PHYS 270Astronomical Observations, Instrumentation and Data Analysis
- Faculty
- Science
- Last listed
- Spring 2021
No longer offered. It was in Waterloo’s course catalog since at least Winter 2020 (as far back as Open Data goes) to Spring 2021 and last ran in Spring 2021. It isn’t in the 2024–25 or later calendars.
When it ran
- W20
- S20
- W21
- S21
Ran in 4 terms, Winter 2020 to Spring 2021.
Telescopes, instrumentation and observations at different wavelengths (radio, sub-millimetre, infrared, optical, X-ray). Probability and statistics. Data archives and data analysis. [Offered: W,S]
Requirements, as last listed
Reviewed on UW Flow
50% liked it17% easy60% useful
From 8 ratings and 1 comment on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
Very difficult and irritating course, which was really disappointing because I was really excited for it. Assignments take forever as the textbook/lectures do not explain concepts in the detail required to understand the questions. Midterms/final did not build off the assignments and were very difficult/too long. The text was Chromey's To Measure the Sky and according to the foreword, it was designed for a two semester course. However, we still covered essentially all of the textbook (minus one chapter on naming space stuff which actually sounded like it would be pretty cool), PLUS two chapters of content from outside the textbook. Way too much material.
Aug 2016 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
5 posts and comments in 5 threads mention PHYS 270, April 2017 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Fall 2023
what the hell is happening in PHYS358 12 points, 6 comments
“Seriously, I don't think I ever took a course as mismanaged as this one. The lectures were already not the best and worth complaining about on their own, but the worst part by far is the assignment …”
u/eranand04: “This department's disorganized something similar going on in 256. Maybe file a complaint ?”
u/kalashnikovgobrrrr: “I was hoping with the current prof (who I took PHYS270 with last year) would be nice for optics but apparently not :( I don't wanna say 358 is on the same level as optics but it's getting there...”
Spring 2020
New Physics course 3 points, 3 comments
“So I was supposed to graduate in physics this term and I looked back on the undergrad calendar and I'm seeing a new course PHYS 267 that is required for graduation. …”
u/purpplanet: “check the archived undergraduate calendar for the year that you entered university. you’re probably looking at the 2020-2021 calendar, where they’re replacing PHYS 270 (I think) with PHYS 267 for the incoming Physics first-years.”
Fall 2017
Physics courses in spring term? 1 point, 2 comments
“I'm in math and want to take a physics course in the spring term. What courses do the physics majors take next term? I've done 121 and 122 already. Thanks!”
u/cabbagemeister: “PHYS242 (E&M 1 with vector calc etc), PHYS234 (Quantum physics 1), PHYS263 (Classical mechanics 1) Those are core courses for physics majors Theres also PHYS280 (biophysics) and PHYS270 (astronomical observations/instrumentation)”
Winter 2017
PHYS 175 final, anyone? 0 points, 10 comments
“What do you guys think? I think it was overwhelmingly tedious. I've never used a calculator on such a frequent basis on an exam. …”
u/I_NoScopedUrMom: “Damn! Who was the prof? When I took it, Epp took all the problems from the assignments and my friend and I both got over 120% for real. …”
u/ph0tone: “I took AMATH 271 instead of PHYS 270, and did pretty well. I'd take an AMATH analog of a PHYS course any day.”
Best AMATH/Physics Courses? 2 points, 7 comments
“These are two fields I think I might take courses in the next few terms so I was wondering if there were any can't-miss courses in either of these two areas?”
u/I_NoScopedUrMom: “… I don't recommend taking PHYS 122, PHYS 256, PHYS 375, PHYS 263, PHYS 270, or PHYS 242 unless you have to.”
Check it elsewhere
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2020–21Its last calendar entry, on uwloo
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them
In the scanned calendars
How it read in each calendar from 1970–71 to 1987–88, newest first. The text is OCR of the scanned pages; years whose wording matches are shown once, from the clearest scan. Each year links to its page on uwloo and to that page of the scanned PDF.
1972–73 to 1987–88 16 calendars
Further experiments in optics and properties of matter, for students taking PHYS 256L.
Lab alternate weeks
Offered Fall · 3 lab hours a week · 0.25 credit
- 1972–73 PDF p. 481
- 1973–74 PDF p. 523
- 1974–75 PDF p. 587
- 1975–76 PDF p. 405
- 1976–77 PDF p. 356
- 1977–78 PDF p. 396
- 1978–79 PDF p. 385
- 1979–80 PDF p. 398
- 1980–81 PDF p. 422
- 1981–82 PDF p. 431
- 1982–83 PDF p. 383
- 1983–84 PDF p. 395
- 1984–85 PDF p. 396
- 1985–86 PDF p. 408
- 1986–87 PDF p. 411
- 1987–88* PDF p. 429
* Listed that year without a description, or as not offered.
1970–71 to 1971–72 2 calendars
Further selected experiments in electricity and magnetism, optics, X-ray diffraction, and astronomy. 3 hours laboratory, offered in fall and winter terms, 0.50 course credit (1.00 lecture hour credit)