Astronomy 121: The Formation and Evolution of the Solar System

Administrative:

Syllabus
Frequently Asked Questions about AST121
Schombert's Schedule
Academic Calendar
Math Anxiety
What to Study?
Why Big Lecture Classes?
Academic Learning Services

Internet Resources:

The Nine Planets
Meteor Showers
Views of the Solar System

Science Calculator (HELP)

Periodic Table
Temperature Scale

21st Century Science
Astronomy/Physics Glossary
Solar System Symbols
What's in the Sky this Month?
Planetary Fact Sheets

Unit Converter

Greek Alphabet
Exponents and Logarithms

AST122: Birth and Death of Stars
AST123: Galaxies and Cosmology

Lectures:

Week 1:
  1. Introduction
  2. History
  3. Celestial Sphere
Week 2:
  1. Orbits
  2. Gravity
  3. Light
Week 3:
  1. Matter
  2. Solar System Review
Apr 24th: Exam #1
Week 4:
  1. Earth
  2. Moon/Mercury
Week 5:
  1. Venus
  2. Mars
  3. Galilean Satellites
Week 6:
  1. Terrestrial Planet Atmospheres
  2. Terrestrial Planet Geology
  3. Terrestrial Planet Interiors
May 15th: Exam #2
Week 7:
  1. Moons
  2. Asteroids/Comets
Week 8:
  1. Jupiter
  2. Saturn
  3. Outer SS
Week 9:
  1. Interior Sun
  2. Exterior Sun
  3. Origin of the Solar System
Week 10:
  1. Primordial Life
Jun 7th: Exam #3

Quiz Deadlines:

Quiz #01/Lecture #01 - Apr 08
Quiz #02/Lecture #02 - Apr 08
Quiz #03/Lecture #03 - Apr 08
Quiz #04/Lecture #04 - Apr 15
Quiz #05/Lecture #05 - Apr 15
Quiz #06/Lecture #06 - Apr 15
Quiz #07/Lecture #07 - Apr 22
Quiz #08/Lecture #08 - Apr 22
Quiz #09/Lecture #09 - Apr 29
Quiz #10/Lecture #10 - Apr 29
Quiz #11/Lecture #11 - May 06
Quiz #12/Lecture #12 - May 06
Quiz #13/Lecture #13 - May 06
Quiz #14/Lecture #14 - May 13
Quiz #15/Lecture #15 - May 13
Quiz #16/Lecture #16 - May 13
Quiz #17/Lecture #17 - May 20
Quiz #18/Lecture #18 - May 20
Quiz #19/Lecture #19 - May 27
Quiz #20/Lecture #20 - May 27
Quiz #21/Lecture #21 - May 27
Quiz #22/Lecture #22 - Jun 03
Quiz #23/Lecture #23 - Jun 03
Quiz #24/Lecture #24 - Jun 03
Quiz #25/Lecture #25 - Jun 06

Quiz Instructions
All work must be completed by midnight

lunar phases
 

The graphic in the background of these pages is from a chart in Johannes Kepler's 1606 celestial atlas entitled De Stella Nova.

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