PHYSICS 1625
Solar System Astronomy
Designed for the nonscience major, this course deals with the planets, their moons and rings, comets, meteorites and interplanetary dust particles. In order to understand both classical astronomy and the results obtained from modern telescopes and the space program, basic scientific ideas (including optics and the laws of motion) are reviewed first. There will also some discussion of astronomical history to show how we have arrived at our present ideas of the structure and evolution of the solar system.
Instructors
Andrina Nicola, Henric Krawczynski, Manel Errando, Ramanath Cowsik, Vikram Duvvuri, Yajie Yuan
Reviews
2-4 hrs/week
- Easy weekly homework with a couple of physics problems covered in classn -2 projects in the year which don't require too much effort and have simple calculations
11/5/2024
Great STEM class for a non-STEM person. Loved learning about the solar system, cool projects that felt like puzzles, but are a bit challenging so try to find good group members. Quizzes make up most of the grade, they are generally not too hard if you can reference the textbook and if you listen in class. Super nice and accessible prof.
1/9/2023
This class is very interesting. It's only composed of bi-monthly quizzes, group projects and homework. If you're worried abt your grade bc of the quizzes, DO THE EXTRA CREDIT!! overall this was a great class and you can get an A just by paying attention at lectures (he's very engaging).
12/30/2021
Very interesting class and nice guy. He really tries to make the lectures interesting and engaging. The quiz questions can sometimes be really hard and worth a ton of points, so be careful with the quizzes. Everything else is easy points if you do the work (homework and group projects) He's very funny and smart and the topics are interesting!
12/23/2021
Professor Errando is amazing! I had him for Fall 2020 and he worked really hard to make the class interesting. His lectures are engaging and interesting, the non-reading homeworks were really easy, and there were some cool group project(s). If you just read the weekly readings from the textbooks then it's an easy A.
2/24/2021
If you are not a STEM person and looking for an NSM distribution credit, take 125A! Errando is very nice, his class is easy, and he keeps the material engaging. Group work is common (but not hard) and you need to participate in class. Quizzes were easy on Zoom (open note) but may be harder in person.
12/26/2020
If you have the chance, take physics with Dr. Errando. He gives amazing explanations and every single lecture is well structured. You will learn a lot and be very well prepared for the exams.
5/10/2020
The subject matter was really interesting and the homework was relatively easy, but the quizzes were hard and each question counted for quite a lot. So if you missed a few, you were in trouble.
12/31/2018
He's a sweet guy, but is incredibly disorganized when it comes to class. It appears as though he only cares about his physics class. I did not learn anything in this class.
5/6/2018
If you have the option to take Solar System Astronomy with him, do it! It's super interesting, super easy, and Vikram is super entertaining. He loves using his laser pointer and tennis ball on a string and sometimes a stool on a spin table. He's really inconsistent in his quiz difficulty, but other than that, he's great.
11/28/2016
Very interesting course material covered at a relatively easy level. Exams are easy, beware the grading on the homeworks. He is very funny, I highly enjoyed the class.
12/16/2015
He can explain quantum physics to a five year old and, perhaps even more impressively, to ME. He uses the simplest, hands on examples to depict quite complicated theories and equations, and he is is so funny (both with the things he says, and the way he uses his entire body to teach) that scary numbers become friendly adventures. Take his class!
9/10/2015
he is the most adorable man in the entire world... he lets you take a piece of 11/8" paper, fill it front and back, and take it to exams. he blushes a lot and is a very cute, lanky german man. TAKE HIS CLASSES!
1/19/2005
this class is very interesting and prof krawczynski is great to have. he makes it fun and you can tell he enjoys teaching!
1/11/2005
Very funny professor who isn't above answering people's questions during class (and let me tell you this one guy in our class would drive most professors insane). He makes class interesting and easy.
12/27/2004
Funny German dude. His accent is hilarious and understandeable all at the same time. He's lighthearted and very understand to those who have never had any kind of education in the sciences. He's good at getting people interested. Get him if you can.
12/23/2004
he explains everything thoroughly and it's very easy to get a good grade. his demonstrations are interesting and his accent is really funny too ;)
11/10/2004