Prof. Robert Knop

Classes Taught at Vanderbilt Unviersity

Astronomy 102: Stars and Galaxies. An introductory astronomy course for anybody, whose only prerequisite is Math 133 or the equivalent (algebra & trigonometry). Through Summer, 2005, this class included a lab which uses 20 8" SCT telescopes at an observaing facility on the top of the 25th St. Garage. However, as of Fall, 2005, the lab portion of the course has been broken out into Astronomy 103.

Web pages from previous semesters I've taught this (warning: there will be some broken links inside these):

• Fall2006 (current semester)
• Summer 2006
• Summer 2005
• Fall 2004
• Fall 2003
• Spring 2003

Astronomy 103: Introductory Astronomy Lab. Currently being taught (Fall, 2006).

Web pages from previous semesters I've taught this:

• Fall 2006
• Summer 2006
• Fall 2005

Astronomy 250: Undergraduate Astronomy Seminar. A 1-unit course for anybody, and required for majors in Physics. The format of this course is different each time, but usually involves student presentations on a set of related topics. Last Taught Spring 2004.

Astronomy 253: Galactic Astrophysics; an upper division undergraduate course which covers the structure and evolution of galaxies. Last taught Spring 2004.

Astronomy 260: General Relativity and Cosmology. An upper-divison undergraduate introduction for to one of the two main theories that revolutionized Physics in the 20th century (the other, of course, being Quantum Mechanics). We will discuss the mathematics of describing kinematics in curved spacetime, introduce Einstein's field equations, and apply these to various situations such as stars and black holes, gravitational waves, and cosmology. To be taught Spring 2007.

Astronomy 311: Nebular Astrophysics; a course for graduate students in the Department of Physics & Astronomy. Last taught Fall, 2005.