Syllabus
Text
An Introduction to the Solar System, ed. McBride & Gilmour.
Prerequisite
AST 301 or equivalent introduction to astronomy.
Contents
We will discuss the planets, moons, and other bodies in the solar system.
Our emphasis will be on how the solar system bodies got to be like they are and why they
differ as they do. This course is for non-science majors, and we do not expect you to have
taken any physics courses. But we will be discussing physical laws and how they apply to the
solar system. And we will at times put numbers into formulas.
Reading and Homework
A chapter of reading will be assigned most weeks. You must do the reading by the day we start the chapter
(usually a Monday), and we will have a quiz on days when we start a new chapter. Each quiz will have one
question about the previous chapter and one on the reading.
An ongoing assignment for the semester will be to watch the planets and keep a record of your observations.
In addition, we will have other homework assignments involving observations or calculations. You are encouraged
to work together on homework and get help from us, but you must write out your own answers in your own words.
Duplicate homeworks will not receive credit. Late homeworks will receive half credit up until the day we return them to you.
Tests
There will be 4 exams (see the schedule on back) and an optional final. The final will be a comprehensive
one-hour test, which can be used to replace your lowest exam score. At the same time there will be a second
one-hour make-up test for excused absences. For an absence to be excused, you must contact the professor
before the exam with a good reason for the absence or provide a doctor's note when you return. Exams will
cover material from both class and the reading. The exams will be closed-book and closed-notes, and calculators
will not be allowed (or needed).
Grades
60% of your grade will be determined from your exam scores and 40% from homeworks, quizzes, and other in-class
assignments. Your lowest quiz and homework scores (one of each) will be dropped.
Collaboration
You are encouraged to study and work on homework assignments with other students, and you are encouraged to
get help from the professor and TAs, but you must write out your own answers and make the assigned observations
yourself. If you copy another homework or let someone copy yours, both of you will receive zero credit.
Schedule
|
Starting: |
Reading: |
Topics: |
|
Jan 21: |
Ch 1 |
Introduction and overview |
|
Jan 26: |
Ch 2 |
Interiors of Terrestrial Planets |
|
Feb 4: |
Ch 3 |
Volcanism |
|
Feb 13: |
Ch 1-3 |
Exam #1 |
|
Feb 16: |
Ch 4 |
Impacts and Weathering |
|
Feb 25: |
Ch 5 |
Atmospheres of Terrestrial Planets |
|
Mar 13: |
Ch 4-5 |
Exam #2 |
|
Mar 23: |
Ch 6 |
Giant Planets |
|
Apr 6: |
Ch 7 |
Minor Bodies |
|
Apr 17: |
Ch 6-7 |
Exam #3 |
|
Apr 20: |
Ch 8 |
Origin of the Solar System |
|
Apr 29: |
Ch 9 |
Meteorites |
|
May 8: |
Ch 8-9 |
Exam #4 |
|
May 18: |
Ch 1-9 |
Optional final |
Painter Hall telescope
There is a good telescope for viewing planets on top of Painter Hall. Go there at least once during the semester on a Friday
or Saturday night. See http://outreach.as.utexas.edu/public/viewing.html
Viewing planets
Mercury will be in the west after sunset at the end of April.
Venus is easy to see in the west after sunset until mid-March. In April it is in the east before sunrise.
Jupiter will be seen best in the morning in April along with Venus. Mars may be visible then too.
Saturn rises in the east at about 10 PM at the beginning of the semester and rises earlier later in the
semester. In April you should be able to see it with the Painter Hall telescope.
