.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures, tutorials, laboratory work, field trips.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Due to the professional competency skill development associated with this Unit, student attendance/participation within listed in-class activities and/or online activities including discussion boards is compulsory. Students failing to meet participation standards as outlined in the unit information may be awarded an I Grade (Fail - incomplete). Students who are unable to meet this requirement for medical or other reasons must seek the approval of the unit coordinator.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Portfolio ^Portfolio of astrophotography and laboratory activities.40%
AssignmentA set of assignments (up to 4 quizzes).20%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination40%

^ Mandatory to Pass


Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

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