Introduction to the Universe
An Introduction to the Universe Our universe comprises billions of galaxies in a rapidly expanding fabric. How did it begin? Will it expand forever, or how may it end? How do the stars that compose the galaxies evolve from their births in clouds of gas, through the tranquility of middle age, to their often violent deaths? How can scientists even hope to answer such cosmic questions from our vantage point on a small planet, orbiting a very ordinary star? Are there other planets, orbiting other stars, where intelligent beings may be pondering similar issues? This introductory astronomy course, designed for nonscience majors, will explore these and other questions. Students will also become familiar with the night sky, both as part of our natural environment and as a scientific resource, through independent observations and sessions at the College Observatory. The approach requires no college-level mathematics, but students should expect to do quantitative calculations using scientific notation and occasionally to use elementary high-school algebra.
An Introduction to the Universe Our universe comprises billions of galaxies in a rapidly expanding fabric. How did it begin? Will it expand forever, or how may it end? How do the stars that compose the galaxies evolve from their births in clouds of gas, through the tranquility of middle age, to their often violent deaths? How can scientists even hope to answer such cosmic questions from our vantage point on a small planet, orbiting a very ordinary star? Are there other planets, orbiting other stars, where intelligent beings may be pondering similar issues? This introductory astronomy course, d …Read more
I loved this class. This class was my first science class at Middlebury and professor Brumback made the course material fun and engaging. I had never taken an astrophysics class before, and the professor was extremely good at making the math concepts easy to understand and less daunting. I highly recommend this class to anyone who is not intending on majoring in physics and are just interested in the topic of outer space.
I loved this class. This class was my first science class at Middlebury and professor Brumback made the course material fun and engaging. I had never taken an astrophysics class before, and the professor was extremely good at making the math concepts easy to understand and less daunting. I highly recommend this class to anyone who is …Read more
Professor Brumback is a fun professor that makes the math and physics of the universe seem not so daunting. The class is homework and exam based, all take home but continuous to in-class problems, so it all flows together. Her lab was the first of mine on campus and I found it interesting and most times engaging, especially when using equipment. This class also allows students to observe and take photos of the stars and other stellar objects up at the Mittelman Observatory, one of the best perks of the class. If you need a quick distribution credit for DED and/or SCI, I can't point to this one more than enough.
Professor Brumback is a fun professor that makes the math and physics of the universe seem not so daunting. The class is homework and exam based, all take home but continuous to in-class problems, so it all flows together. Her lab was the first of mine on campus and I found it interesting and most times engaging, especially when usin …Read more
This course is way much easier than I expected. It feels like it's completely designed for those to fulfill the distribution. You don't need to have any prior knowledge about physics and maths. Most of the homework and quizzes are very easy. The lab is relatively intense though, but since it's collaborative work so it does not have much pressure too. Professor Brumback is a humorous and patient teacher, the lectures and labs are always in a chill and helpful vibe. So if you wanna try some physics and this is your first time, this course is definitely your best choice!
This course is way much easier than I expected. It feels like it's completely designed for those to fulfill the distribution. You don't need to have any prior knowledge about physics and maths. Most of the homework and quizzes are very easy. The lab is relatively intense though, but since it's collaborative work so it does not have m …Read more
I love this class, super fun and maybe the most interesting class I've ever taken. You learn about anything that you could think of in space. The math is all algebra with none of it being too intense, mostly just plugging numbers into formulas. 100% recommend!
Professor Brumback is extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the material. I am taking this course as a freshman (intended non-STEM major), and it has been a great experience so far. I do attend TA hours every week for homework help, which have been super useful, but I know people who do well in the class without putting in as much time/effort. I haven't loved all of the labs, but I enjoy the course material and the homework isn't too difficult.
Professor Brumback is extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the material. I am taking this course as a freshman (intended non-STEM major), and it has been a great experience so far. I do attend TA hours every week for homework help, which have been super useful, but I know people who do well in the class without putting in a …Read more
The teacher was very enthusiastic about her field of work and had a lot to say. I don't plan on being a science major, and this was an exciting course. The one downside is that you have a 3-hour long lab each week, where you have a massive packet to fill out. Overall not a difficult class and really cool to learn about.
Professor Brumback is one of the more enthusiastic professors I've ever had the pleasure of taking a class with. She starts off every class with current news of what's going on in astrophysics, and it's so cool to get tangible answers to so many big questions. This course is very well structured, and as long as you stay on top of the weekly homeworks and show up to lab, you won't have any trouble doing well.
Professor Brumback is one of the more enthusiastic professors I've ever had the pleasure of taking a class with. She starts off every class with current news of what's going on in astrophysics, and it's so cool to get tangible answers to so many big questions. This course is very well structured, and as long as you stay on top of the …Read more
Professor Brumback is awesome! She is very passionate about astronomy and is also accommodating; if you need extra help, it is easy to set up a meeting with her. This is a great introductory astronomy class and is approachable even if you haven't taken physics before. The workload is very manageable (one homework assignment every week, quizzes every other week, and lab every week) and the lectures are never boring. I feel like I have learned a lot and am glad I took this class.
Professor Brumback is awesome! She is very passionate about astronomy and is also accommodating; if you need extra help, it is easy to set up a meeting with her. This is a great introductory astronomy class and is approachable even if you haven't taken physics before. The workload is very manageable (one homework assignment every wee …Read more
This class is entirely lecture, with labs consisting of packet work done in pairs or solo. The material is very interesting and Prof. Brumback is clearly very enthusiastic about everything covered in the course. Outside of class, a single homework assignment due every monday and a take-home quiz every other week make for a very reasonable course work. Not very math-intensive.
Professor Glikman is very enthusiastic about this class. The class is 100% lecture, with no discussion. She spends most of the class writing on the board, but we do occasional practice problems in the tutorials book. This class is pretty easy, and is definitely intended for freshmen/sophomores. As an upperclassman, this class was an easy somewhat-interesting class.
As someone who had always been interested in fun space facts, this class was incredibly interesting. Eilat is extremely passionate about the subject, and it makes the class all the more interesting. The workload is not bad at all, one problem set a week, biweekly quizzes, one incredibly easy "project", and a final. Highly recommend this class, especially to non-physic majors and non-stemy people
As someone who had always been interested in fun space facts, this class was incredibly interesting. Eilat is extremely passionate about the subject, and it makes the class all the more interesting. The workload is not bad at all, one problem set a week, biweekly quizzes, one incredibly easy "project", and a final. Highly recommend t …Read more
Amazing teacher! She is super nice and accommodating. She knows what she is talking about and is a good lecturer. Most of the work in the class is continuous HW and quizzes every other week with lab every week.
This was an exciting class that I took on a whim. I found the lectures sometimes boring, as they came quite early in my day and I couldn't always stay awake, but she was quite helpful if you asked questions. I received the grade I deserved
Professor Glikman has endless passion and enthusiasm for the universe. This is a non-major course that is not math or physics heavy, so if you are somewhat interested in anything beyond planet Earth, this (or 255 if you are in Physics) is a must-take. Basic concepts like Newton's Laws are also mentioned. You also get to take pictures on our very own, very real telescope. The weekly homework can feel tiring though and those should really be due Sunday instead of Friday.
Professor Glikman has endless passion and enthusiasm for the universe. This is a non-major course that is not math or physics heavy, so if you are somewhat interested in anything beyond planet Earth, this (or 255 if you are in Physics) is a must-take. Basic concepts like Newton's Laws are also mentioned. You also get to take pictures …Read more
I thoroughly enjoyed this course. I thought it gave a very in depth insight into astronomy without overcomplicating things with the math. I enjoyed this course more than PHYS 255 intro to astrophysics. I have TAd for this course ever since I took it. It seems like the difficulty most students have is how to get started on questions rather than the math required to solve them. Glikman has 2 TA sessions / wk, so this course is very manageable and in my opinion, very worth it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this course. I thought it gave a very in depth insight into astronomy without overcomplicating things with the math. I enjoyed this course more than PHYS 255 intro to astrophysics. I have TAd for this course ever since I took it. It seems like the difficulty most students have is how to get started on questions r …Read more
Not a very difficult course overall, occasionally the homework or bi-weekly quizzes will be a grind but they are graded pretty easily and she lets you drop the two lowest. Despite her enthusiasm, which I greatly appreciated, sometimes the lectures got boring. For anyone from the humanities looking for a DED or SCI credit, you can't do much better.
I agree with a previous reviewer, that I had different expectations for this course than is the reality. It is quite difficult, and it can be hard to keep up with the amount of material Brumback is attempting to convey in one semester, since the class truly is an overview of the workings of the Universe. I would recommend this class to someone who already knows they are interested in Physics, but who wants to explore it from a different angle. I am not a Physics person and have had quite a hard time keeping up with the pace.
I agree with a previous reviewer, that I had different expectations for this course than is the reality. It is quite difficult, and it can be hard to keep up with the amount of material Brumback is attempting to convey in one semester, since the class truly is an overview of the workings of the Universe. I would recommend this class …Read more
I really enjoyed this class with Prof Brumback. I would definitely recommend this class for someone who doesn't plan to major in or continue physics. It is extremely interesting and not too hard. It took me a few classes to get used to the pacing and homework structure, but once I did, it was a great class. Professor Brumback is extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the subject and was able to efficiently transfer that to our class. I highly recommend
I really enjoyed this class with Prof Brumback. I would definitely recommend this class for someone who doesn't plan to major in or continue physics. It is extremely interesting and not too hard. It took me a few classes to get used to the pacing and homework structure, but once I did, it was a great class. Professor Brumback is extr …Read more
Professor Brumback was very effective at introducing and explaining new course material. The class was fast paced, but even as a non-STEM major, I was able to keep up, and all of the math was algebra. The weekly problem sets and final were somewhat challenging, but with enough preparation they were manageable.
I love the professor for this course, she seems to really enjoy what she does and I loved going observing. With that being said, the new professor is a lot less of an "easy A" than what I heard about the class previously- the workload is solid, and the material is challenging. Overall a super interesting class, just not as easy as I had heard!
this course was super interesting but it was more difficult than anticipated. I would say take this class if you're interested in space and astronomy, the math is only algebra, so if you're willing to put in the work, it is not too bad.
This was an interesting course and it was different material from other physics courses I had taken. Although there was some work, mostly weekly problem sets, it was not extremely demanding time wise.
The class is very easy but can be a little bit of busy work if you are not interested in the material. That being said its really interesting so I definitely recommend- fun and easy class if you are interested in space!