AST 233: Astrodynamics
(Fall 2024)

Lecture notes, Recommended reading and Problems


Instructor: Alice Quillen, Bausch and Lomb Hall 424, Phone:275-9625, Email:alice.quillen at rochester.edu
Lectures: Mondays and Wednesdays 12:30am-1:45pm, in Bausch and Lomb 480
TA/TI: Matthew Wanink

Office hours: None officially, however I encourage students to drop by my office at any time. I am usually around between 9am and 5pm. To make sure I am available, send me a note, suggesting some good times that you are free, to arrange a meeting time in advance.
Credit Hour Policy This course follows the College credit hour policy for four-credit courses. This course meets twice weekly for 2.5 academic hours per week. The course also includes some recitations and workshops and independent out-of-class assignments.
Overview: We will explore topics in the dynamics of astronomical objects such as satellites, moons, asteroids, comets, planetesimals, dust, exoplanets, stars, star clusters and galaxies. We will use a variety of techniques including an order of magnitude approach, numerical integrations and non-linear dynamics and chaos theory.
Class Website http://astro.pas.rochester.edu/~aquillen/ast233/
Course materials are posted on this website, not on blackboard.
Prerequisities: The class is intended for undergraduate juniors and seniors with a general physics background and some familiarity with mechanics and astronomy.

Topics
Course requirements: Grading: problem sets 55%, projects 35%, exams (none), class participation 10%.

Collaboration policy: Collaboration is encouraged. However, problem set solutions and the projects must be written alone by each individual in their own words. It is not acceptable to copy problem solutions or parts of a project.

Textbooks and Reading:
Some reading will be uploaded in pdf form to a site that will be given in blackboard or/and class. Actual books will be on reserve at the POA.