Solar System

Modern Astronomy:
Voyage to the Planets
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Presented by Helen Johnston.

"Voyage to the Planets" begins on 4 October 2017: check listings in the Continuing Education web-site or brochure for enrolment information.

This course looks at what we have learned about the solar system in the era of space exploration. We look at what space missions from Pioneer and Voyager to Galileo and Cassini have taught us about the planets and their moons. We discuss the basics of space flight, including how interplanetary probes use gravitational slingshots to reach the high speeds needed to reach the outer planets. We discuss the the prospects for journeys to Mars, and investigate what we know about planets around other stars. An evening of star- and planet-viewing in the Blue Mountains is included.

Course outline

The links for each lecture contain further reading and sources for images.

    Lecture Links PDF versionAnimations Lecture recording

    1. Introduction to the Solar System; The Earth as a planet


    We set the scene, showing where we are in the universe, and discuss the Earth as a planet.    		 Lecture 1 links VP1-Intro+Earth.pdf (20 Mb) Earth topography (8.2 Mb)
    Original from http://sos.noaa.gov/datasets/Land/etopo2.html
    Weather in 2013 (18 Mb)
    Original from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2014/jan/29/2013-weather-systems-60-seconds-video
    Earth's rotation from Galileo (2 Mb)
    Original from http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/stories/nasm/movies.html
    		 Lecture 1

    2. The Moon, our nearest neighbour; Spaceflight


    We look at the Moon as the only other solar system body humans have set foot on. Then we discuss the basics of space flight, looking at how we get to other planets.    		 Lecture 2 links VP2-Moon+Spaceflight.pdf (17 Mb) Libration of the moon (484 kb)
    Original from http://www.astrosurf.com/cidadao/animations.htm
    Lunar impact blast (15.4 Mb)
    Original from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=perqv4qByaI
    Lunar rotation (4.8 Mb)
    Original from http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130916.html
    Moon-forming impact (2.8 Mb)
    Original from http://www.swri.edu/press/impact.htm
    Lagrange-point impactor (308 kb)
    Original from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_impact_theory
    Evolution of the Moon (11 Mb)
    Original from http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120320.html
    Orbit animations all together on one page.
    Aerobraking (5.2 Mb)
    Original from http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/odyssey/gallery/video/2001-2004.html     		Lecture 2

    3. The inner planets: Mercury and Venus


    		 Lecture 3 links VP3-Mercury+Venus.pdf (13 Mb) Mercury rotation (1.3 Mb)
    Mercury flyover (14.7 Mb)
    Original from http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/the_mission/movies.html
    Mercury globe rotation (14.7 Mb)
    Original from http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/the_mission/movies.html
    Venus rotation (1.7 Mb)
    South polar vortex (314 kb)
    Original from http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=39671    		 Lecture 3

    4. Mars, the Red Planet


    We look at what we've learned about Mars, and discuss the prospects and problems of possible manned missions to Mars.    		 Lecture 4 links VP4-Mars.pdf (27 Mb) Curiosity view of Phobos and Deimos (3.2 Mb)
    Original from http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA17089
    Dust devils (6 Mb)
    Original from http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA09260
    Mars impact animation (805 kb)
    Original from http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11387
    		 Lecture 4

    5. Rocks in space: asteroids, comets and meteorites


    We look at the various smaller bodies in the Solar System, and discuss their effects on the planets.    		 Lecture 5 links VP5-Rocks.pdf (23 Mb) Eros rotation: movie 1 (1.1 Mb), movie 2 (3.9 Mb), movie 3 (1.3 Mb)
    Originals from http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/mission/near/near_eros_anim.html
    Mathilde encounter (500 kb)
    Original from http://near.jhuapl.edu/Images/Anim.html
    Vesta full rotation (3.3 Mb)
    Original from http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/vesta_full_rotationMovie.asp
    Rosetta comet rotation (2.1 Mb)
    Original from http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/09151433-a-landing-site-for-philae.html
    Chelyabinsk video compilation (25 Mb)
    Original from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMnZr5DDRlA
    B612 impact video (8.5 Mb)
    Original from http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-04/22/asteroid-impacts    		 Lecture 5

    6. Jupiter


    We look at Jupiter and its satellite systems, revealed in all their glory by the Voyager missions and Galileo.    		 Lecture 6 links VP6-Jupiter.pdf (31 Mb) Jupiter rotation movie (3.4 Mb)
    Original from http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02863
    Europa Tide Movie (4.1 Mb)
    Original from http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA10149
    Cycloid formation (140 kb)
    Original from http://pirlwww.lpl.arizona.edu/~hoppa/science.html
    Io rotation (125 kb)
    Original from http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/jovian_moons/io.html    		 Lecture 6

    7. Saturn


    We look at the latest results from Cassini-Huygens and what they tell us about the ringed planet.    		 Lecture 7 links VP7-Saturn.pdf (42 Mb) Cassini orbit (10.7 Mb)
    Original from http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/videos/video-details.cfm?videoID=85
    Saturn rotation (5.7 Mb)
    Original from http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/solar-system/2007/13/
    Cassini ring-plane crossing (38.4 Mb)
    Original from http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA08356
    Huygens landing (6.3 Mb)
    Original from http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/videos/video-details.cfm?videoID=79
    Hyperion fly-by (67.8 Mb)
    Original from http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA07742
    Saturn moon ballet (6.7 Mb)
    Original from http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/video/videodetails/?videoID=206
    Titan Land of Lakes (30 Mb)
    Original from http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/video/videodetails/?videoID=271
    Cassini: Coming attractions at Saturn (110 Mb)
    Original from http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/video/videodetails/?videoID=274    		 Much to my surprise, the lecture recording worked last night, but cut off early, so the end is missing
    Lecture 7

    8. The outer solar system: Uranus, Neptune and (minor) planets beyond


    		 Lecture 8 links VP8-Outer-planets.pdf (44 Mb) Rotating Uranus (18 Mb)
    Original from http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/1999/11/
    Uranus magnetic field (5.2 Mb)
    Original from http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/uranus/surface.html
    Rotating Neptune (484 kb)
    Original from http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/1996/33/
    Rotating Pluto (616 kb)
    Original from http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/1996/09/
    Long range view of Pluto and Charon (43 kb)
    Original from http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/gallery/sciencePhotos/image.php?gallery_id=2&image_id=101 Orbits of Pluto and PT1 (6.3 Mb)
    Original from http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/10151024-finally-new-horizons-has-a-kbo.html    		 Lecture 8

    9. Formation of the solar system


    We look at how the solar system formed from the original cloud of interstellar gas and dust.    		 Lecture 9 links VP9-Formation.pdf (44 Mb) Moon-forming impact (2.8 Mb)
    Original from http://www.swri.edu/press/impact.htm
    Scattering of Uranus and Neptune (90.4 Mb)
    Original from http://www.boulder.swri.edu/~hal/talks.html
    WARNING! this file is HUGE.    		 Lecture 9

    10. Extrasolar planets


    We discuss the large number of planets now being discovered in other star systems, and discuss how these discoveries affect what we know about our own Solar System.    		 Lecture 10 links VP10-Exoplanets.pdf (21 Mb)   Lecture 10

Astro humour:

There will be an evening of star-viewing at Mount Wilson on

Saturday, 18th November

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Last updated 7 December 2017

Please let me know of any problems with these pages: H.Johnston@physics.usyd.edu.au