If you have a slight interest in science, Prof. Patterson has the ability to turn it into a passion. Many classmates attempted an astrophysics major after taking his class (but most realized that these classes get very hard, very quickly). He'll come into class and tell you about when he was struck by lightning, or in a coma thinking he could end the world, or singing songs about the collapse of stars. He keeps class entertaining. The workload is very easy if you have a strong physics background; however, if you don't, it might be a bit of a stretch to say you can get by with no participation. Grading is very fair (strong curves) and most leave the class appreciative of astronomy.