The midterm essay exam addresses the following topics.  You will be expected to answer 4 essay questions - one from each of the four groups below.  Each will be worth 20 points. You can CHOOSE which of the questions you answer in each of the first three groups.  Answers should be at least two long paragraphs on each topic.  Answers that include outside resources must include appropriate citations - copied material without citation from other sources is not acceptable.  We'll review each topic in detail in our class, and lecture notes as well as online homework resources will help you prepare.  It is worth 80 points.

The Sky & Our Moon:

• Question 1: How does the sky seem to change over the day, month, and year? Why?
   
• Question 2: What causes seasons? Explain thoroughly why summer occurs for the northern hemisphere in June, July, and August.
   

  ---

The History of Astronomy:

• Question 3: What did Galileo see with his telescope? Why were his observations so important?   And whatare Kepler's Laws. Where do they apply?
   
• Question 4: What were the similarities and differences of the geocentric and heliocentric theories of our solar system? How did each explain retrograde motion?
  
   

  ---

The Physics of Astronomy:

The Observations of Astronomy:

• Question 7: What are the functions of a telescope? Where are telescopes placed to observe in various regions of the spectrum?  Why?
   

The final essay exam addresses the following topics.  You will be expected to answer 5 essay questions - one from each of the four groups below (worth 20 points), AND one final question on the process of science (worth 40 points).  You can CHOOSE which of the questions you answer in each group.  Answers should be at least two long paragraphs on each topic.  We'll review each topic in detail in our class, and lecture notes as well as online homework resources will help you prepare.  This part of the final is worth 120 points.  Remember that a constellation quiz will precede the final essay exam.

The Solar System

The Inner Planets

The Outer Planets

The Sun & Search for Life in Space

This question is one EVERYONE must answer.  And it will be worth twice the credit of any of the other questions you attempt.

• Question 11: How does the process of science work? What are its typical steps?  What distinguishes "good science" from "bad science"? Illustrate your answer with multiple astronomical examples from the class. (This question is not from the text directly--you'll need to synthesize an answer from reading and class discussion.)