Lessons

• Lesson 1 - Celestial Motions
  In Lesson 1, we will explore the apparent motions of the stars, the sun, and the moon. We will explain the apparent motions of the stars and the sun in terms of the motions of Earth: its daily spin on its axis, its annual orbit around the sun, and the long-term precession of its spin axis. We will learn how length of day and the height of the sun in the sky at midday vary with season and latitude. We will explore lunar phases, lunar and solar eclipses, and the cycle over which all eclipses repeat.
  • 1.1 Orientation
  • 1.2 Size and Scale
  • 1.3 Constellations and the Celestial Sphere
  • 1.4 Motion of the Celestial Sphere
  • 1.5 Sun-Earth-Moon Scale Model
  • 1.6 Solar vs. Sidereal Time
  • 1.7 Seasons
  • 1.8 Precession
  • 1.9 Lunar Phases
  • 1.10 Lunar Month
  • 1.11 Eclipses
  • 1.12 Eclipse Seasons
  • 1.13 Saros Cycle
• Lesson 2 - Copernical Revolution
  In Lesson 2, we will explore the apparent motions of the planets, as well as attempts to explain these motions throughout history. Specifically, we will explore the geocentric models of Aristotle and Ptolemy and the heliocentric models of Aristarchus, Copernicus, and Kepler, culminating in Kepler's three laws of planetary motion. We will explore tests of these models by Galileo and others. Finally, we will learn how Newton explained Kepler's empirical laws with physical law and universal law. But we will begin by exploring Stonehenge as an example of pre-written-history astronomy, or archaeoastronomy.
  • 2.1 Stonehenge
  • 2.2 Geocentric Models
  • 2.3 Heliocentric Models
  • 2.4 Galilean Revolution
  • 2.5 Aberration of Starlight and Stellar Parallax
  • 2.6 Tycho and Kepler
  • 2.7 Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion
  • 2.8 Measuring the Astronomical Unit
  • 2.9 Newton's Laws of Motion
  • 2.10 Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation
  • 2.11 Derivation of Kepler's Laws from Newton's
• Lesson 3 - Nature of Light
  In Lesson 3, we will explore how we receive information from the universe, primarily in the form of light. We will explore the nature of light, beginning with whether it is a particle or a wave. If it is a wave, what is the medium in which the wave travels? We will explore how light is created, and study two examples in detail: thermal radiation and atomic absorption and emission lines. We will study the absorption and emission lines of hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, in particular. We will learn how all of this information can be used to measure compositions and temperatures. We will explore the Doppler effect and how it can be used to measure line-of-sight velocities, internal motions, etc.
  • 3.1 Light, Cosmic Rays, Neutrinos, and Gravitational Waves
  • 3.2 Particle vs. Wave Motion
  • 3.3 Diffraction, Interference, and Polarization
  • 3.4 Electromagnetic Spectrum
  • 3.5 Light and the Electromagnetic Field
  • 3.6 Thermal Radiation
  • 3.7 Why Are There No Green Stars?
  • 3.8 Spectroscopy and Kirchhoff's Laws
  • 3.9 Atomic Structure
  • 3.10 Hydrogen Spectral Series
  • 3.11 Kirchhoff's Laws Explained
  • 3.12 Doppler Effect
  • 3.13 Spectral Line Widths
• Lesson 4 - Telescopes
  • Reading Assignment
    
    Chapter 5.1: Optical Telescopes, Chapter 5.3: Images and Detectors, Chapter 5.2: Telescope Size,...
  • Summary of Major Space Telescopes
    
    Read Discovery 5-1 and Chapter 5.7...
  • Math Notes
    
    Read Chapter 5.2., LGP = light gathering power, or the rate at which a telescope collects light,...
  • Exercise 7
    
    I have built six robotic telescopes in the Chilean Andes, called PROMPT, and I am helping others to build similar telescopes around the world...
  • Homework 4
    
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• Lesson 5 - Introduction to the Solar System
  • Reading Assignment
    
    Chapter 6.1: An Inventory of the Solar System, Chapter 13.1: The Discoveries of Uranus and Neptune, Chapter 14.3: Beyond Neptune...
  • Summary of Discovery of the Solar System
    
    Read Chapter 6.1...
  • Summary of Exploration of the Solar System
    
    Read Chapter 6.6, Discovery 6-1, and Discovery 8-1...
  • Math Notes
    
    Read Chapter 6.2...
  • Homework 5
    
    Download Homework 5 from WebAssign...
  • Extra Credit Homework
    
    Write a 2-page essay on any of the missions, or related series of missions, listed above under "Summary of Exploration of the Solar System"...
• Lesson 6 - Earth and the Moon
  • Reading Assignment
    
    Chapter 7.1: Overall Structure of Planet Earth, Chapter 7.3: Earth's Interior...
  • Math Notes
    
    Average Surface Temperature of a Rapidly Rotating or a Sufficiently Atmosphered Planet (or Moon)...
  • Homework 6
    
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• Lesson 7 - The Terrestrial Planets
  • Reading Assignment
    
    Chapter 8.2: Physical Properties (Mercury), Chapter 8.1: Orbital Properties (Mercury),...
  • Summary of Terrestrial Planet Physical Data
    
    Planet, Equatorial Radius (Earth = 1), Mass (Earth = 1),...
  • Summary of Major Moon Physical Data
    
    Planet, Moon, Equitorial Radius (Earth = 1),...
  • Math Notes
    
    Read Chapter 10.4., The height that a shield volcano can attain depends on how much weight it can support, which depends on how strong a planet's surface gravity is...
  • Homework 7
    
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• Lesson 8 - The Jovian Planets
  • Reading Assignment
    
    Chapter 11.1: Orbital and Physical Properties, Chapter 11.3: Internal Structure,...
  • Summary of Jovian Planet Physical Data
    
    Planet, Equatorial Radius (Earth = 1), Mass (Earth = 1),...
  • Summary of Major Moon Physical Data
    
    Planet, Moon, Equitorial Radius (Earth = 1),...
  • Summary of Five Most Abundant Elements
    
    Element, Symbol, Atomic Weight, Abundance,...
  • Math Notes
    
    Read Chapter 12.4., If a moon gets too close to a planet, it will be torn apart by tidal forces...
  • Homework 8
    
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• Lesson 9 - The Formation of Planetary Systems / Life in the Universe
  • Reading Assignment
    
    Chapter 15.1: Modeling Planet Formation, Chapter 6.7: How Did the Solar System Form?,...
  • Summary of Dwarf Planet Physical Data
    
    Dwarf Planet, Equatorial Radius (Earth = 1), Mass (Earth = 1),...
  • Summary of Interplanetary Debris
    
    Object, Composition, Size...
  • Math Notes
    
    There are no additional math notes for Lesson 9: This material is more qualitative...
  • Homework 9
    
    Download Homework 9 from WebAssign...

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