DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY

COURSE WEB PAGES

ASTRONOMY 309L
The Search for Extraterrestrial Life
Spring 2002 Unique No. 45570 | TTH 12:30-2:00 | WEL 3.502


PROFESSOR
G. F. (Fritz) Benedict
Office: RLM 16.222
Phone: 471-3448
Office Hours: MW 11:00 - 12:00 noon, or by appointment
fritz@astro.as.utexas.edu
Homepage


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COURSE OUTLINE & SCHEDULE

Date Topic Readings
_
GO
BB
1/15 Introduction Forward & Preface _
1/17 Review of Astronomy Ch. 1, 2, 6 Ch. 1
1/22 " Ch. 3, 4, 5 _
1/24 Origin of Our Solar System Ch. 11 Ch. 2
1/29 History of the Primitive Earth _ _
1/31 " _ _
2/5 Properties of Life Ch.7 Ch. 3
2/7 Origin and Evolution of Life on Earth Ch. 8 _
2/12 " Ch. 9 _
 2/14 Exam #1
2/19 Search for Life in our Solar System Ch. 10, 12 Ch. 4
2/21 " Ch. 13, 14 _
2/26 " Ch. 15 _
2/28 Search for Extrasolar Planets Ch. 17 Ch. 5
3/5 " _ _
3/7 Why a good planet is hard to find - 1 Ch. 16 _
3/12 Spring Break
3/14 Spring Break
3/19 Why a good planet is hard to find - 2 _ _
3/21 Overall Probabilities of ET Life
Ch. 18
_
3/26 " _ _
3/28 Exam #2
4/2 The Evolution of Intelligence Ch. 9 Ch. 6
4/4 Origin of Human Civilization and Technology _ _
4/9 Lifetimes of ET Civilizations
_
_
4/11 " _ _
4/16 Strategies for Radio Contact Ch. 20 _
4/18 " _ _
4/23 Exam #3
4/25 Direct Contact with ET Civilizations Ch. 19 Ch. 7
4/30 Assessing Contacts; Past and Present Ch. 21 _
5/2 The Great Silence - Why? Ch. 22 _
5/13 Final Exam 9 am - 12 noon
_ _
_ GO = Goldsmith & Owen; BB = Barnes & Benedict (on website)


 
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06 January 2002
UT Astronomy Program • The University of Texas at Austin • Austin, Texas 78712
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