AST 105: Introduction to the Solar System

Fall 2018

Lecture Synopses and Other Materials

Updated 6 December 2018

Week 1: August 28, 30:

Course information
Astronomical Basics: Scientific Notation and Physical Units
You are Here
What is Science?
Powers of Ten
The Simpson's version of Powers of Ten
The Sky

Reference: Details of coordinate systems
Reference: Details of time measurements
The Case for Teaching Ignorance

Week 2: September 4, 6:
Early Astronomy
Back to the Future: The Return to Heliocentrism
Kepler's Empirical Laws of Motion
Astrology

Week 3: September 11, 13:
Newton's Laws of Motion and Gravitation
Apollo 15 video
Light

Week 4: September 18:
Telescopes

Week 5: September 25,27:
Overview of the Solar System
Planet X by Christine Lavin (1997; mp3)
Why Isn't Pluto a Planet? Jackie Faherty/AMNH (2018)
The Sun

Week 6: Oct 2,4:
The Solar-Terrestrial Connection
The Greenhouse Effect NASA
How does the Sun shine?
Formation of the Solar System

Week 7, Oct 11:
Earth as an Example of a Terrestrial Planet
Pale Blue Dot - Carl Sagan

Week 8, Oct 16:
Comparative Planetology of the Terrestrial Planets
Messenger flyover movie
Transit of Venus March

Week 9, Oct 23-25:
Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets. I.
Atmospheres of the Terrestrial Planets. II.
Barsoom

Week 10, Oct 30-Nov 01:
The Jovian Planets
F Ring video (NASA)

Week 11, Nov 6-8:
The Icy Moons
  NASA video: Deep Dive into Enceladus Plume
  The Huygens landing on Titan movie
  Soaring over Titan
Pluto and the Kuiper Belt

Week 12, Nov 13-15:
Asteroids and Meteorites
Comets
Rosetta and Philae at Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko
History of Comets - the European Space Agency

Week 13, Nov 20:
Exoplanets. I

Week 14, Nov 27-29:
Exoplanets. II
Habitable Zones

Week 15, Dec 4-6:
Life in the Universe
Upcoming Solar System Explorations
Recap
Supplementary Materials