I took Astro 3 with Malkan expecting it to be an easy GE class. Instead, it turns out that he involves a LOT more physics and math than is really necessary. I talked to kids in the other Astro 3 class with the woman teacher and heard that they study 10 minutes before the midterm and get A's. I studied like hell for Malkan's midterms and got a C in both. He is a very eccentric, lively lecturer, which makes lecture interesting, but at the same time, his eccentricity may get in the way of his teaching you the information. I found that he seemed fairly disorganized and his readings didn't go in order but instead bounced around. His lecture slides were also very erratic and hard to understand. If you can handle that teaching style, you could do well in this class, but I like organization so it wasn't for me.

DON;T TAKE THIS GUY UNLESS YOU HAVE HAD A GOOD BACKGROUND IN PHYSICS IN HIGHSCHOOL. If you have taken physics before, with a good teacher, then this is the easiest class you will take, ever. If you haven't taken physics before, you are screwed. The guy cannot teach. This guy does not teach. If you are an engineering major, like me, and need to do more physics later on, you are screwed. You will establish no base in this class. So run away if you haven't had a good physics teacher before. For the rest of you, sit back, relax, and enjoy your A's. (P.S. If you are getting a bad grade in the class, go and talk to him, he may be able to help) He cannot teach. But he is a nice guy.