Solar System Astronomy

Primarily designed for the nonscience major, this course deals with the planets, their moons and rings, comets, meteorites and interplanetary dust particles. In order to understand both classical astronomy and the results obtained from modern telescopes and the space program, basic scientific ideas are reviewed first. There will also some discussion of astronomical history to show how we have arrived at our present ideas of the structure and evolution of the solar system. Although the course addresses primarily non-science majors, also science majors can use it as a general introduction to modern astrophysics. There will be no final exam. Interested students can continue to add themselves to the wait list. Freshmen-year students are specially encouraged to enroll. Prerequisite: High school algebra and trigonometry or concurrent enrollment in Math 131
Course Attributes: FA NSM; BU SCI; AR NSM; AS NSM; AS AN

Solar System Astronomy

PHYSICS 125A

Section 01

Instructors

Ramanath Cowsik

Professor of Physics