2.8
Quality3.9
DifficultyN/A
Would Retake86
ReviewsN/A
Would Retake
86
Reviews
Rating DistributionOfficial
5
16
4
19
3
17
2
20
1
14
What Students Say
“Take good notes, pay attention and you'll be great”
ASTRONOMY120 - 4.0 rating“I really liked this professor, he was one of the first I had and he was more than helpful when any questions were brought up”
ASTRO100 - 5.0 ratingClass Info
Attendance Mandatory
100%
Textbook Required
97%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
C+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.14 avg changeRatings by Course
100120
5.0
(1)EARTHSCIENCES
5.0
(1)ASTRGEOL120
5.0
(1)ASTRO101
5.0
(1)ASTONOMY100120
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
ASTR3141
5.0
ASTO100
5.0
ASTO101
5.0
GEOL100
5.0
ASTRO120
4.3
Reviews (86)
Wasn't a very good lecturer, interesting topics in astronomy, but I couldn't follow him very well, his tests had questions on them I don't even believe we talked about
A little anal. Very knowledgable though. Tests were tough. A pretty average teacher
he is very knowledgable about the subject and passionate but he was hard to follow, the lecture notes were horrible (all pictures drawn on paint by him) and many test questions had not been covered in class.
as with most scientist he can be anal. pretty straight forward. lots of quizes and 2 exams. can be hard to follow at times. likes what he does.
Very good teacher. You have to sit through the whole class to get the big picture, because what he lectures on doesn't make sense until the end. 6 Quizzes, 2 Tests. If you don't get it, see him in his office very helpful. Easy tests if you study for them.
NOT GOOD AT ALL!! Speaks to class as if we are already PhD's; very sarcastic and cynical. I kept wishing he wouldn't show up to class! Tests ARE NOTHING like what he says--there are questions not even covered in class. Our class average was 60%.
Very lukewarm. Knew his stuff and seemed into the material, but wasn't able to convey it well.
Mr. P. is a great professor. He knows his stuff. I'm an astronomy major and took both of his classes my very first semester here. Sit in the front and take good notes. You only get the humor if you understand/pay attention to the material. got A and B
Good instructor, very knowledgeable. However there were times when I felt he talked down to the class. Some can be juvenile, but the whole class shouldn't be treated that way. I did learn a lot, and enjoyed his teaching otherwise. Got A's just by paying attention and doing the HW.
Interesting material, he just seems unable to get it to the class. Don't go into the lecture half thinking all you're going to talk about is black holes and exploding stars -- he covers the boring stuff too. Assumes basic knowledge of science in general that not everyone has.
He is a great teacher, if you are a slacker dont take him, he actually makes you use your brain which is great. Its not that hard if you have some intelligence! All the material is very interesting too, he knows his stuff! HEs the director of the astronomy department
Good professor, you must attend class as well as do all work in order to get a good grade, tests were what he said they would be and if youdid not do to well in the class but attended and did all your homework you will receive a good grade, I got a B
Do not take him early morning (apparently he's better in the afternoon-after his coffee). Lectures are pretty much USELESS, so are his slides that cost a small fortune. Do well on the essays and read the book and you'll survive.
Class is not as easy, but the professor is funny at times and offers ways to bring yur grade up. Read the book and notes and you should do fine.
I barely passed his class, due to the fact that he adds 50 points extra for your attendance. There are 2 test (Midterm/final) and 1 paper, and a moon project. Expect to learn about distance, speed, time, star formation, and he saves blackholes/UFO theory towards the last day of class.
He is lame for making students write a 10 page report to earn a new grade on the mid term.. When he returnes it- it has a grade yet no marks or comments explaining it. I would not take him again.
He is a horrible teacher.
Not a bad teacher, but he was hard to understand at times. the moon proj't was easy, if you dont pass that, get out! the mid term was not bad, but the final was hard. read the book, take really good notes, and you will be fine. he grades on a large curve. dont slack.
He does lnow what he is talking about but it seems as if he doesn't enjoy his job. It is a fun class to take but if you really want to learn about this subject, DO NOT TAKE IT.
Instructor is knowledgable but cannot convey thoughts in beginners' terms. Class is ideal for student majoring in Astronomy. This is a GE and should be fun. Under this instructor, subject is painful. Tutors can help.
this guy scared me! he is really smart but enjoys making students feel dumb. there is a quiz like every 3 classes..pretty easy, but the final is hard. he uses power point slides the entire semester so its easy to follow along. i got a B and i know nothing about astronomy!
this teacher is crazy. he is hard to understand and expects you to know everything about astronomy before you take his class. when you ask a question he makes you feel like an idiot. i thought this class would be cool and now i think its horrible
Didn't like professor. Every time someone asked a question, he talked like you were not smart- I was afraid to ask questions. Did offer to help during office hours. Thankfully there is a curve!
I thought Mr. P was a good teacher! His class is not one to slack off in though. Read the book, take good notes and you will do fine, and learn a lot too.
I took Astronomy just for kicks and Pesavento ruined it for me. He is horrid at trying to explain things and if anyone didn't get it and actually ASKED he'd make them look stupid like they were the only ones that didn't get it. He is really anal about everything and is non-flexible about attendance, assignments, anything. Bad bad experience overall
He was an excellent teacher. His lectures always came to make sense at the end of the class, and he was always more than willing to talk to me after class, or during his office hours to explain a concept to me. I got an A.
I barely scraped by with a C, and that was only because of the curve. But that was my fault, I didn't study. If you study a lot and takes lots of notes and ask questions, you'll be ok. Really fascinating subject. He likes to answer your questions.
he expects everyone to already know what he's going to teach before we go over it. he also says 'then' a lot in the middle of his sentences, like someone would say 'like'. its quite funny but also makes it hard to understand what he's saying. he seems knowledgeable about the subject, but his teaching style doesnt make it interesting to the students. i would say get someone else to teach your astro class if you can.
Very enthusiastic about his classes, and he's always eager and willing to help if you need it. Uses lots of graphics on the projector to deliver material in a very clear and organized manner, and he's usually pretty funny. Go to class, take notes, don't be lazy, and you'll get an A. But be on time and turn off your cell; he hates disruptions.
this guy has a bad idea of teaching. He sits there and lectures at you. I have taken his class before and i thought i was falling asleep because it was in the morning. then I took it in the afternoon and i still fall asleep. he needs to learn how to better his classes, rather than teaching like he does and lose students.
I HATE astronomy now and had to drop out because there was no way i could listen to this guy. Every other word he said was then and it was going to drive me crazy if i heard it one more time! nooooooo way
Upon 1st appearance he looks mean, but he's not @ all. He doesn't laugh much but his jokes are funny if ur paying attention. He's a good teacher. He makes sure u understand before moving on and, if u pay attention, his lectures, slides, and lecture notes are clear. This class is very conceptual so, as he says, "Don't just accept it; understand it."
Good teacher, tests can be hard, but thats nothing a little studying can't do.
DO not take this class unless you love the word THEN. This is the worst class ive taken at palomar pure boringness.
Says the wrod 'then' way too much, kind of odd. Comes off to be mean at first. Lectures the entire time and is boring, hard to pay attention. Trys to be helpful and grades on curve. If you're not way interested in astro don't take him- YOU WILL FAIL.
not claear at all gets off topic all the time
Super hard.. not a class to take for fun!! Attendance is manditory!
this class is super hard, because of the nature of the subject! i managed to eek out a "C" in the class, which i was fine with! very difficult subject matter, but he's not a bad guy. follow his exact instructions and you will at least pass.
This class is hard but you have to understand that he is trying to teach us about super novas and black holes...kind of a hard subject to grasp. If you stick with it you will see that he has a good sense of humor, loves what he does...and oh yeah, the mini dome theater is really cool. He knows what he's talking about.
Tough class, I felt like he enjoyed making everyone feel stupid so he could show how smart he was on the subject. Would have loved to have had another teacher. he made me hate the class, and I have know desire to learn more about astr, and that is with getting a B in the class
Okay he seems hard, but all you have to do is the projects and your in like flint because his tests are hard as hell, and quizzes... Just study for 20 minutes and you'll be good. remember PROJECTS ARE KEY! Other than that he's pretty average, cool guy though.
This guy is just mean, he makes you feel like you should be honored to attend his class, as if he's some harvard professor or something. He does know his astronomy, so if you are hardcore into the subject, you might make it thourgh the class. But unless you have too, take the other guy's course.
He is a very intelligent man, though sometimes that doesn't create the best learning environment. But he makes up for it by being willing to help you if you seek him out for it.
He's a little awkward at first and comes off aggressive but after a while he mellows out. He knows what he's talking about and does a good job explaining. Tests are hard but just study and you'll be ok. He says the word across "acrost" Other than that he makes you think and if you do you'll do well.
He is a good teacher, but Astronomy is a tough subject I'll be the first to admit. The tests are hard, but the class, and projects are interesting and easy and will help you pass. And DO the 10 PAGE PAPER, sounds like a ton but what you get on that will pretty much determine what you get in the class.
He is a good teacher, but class is hard. There are a one month project and six quizzes what makes student study super hard. You can pass the class if you follow his rubrics. However it's really hard to get A.
Very hard class but he knows his****. Devote around an hour before each quiz to studying and you should be fine. Mid-term and final are difficult. Oh, don't buy the textbook because you won't need it, he uses his class notes that you'll need to buy at the OCBS. DON'T MISS CLASS, you'll be sorry.
actually a good teacher, even though its VERY difficult to get an A, it is almost as impossible to fail... so if you need an earth science, but don't care about getting an A, you can take Pesavento's Astro class with confidence... just don't try to argue with him in class, you could lose up to 45 minutes of valuable lecture listening to nothing.
He is a good teacher, and the subject is hard. He does know his stuff and brings up interesting facts. The quizzes are a good 20 minute study the night before, the tests and final are SUPER HARD, the moon project is fun and easy, and the 10 Page Paper will seal your fate in the class. Good stuff and easy to pass... Go for it.
DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS. He was sarcastic, rude, and not helpful at all. Mocked everybody. Tells you not to buy the book, but if you don't you will FAIL. Unless you need to take astronomy, do not take this course. He is monotone and horrible at teaching. By far, worst class I have ever taken
It seems like he is not prepared for every class. He knows his subject, but he says many things out of the topic. I don't recommend him! The other ASTR teacher (Lane) is 1000 times better than him.
worst teacher ever. do not take this class from him. HIs voice is so boring and monotone. he says the word "then" wayyyyy too much and it makes it almost impossible to pay attention. His tests and quizzes are so hard.
Clearly, his favorite word is "then". I actually took tally once to keep myself awake (due to the monotone-drone of his voice) and he said "then" 97 times in one hour. And his lectures go from one place to another. Honestly you don't even need to buy the notes, because he repeats them word for word during the lectures. Not my favorite professor.
Not recommended, I had a B during the semester, but my final grade was a C, and I love Astronomy, (ironically, isn't it). You don't know what to expect in the quizzes. The essay questions are confusing. His lectures are disorganized. He answers your questions with more questions. Sometimes he is funny, but don't try to contradict him. Evolutionist.
Terrible astronomy teacher. You can tell he is passionate for the subject but has trouble teaching others about it. He is kind of monotone. Very inflexible. I would not recommend him.
He isn't very interesting to listen to as almost everybody else has said. I got D's on all the quizzes but got high B's on the mid term and final and ended up with a B in the class w/o doing the extra credit paper. My advise would be to buy the book and take notes on the lectures on your own paper- you don't have to go buy his- unless you want to.
This class is difficult for those who do not pay attention...which is most of the class considering his lectures put me to sleep. DO NOT buy the textbook for this class. He tells us to return them. For a subject that seems so interesting it's very disappointing to have a teacher who explains it so poorly. If you take him go to class and pay attenti
My boyfriend and i took the class together...and we both regret it. we literally have to pinch each other to stay awake, and most of his lectures don't even make sense. DO NOT GET THIS PROFESSOR. you can not ask questions, he constantly puts everyone down.
Don't take this guy's classes. Homeboy is remarkably boring and pretty much useless in terms of helping his students. If you're taking Astronomy 100 or 120, take Mark Lane's classes. He's much more helpful and interesting.
I thought this would be an interesting class. But Mr. P wasn't a good teacher. His lectures were boring and he made students feel stupid for asking a question. I was afraid to ask a question the entire semester. I ended up with a 'C' but I feel like I learned absolutely nothing. If you want to take astronomy, take Mark Lane's class.
UH! Studied day and night for his quizzes/midterm/final and actually understood all the material, never missed a class or a quiz and still got a C in the class, even though he grades on a curve. I learned a lot from his class but only by studying for the exams, not by his lectures. The way he words his questions in his exams is completely confusin
He is very passionate about the course... very easy to understand.. but the material is hard!! if you love science then you will love his class.. hardly any homework, and you are not required to purchase the textbook!! i enjoyed his class.
I love astronomy and I love science. I thought I might like a career in astronomy, but this class has convinced me not to pursue it. The teacher is really difficulty to follow sometimes and the tests are ridiculously hard.
this guy is hard i was interested in taking astronomy and i thought it might be fun but im in this guys class and i cant WAIT 2g out now hes so boring hes a jerk i came in late a couple times 2 class and he got pissed off at me that i signed the sign in sheet and he wouldnt let me sign it 1 time u REALLY have 2 study 4 his class if u wanna pass
This class sucks, i work my ass off and weekends also so i could get a B. Dont take this class, he needs to retire already and let a excited person teach the class and someone that cares if why students fail this class. At the end the term, if there only a few students left, that show tell him somthing.
I loved Professor P. He pushed us really hard and made getting an A something that I was proud of. It was NOT a fly class. He was really sarcastic and said "then" too much, but he also had a pretty dry sense of humor, which I enjoyed immensely.
he is very strict with attendance but overall hes very good at explaining the course. But i realized that he does not make astronomy so interesting
Warning : Not an easy class and not an easy subject! half of the class dropped and you must be dedicated. He did not make it interesting, very boring and astronomy is so interesting but not the way he presents it. Overall he goes too quickly and I learned more by studying on my own, Im glad its over i have never worked so hard in my life.
This class was SO hard! He is a stickler for attendance, so don't dare be late even a minute. He was VERY good at explaining things and putting concepts into comprehend able examples, but the class should be considered an upper level course, not an intro class. I worked by butt off and did not miss a day and slid by with a B.
Do not be 30 seconds late, you're considered absent. Don't ask any questions! He'll make you feel really stupid. If you get up to leave he stops class to call you out. Do not take this class!!! Especially if you're religious he finds a way to debunk creation almost every class and it gets annoying!!!!
Stay away!!! If you're 2 min late he counts you absent. But he has 20 min to show up. We left after 18 min, he counted the whole class absent!!! When theres 1 min left and people start packing their books, he stops and says "hey I still have 45 seconds!" ridiculous and don't ask questions! He'll humiliate you!!
Coolest teacher, very passionate about what he is teaching. Adds humor here and there. The concepts are hard but he is pretty clear on what he wants and expects from you. I liked this class a lot
Really passionate about the subject, wants to teach you as much as he can. Class is hard but he makes up for it with the fact that he grades on a curve, so you don't have to earn a very high percentage to get a good grade.
Teacher likes his subject alot. However, lectures are fast paced and cover quite alot. He isnt always very clear on lectures either but the two tests and six quizzes are based straight from his lectures. NO BOOK NEEDED, which is nice it saves alot of money. Final is brutally tough
This teacher is very passionate about the info he teaches about but he does embarrass you if you ask you about something that was unclear to you. He gives you a study guide but if you follow along with the study guide, you'll find that he doesn't cover everything. Take this class at your own discretion.
DONT BUY THE BOOK! Only uses class notes that you have to buy; hard class because its hard to comprehend. He is pretty good at explaining things but he is kind of an ass when it comes to answering questions. Gives out a study guide that helps a lot, you can also write a research paper to replace your midterm grade, wish i did it for an A butgot a B
Disorganized lectures, not good at communicating topics to people who dont have strong science background. Unclear. Wouldnt reccomend him as a professor. Dont feel like I learned much.
This is a difficult class - be aware of that! He lectures daily following his PowerPoint notes that are the required text instead of a book. He offers a 12 page paper to bring your grade up if you fail the mid-term. Attendance is mandatory; you won't want to miss anyway - you'll miss his lecture and blow the next quiz! Very enthusiastic teacher!
Strict grader, expects students to follow instructions. Great prof, I get the feeling that he knows everything about science! Lecture book is cheap, he'll loan you a text book. Grades on attendance, 6 quizzes, midterm/final. Midterm grade can be replaced with a research paper. If you space out in class he'll grill you until you pay attention. :)
If you miss even one class, there is no way to make up or learn that material, at all! Extremely dry lectures. If you ask a question he will repeat it right back to you or just yell at you in front of the class.(?!) Takes off points for handwriting that he takes no effort to try to read. Save your time and energy and take a different class.
GO TO EVERY CLASS AND BE ON TIME. He is very strict about attendance. Just study your lecture notes and you'll be fine. Take good notes, pay attention and you'll be great!
I really liked this professor, he was one of the first I had and he was more than helpful when any questions were brought up. Strict on attendance yeah, but he understands that the subject he teaches is really involved and you can't be missing the class and still get the material. I really liked him.
If you didn't love this class, then you didn't apply yourself. Pesavento is a great professor who KNOWS and keeps up on his material. Many students think he's rude, but these are the people who skip class and do the bare minimum. He WANTS his students to learn. If you work and participate, he will make sure you understand the concepts in his class.
I took astronomy 30 years ago. It took me 2 tries to barely pass. I would recommend physics should be a prereq. But the instructor was brilliant, adorable and entertaining. In fact most of the girls had a crush on him back then
Good professor. Just show up and do your work.
Almost 20 years ago now… I usually get great grades (A's & B's) but not in his class! The tests were too long for the time given and written poorly. He had to grade on a curve because everyone did bad. The highest grade for our Final was a C. I was taking the lab with another professor (which is traditionally harder) and I got an A+.
Class Info
Attendance Mandatory
100%
Textbook Required
97%
Grade Predictor
Your expected effort level
Predicted Grade
C+
Grade Distribution
Common Tags
Rating Trend
Stable
-0.14 avg changeRatings by Course
100120
5.0
(1)EARTHSCIENCES
5.0
(1)ASTRGEOL120
5.0
(1)ASTRO101
5.0
(1)ASTONOMY100120
4.0
(1)Difficulty by Course
ASTR3141
5.0
ASTO100
5.0
ASTO101
5.0
GEOL100
5.0
ASTRO120
4.3