Introduction to Planetary Science and Astronomy

The Planetary Society’s Director of Projects, Dr. Bruce Betts, returned to the virtual classroom at California State University Dominguez Hills for the Spring 2014 semester teaching Physics 195: Introduction to Planetary Science and Astronomy. Here is an archive of all 13 classes.

1: Tour of the Solar System

Take a tour of the Solar System in class 1 of Dr. Bruce Betts’ 2014 online Introductory Planetary Science and Astronomy course at California State University Dominguez Hills.

2: How We Explore Space

Lecture 2 of Dr. Bruce Betts’ online Introductory Planetary Science and Astronomy course covers easy things to see in the night sky without a telescope, and the electromagnetic spectrum (from gamma rays to visible to radio waves) — what it is, and how and why we use different wavelength regions to explore planets and even learn their compositions.

3: Telescopes, the Moon

Lecture 3 of Dr. Bruce Betts’ online Introductory Planetary Science and Astronomy course covers optical, radio, and space telescopes, the history, exploration, and importance of the Moon to our Solar System understanding, as well as impact cratering and lunar tides and phases.

4: Eclipses, Mercury, Venus-Earth-Mars Atmospheres, Venus

Lecture 4 of Dr. Bruce Betts’ online Introductory Planetary Science and Astronomy course covers eclipses, Mercury (characteristics, geology, core, exploration, water ice at poles), the Terrestrial Planet Atmospheres/Triad Planets — a comparison of Venus, Earth, and Mars and why their atmospheres are so different, including discussions of the Greenhouse Effect, temperature systems (Kelvins, Celsius, Fahrenheit), and plate tectonics; and Venus (characteristics, geologic evolution, exploration).

5: Venus (cont.), Mars

Lecture 5 of Dr. Bruce Betts’ 2014 online Introductory Planetary Science and Astronomy course covers Venus (continued: surface landers, exploration), and Mars (characteristics, many types of geologic features, poles, exploration spacecraft: flyby, orbiters, and landers/rovers).

6: Mars (cont.), Asteroids

Lecture 6 of Dr. Bruce Betts’ 2014 online Introductory Planetary Science and Astronomy course covers Mars (continued discussion including Opportunity and Curiosity) and Asteroids (general, exploration, asteroid belt, meteorites) and includes an interview with NEOWISE Principal Investigator Amy Mainzer from JPL.

7: Near Earth Asteroids, Jupiter System

Lecture 7 of Dr. Bruce Betts’ 2014 online Introductory Planetary Science and Astronomy course covers the near Earth asteroid threat to Earth (including statistics, past impacts, and information on the Chelyabinsk fireball), introduces the Jupiter system, and includes an interview with Tim Spahr, Director of the Minor Planet Center.

8: Galilean Satellites, Saturn System

Lecture 8 of Dr. Bruce Betts’ 2014 online Introductory Planetary Science and Astronomy course covers the Galilean Satellites (Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto) of Jupiter, and the Saturnian System including atmosphere, interior, rings, and moons including Enceladus and intro to Titan, and a tribute to Dr. Warren Ashley.

9: Titan, Uranus and Neptune Systems

Lecture 9 of Dr. Bruce Betts’ 2014 online Introductory Planetary Science and Astronomy course starts with guest Scott Edgington, Cassini Deputy Project Scientist at JPL, then covers Saturn’s moon Titan and the Uranian and Neptunian systems including atmospheres, interiors, rings, and moons including Triton.

10: Trans Neptunian Objects including Pluto, KBOs, Comets

Lecture 10 of Dr. Bruce Betts’ 2014 online Introductory Planetary Science and Astronomy course covers Transneptunian Objects (TNOs) including the Pluto System, Eris, Kuiper Belt Objects, Comets, and the Oort Cloud, and also covers the solar wind, aurorae, and the heliosphere.

11: Exoplanets and Solar System Origin and Formation

Lecture 11 of Dr. Bruce Betts’ 2014 online Introductory Planetary Science and Astronomy course covers exoplanets (planets around other stars) including discovery techniques, current knowledge and characteristics, multi-planet systems, and features an interview with Dr. Debra Fischer (Yale University). Lecture 11 also covers the origin and formation of the Solar System.

12: The Sun and Stars

Lecture 12 of Dr. Bruce Betts’ 2014 online Introductory Planetary Science and Astronomy course covers the Sun (physical characteristics, zones, solar cycle, sunspots, flares, coronal mass ejections, fusion, etc.) and Stars and Stellar Evolution (star types and colors, evolution, HR Diagrams, birth and death phases, white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes).

13: Galaxies, the Universe, Life

Lecture 13 of Dr. Bruce Betts’ 2014 online Introductory Planetary Science and Astronomy course covers galaxies (our place in the Milky Way, types of galaxies, Hubble Deep Field), the Universe (determining distances, expansion of the universe, Big Bang theory and evolution of the universe, WMAP and Planck results, dark matter, dark energy, neutrinos), and life in the universe (Earth life requirements, astrobiology, SETI).