HET602 Exploring the Solar System

Credit Points:
12.5

Duration & Workload:
One semester, equivalent to a 5 contact hour per week lecture course

Prerequisites:
Nil. No background knowledge of astronomy or physics will be assumed.

Aims:
This unit is designed to provide an introduction to our solar neighbourhood & the challenges of extraterrestrial exploration. The emphasis will be on conceptual astronomy, not mathematical techniques.

Content:

  • Observing the night sky, star trails, the planets as wanderers
  • Lunar orbit & phases, synchronous rotation, the tides
  • Modelling the formation of the Solar System
  • The Earth: structure, surface geology, atmosphere and magnetic field
  • The Moon: interior, lunar surface characteristics and theory of formation
  • The terrestrials: Mercury, Venus and Mars; comparative planetary geology
  • Planets as habitats and signs of life
  • The asteroid belt: properties and evolution
  • The Jovian planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune
  • Major and minor Jovian satellites; planetary rings
  • Dwarf planets: Pluto, Charon and the Kuiper Belt
  • Comets and the dirty snowball model
    • The Sun: structure, nuclear power, solar activity and its effects on Earth
Teaching Method:
This unit will be presented in online delivery mode, with contact via newsgroup and email.

Assessment Method:
Assessable newsgroup contributions, assignments and project.

Textbook:
For information about the textbook, follow this link