1
Aug. 25
General Introduction and Overview of the Course, and
Information.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect01.pdf
Reading: Ch.1.
2
Aug. 27
Distance scales in the Universe - Distance measurements - Lookback Time.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect02.pdf
Reading: Ch.1.
3
Sep. 1
Patterns in the Night Sky.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect03.pdf
Reading: Ch.2.1.
4
Sep. 3
Planetary Motions on the Sky - Precessions of the Earth's axis - Understanding
the seasons. Mini group project #1.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect04.pdf
Reading: Ch.2.2, 2.4
5
Sep. 8
Lecture Notes for the Day: Lect05.pdf
Reading: Ch.2.3.
6
Sep. 10
A brief history of Astronomy in ancient times: The Greek geocentric model - the Copernican Revolution -
Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect06.pdf.
7
Sep. 15
Newton's Laws of motion - The law of Gravity
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect07.pdf
Reading: Ch.4.1, 4.2, 4.4.
8
Sep. 17
Gravitational Acceleration - Mass and Weight - Orbital Velocity - Escape Velocity. Mini group project #2
Lecture Notes for the Day
Lect08.pdf
Reading: Ch.4.5.
9
Sep. 22
Newton's version of Kepler's Third law and various astrophysical applications. Midterm review.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect09.pdf
Reading: Ch.4.5, and review for the midterm.
10
Sep. 24
Midterm I
11
Sep. 29
A tour of the Solar System.
Lecture Notes for the Day
Lect10.pdf
Reading: Ch.7.1.
12
Oct. 1
Patterns in the Solar System -- Formation of the Solar System: Spinning, Heating, Flattening. Mini group project #3.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect11.pdf
13
Oct. 6
Formation of the Solar System: Two different types of planets - Small bodies, and exceptions to the rules.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect12.pdf
Reading: Ch.8.2, 8.3.
14
Oct. 8
Group Project I
15
Oct. 13
Planetary Geology: The interiors of Planets - Heating and Cooling processes in a planet.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect13.pdf
Reading: Ch.9.1.
16
Oct. 15
Shaping Planetary Surfaces: Volcanism - Impact Cratering. Mini group project #4.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect14.pdf
Reading: Ch.9.2.
17
Oct. 20
Shaping Planetary Surfaces: Tectonics - Erosion. Light: The Electromagnetic Spectrum.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect15.pdf
Reading: Ch.9.2, 5.1.
18
Oct. 22
Light and its Interaction with matter - Basic properties of matter - Emission, Absorption and Conti\
nuum spectra.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect16.pdf
Reading: 5.2, 5.3 till pag.156.
19
Oct. 27
Midterm II
20
Oct. 29
Planetary Atmospheres: Basics - The concept of gas pressure. Mini group project #5.
Lecture Notes for the Day
Lect17.pdf
Reading: Ch. 10.1 till pag.277
21
Nov. 3
The Greenhouse effect. Planetary Atmospheres: Structure of the Earth's atmosphere - Comparison with Mars and Venus.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect18.pdf
Reading: Ch. 10.1, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5.
22
Nov. 5
The unique atmosphere of the Earth - Global Warming - Open discussion.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect19.pdf
Reading: Ch. 10.6.
23
Nov. 10
The Jovian Planets: main properties, structure and atmospheres.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect20.pdf
Reading: Ch. 11.1.
24
Nov. 12
Moons of the Jovian Planets - Io and Europa closeups - Introduction to exoplanets. The Doppler effect.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect21.pdf
Reading: Ch. 11.2, 13.1 till pag. 376.
25
Nov. 17
Exoplanets: Detection Methods - Properties of exoplanets, and their formation.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
Lect22.pdf
Reading: Ch. 13.
26
Nov. 19
Midterm III
Nov. 26
Thanksgiving Break
Nov. 28
Thanksgiving Break
27
Dec. 1
General Review of the Course.
Lecture Notes for the Day:
final_review.pdf
Reading/Review: All the chapters indicated in the review.
28
Dec. 3