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Astronomy 102/104: Our Solar System Lecture #1: Introduction & Outline Prof. Jean-Luc Margot & Prof. Steve Squyres • Course Goals--why take Astro 102/104? • Our philosophy, and a promise. • Rules of the Road: – – – – Logistics Expectations Responsibilities Communication • Detailed Syllabus. Astro 102/104 Purpose of Astro 102/104 Perfect timing • To learn about our origins and our connection to the universe. To develop an appreciation for Earth as a fragile planetary body in a vast cosmos. • To understand key principles and processes that govern the natural world. What is the solar system like today? Why? How did it get that way? • To become familiar with the scientific process. To acquire tools for further inquiry and learning. Astro 102/104 2 3 • This is a "Golden Age" of exploration! • Spacecraft are exploring the planets now! – MESSENGER (’04-now): Mercury. – Magellan (’90-’94): Venus. – Mars Pathfinder ((’97) 97), MGS (’97 ( 97-’06) 06), Mars Odyssey (’02-now), MER (’04-now), MRO (’06-now): Mars. – NEAR (’97-’01), Hayabusa (‘05): asteroids. – Deep Impact (’05), Stardust (’04-’06): comets. – Galileo (’95-’03): Jupiter, satellites. – Cassini/Huygens (’04-now): Saturn, satellites. – Voyager (’80s): Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. – AND MORE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE! Astro 102/104 4 1 First flyby of Mercury in 30+ years reveals astonishing landforms! Astro 102/104 Lakes and rivers of methane on Titan! 5 Astonishing worlds: Iapetus & Hyperion Astro 102/104 6 New Discoveries Being Made! • Observations of asteroids: – Many are highly porous. WHY? – Some have satellites! HOW? • Satellites of Jupiter p and Saturn: – Europa may have an ocean! – Titan has hydrocarbon rain and rivers! • Many objects discovered beyond Neptune. – Hundreds of trans-Neptunian objects. – Pluto demoted! Can they do that? • Many Sun-like stars have planets! Astro 102/104 7 Astro 102/104 8 2 Methods Will there be math? • Discover and Explain important patterns and trends in the data. • GOAL is to UNDERSTAND these patterns, NOT memorization of facts or numbers. numbers • At a lower level than what’s in the get rich book. – – – – – – • Will concentrate on patterns and processes, but some knowledge of facts will be needed. Astro 102/104 9 some geometry some algebra smidgen of trigonometry no calculus no logarithms no differential equations Astro 102/104 Some Obvious Patterns 10 Some Striking Differences • Example: Our Moon vs. Jupiter’s moon Io. – Rocky worlds, about the same size. Inner Planets • Io: – Volcanic. V l i – Covered with orange sulfur. differ from • Moon: – Geologically dead. – Covered with gray rock. Outer Planets. • WHY? Astro 102/104 • WHY? 11 Astro 102/104 12 3 Many Obvious Questions Timescales • Why do outer planets have rings? • How and when did the solar system form? – (Answer: ~4,600,000,000 years ago!) • What are rings, anyway? • How do we know that?? • Are they permanent or temporary? Astro 102/104 13 14 Why Understand the Past? How Has the Solar System Evolved? • Extrapolation in time predictions about the future. – How will Earth's atmosphere change? – How will our climate change? – Will objects strike the Earth? When? • Extrapolation in space inferences about other places. – Many other stars have planets. – Could some of them be Earthlike? – Could there be life?? • Everything changes (Why? How? How Fast?) • Examples: – 4 billion years ago the Earth's atmosphere was very different than it is today (little or no oxygen) oxygen). – 4 billion years ago there may have been rivers or lakes on Mars (today it is a cold, bone dry desert). – Mars has 2 moons today, but in 1 billion years it will have only 1 moon. Astro 102/104 Astro 102/104 15 Astro 102/104 16 4 Major Course Topics Some Philosophy • Our goal is to help you learn how to distinguish solid science from nonsense. • For example: (1) General Solar System Concepts. (2) The Inner Solar System. (3) Small Bodies and the Outer Solar System. (4) Origins. Astro 102/104 – – – – Planets around other stars. Repeated massive mass extinctions due to impacts. Evidence of ancient life on Mars. Ice at the poles of the Moon and Mercury. • Which of these are TRUE, POSSIBLY TRUE, EXAGGERATIONS, OR EVEN NONSENSE? • Use Carl Sagan’s baloney detection kit. 17 Astro 102/104 18 A Promise from us... And from you... • We will work hard to help you learn. • Our Responsibilities: – Clearly present the information. – Provide opportunities for questions, discussion. – Be prepared for lectures, sections, labs. – Provide fair and consistent grading. – Make astronomy matter! • But you must work hard too! – Come to Lecture: • Be here on time: prompt 11:15 start. • Class will end at 12:05 (not 12:00…) – Go to Section. – Do the reading. – Turn in assignments on time. – Ask Questions! • Absolute academic integrity expected at all times. Astro 102/104 19 Astro 102/104 20 5 Lecture Style Handouts: Syllabus and Ground Rules • Follows the textbook, but not verbatim. • More information provided only in lecture. • Other lecture features: – "The " h Main i Point" i " hi highlighted hli h d for f eachh class. l – Active learning. – Group activities. – Demonstrations. – Discussions: Astronomy in the News, etc. – Mars rover mission updates. Astro 102/104 21 Astro 102/104 Your Weekly Section Meeting • • • • • • Lab: Astro 104 Your chance for more personal contact. Weekly quizzes or problem sets assigned. Detailed discussion of reading, lectures. Detailed discussion of homework. Critical preparation for prelims & final. You will get a better grade if you attend lectures and sections. Astro 102/104 23 • Astro 104 has an additional lab component. • Four classroom lab activities (in Clark 132): – Radioactive Dating. – Planetary Orbits. – Impact Cratering. – Rotation of Saturn and its Rings. • One on-campus observatory activity (at Fuertes Observatory, weather permitting). 24 Astro 102/104 25 6 Observing the Sky Additional Resources • On clear Friday evenings, the Cornell Astronomical Society holds open-house observing at Fuertes Observatory on north campus, from 8:00 pm to midnight. midnight – Check http://astro.cornell.edu/facilities/fuertes • You are strongly encouraged to go out and see the planets with your own eyes! Dress warmly. • Planetarium program (SkyGazer) comes with your textbook. • Course website: http://www.astro.cornell.edu/courses/a102 – Lecture notes, homeworks, links, etc. • Textbook publisher website: http://www.masteringastronomy.com – Animated figures, tutorials, quizzes, etc. • Numerous planetary data archives: Astro 102/104 Astro 102/104 26 – Header graphic based on images from http://www.solarviews.com © Calvin J. Hamilton For Additional Help Next Lecture... • Office Hours: – Prof. Margot: MF 3:00-4:30 (but call ahead). – Prof. Squyres by appointment only (due to continuing i i Mars rover operations). i ) • Each TA has his/her own office hours: – Consult the handout or web site for details. • Any of us are available at other times by appointment, with advance notice. Astro 102/104 27 • The Sky. • Historical Overview of Planetary Science. • Reading this week: – Preface and Chapter 1. – Chapter 2.1, 2.4. – Chapters 3, 4. 28 Astro 102/104 29 7