PTYS/ASTR 206 – The Golden Age of Planetary Exploration Shane Byrne – Introduction

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 2 l Location & Time n Tuesdays and Thursdays n 12:30 - 1:45 PM n Kuiper Space Sciences, 308 l Instructor n Shane Byrne wRoom 524, wKuiper Space Sciences 524 l Teaching Assistants n Kevin Jones wGould-Simpson, 511 n Priyanka Sharma wKuiper Space Sciences, 316

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 3 l The course website will have everything… n Start at l Or just go directly to

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 4 l

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 5 l You need the course text book l Assigned reading l Homework problems l Extra explanations

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 6 l Read the course syllabus n It has interesting info – like how we calculate your grade! n If you’re <1% from a grade boundary, I’ll round upwards.

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 7 l Homeworks: 6 x 5% = 30% n One week n Due in Class n Collaborate – don’t copy l In-class activities: 5 x 4% = 20% n We use the 5 best of 6 total n At pseudo-random times n minutes n No make-up assignments l Mid-Terms: 2 x 12.5% = 25% n One class period for each n Multiple choice l Final: 25% n Scheduled by University on 5/12 n 1/3 of the questions will be recycled w‘Free’ points if you read the solutions Kaguya - JAXA

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 8 l A Golden Age of exploration? l This is a special time for planetary science…

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 9 l Planetary science has been around a while Newgrange ~3000 BC Solstices Equinoxes Ancient Greeks BC Spherical Earth Size of the World Geometry of Eclipses Copernicous, Galileo, Kepler, Newton etc… 1600 AD Heliocentric solar system Physics Describing gravity & orbits Scientific Thought Scientific Thought + Telescopes

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 10 l Things really took off in the 1960s l Modern instruments allow us to ask more interesting questions n Was there life on Mars? n How did the solar system form? n Are Earth-like planets rare or common? n How are we changing the Earth? l The new Kepler -> l Searching for extrasolar planets l 7 weeks to Launch Scientific Thought + Telescopes + spacecraft

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 11 l Relevant to Earthlings? n In lots of ways…Earth is one part of a bigger system n Solar Activity wDisrupts communications wDanger to power grids wClimate controls? n Impacts w50-100yrs - Tunguska (1908) style events wRarer kill-us-all (65 Ma) style events n Environmental monitoring on Earth wClimate change wOzone depletion wDeforestation n Comparative planetology wEarth history/processes wOrigins of life n Philosophical wLife elsewhere wBasic urge to explore

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 12 l Planetary Science at LPL – Orbiting instruments Mars – HiRISE Saturn – VIMS Mars – GRS

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 13 l Planetary Science at LPL n Landers Phoenix Lander Cameras on Huygens probe

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 14 l HiRISE sees Phoenix land n Relative velocity ~4km / s n Images landing site later

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 15 l Topics – see website n How the solar system works wGravity wLight and heat wGeologic processes wHow we explore the solar system n Solar system objects wHistory and current state n How the solar system formed n Other solar systems n Special topic – to be voted on l Objects to study n One (mediocre) star n 8 planets w4 Terrestrial – Mercury, Venus, Earth & Mars w2 Gas Giants – Jupiter, Saturn w2 Ice Giants – Neptune, Uranus n Dwarf planets n Moons n Comets, Asteroids

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 16 l Any Prerequisites? n Tier II NATS class requires completion of two tier I classes n Math involved at all stages – but emphasis will be on concepts n Familiarity with: wAlgebra – manipulating equations wBasic Exponents e.g. solve 2 x = 4 wVery basic trig. e.g. know what sin, cos and tan mean. wA calculator/computer/iPhone that performs these functions n Familiarity helpful:  Astronomy, geology etc… n Most of all – a willingness to think! n We can help anyone who wants to help themselves

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 17 l Your last science class? l You might not even like science n …but you’ll be dealing with scientific decisions for your whole life n e.g. what will society do about this… n Where will we get our energy from a few decades from now? n What are acceptable pollution levels? n How much should we spend on the space program? n Any guesses on the current amount?? n When someone says their results are scientific – what do they mean?

PYTS/ASTR 206 – Introduction 18 l More general comments… l In the classroom n Use common sense and courtesy n Turn cell phones and other communication devices off! n No food or drink allowed in the lecture hall (except bottled water). n Constructive participation is strongly encouraged (feel free to ask questions – please!!). l Outside the class n Do the reading assignments! n Start homework assignments early! n Be careful of Academic Integrity. n Contact any of us for help when you need it