ASTR 1304 - Solar System

3 credit hours. 3 lecture hours.

This course is based on the study of our sun, the planets, and everything that revolves around the sun.  This course will provide the student insights into the formation of our solar system; the similarities and differences between various planetary atmospheres and geology; the processes that shape planetary surfaces; the origin of comets and asteroids; gravitational resonances and tidal locking; solar and lunar eclipses; patterns in the sky; a brief history of astronomy; and, the search for extra-solar planets. (Cross-listed as PHYS 1304.)

Measurable Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able: to develop a general idea of the basic structure of the solar system; to define fundamental astronomical terms; to explain the relationship between the earth’s rotation and celestial coordinates; to discuss the earth’s age, origin, evolution, and structure; to describe gravitational force; to describe the general structure of the solar system; to describe the structure of the sun and how it produces energy; and, to describe the arrangement, structure, and compositions of the solar system, including the sun, planets (atmospheres and geology), and non-planetary bodies.