ASTRONOMY 8850

PLANETARY SCIENCES

Fall 2024


SYLLABUS

ASTR 8850 Syllabus, version 18 OCT 2024


SOLAR SYSTEM EXPLORERS

Current Point Totals
True Explorers


USEFUL WEBSITES FOR PROJECTS

NASA Planetary Photojournal
Most excellent pictures of all sorts of Solar System members can be found here.
NASA Missions
Absolutely fundamental site for NASA space missions. Gives links to missions past, present, and future.
Solar System Dynamics (JPL)
Includes fundamental data for all sorts of objects in the Solar System, including the planets, natural satellites, comets and asteroids. Excellent (complete) lists of natural satellites is a highlight.
Small Body Database Search Engine (JPL)
Searchable database for orbits and characteristics of various asteroids and comets, nicely broken into categories.
Minor Planet Center (IAU/NASA/SAO)
Has extensive details and maps concerning all minor bodies (asteroids, KBOs, and comets) in the Solar System. This is THE place to shop if you are interested in objects smaller than a serious moon.
Minor Planet Lists and Plots (IAU/NASA/SAO)
Lists of various classes of objects and a wealth of other details.
NASA Exoplanets (U.S.)
The definitive U.S. "go-to" site for extrasolar planet research.
exoplanet.eu (Europe)
The definitive European "go-to" site for extrasolar planet research.


TOPICS

01 Solar System Overview I HERE
02 Solar System Overview II HERE
03 Solar System Overview III HERE
04 Solar System Formation I HERE
05 Solar System Formation II HERE
06 Dynamics I HERE
07 Dynamics II HERE
08 Solar Heating HERE
09 Energy Transport HERE
10 Planetary Atmospheres I HERE
11 Planetary Atmospheres II HERE
12 Planetary Atmospheres III HERE
13 Weather HERE
14 Planetary Surfaces I HERE
15 Planetary Surfaces II HERE
16 Planetary Surfaces III HERE
17 Planetary Interiors I HERE
18 Planetary Interiors II HERE
19 Minor Bodies Out To Jupiter pending
20 Minor Bodies Beyond Jupiter pending
21 TEEEM: Locations for Life? I pending
22 TEEEM: Locations for Life? II pending
23 Life Beyond Earth pending
24 SETI / Exoplanets pending
25 Student Presentations
26 Student Presentations


FORMAT FOR PLANETARY SCIENCES JOURNAL ARTICLE

Overleaf Template: CLICK HERE


TIPS FOR TALKS

Todd's Top 10 Tips for Talks


PAPERS

Levels of Paper Preparation
Anderson paper (2015)
Bowsher paper (2009)
Vrijmoet paper (2017)