SOLAR SYSTEM ASTROPHYSICS

ASTRON 340

Course Description

Properties of solar system objects, solar atmospheric phenomena, physics of planetary atmospheres, results of recent planetary missions, comets, origin of the solar system.

Prerequisties

MATH 222 and (PHYSICS 205 , PHYSICS 241 , or PHYSICS 249 , or concurrent enrollment)

Satisfies

ASTRON 500 and ASTRON 620

Credits

Not Reported

Offered

Not Reported

Grade Point Average

3.44

8.59% from Historical

Completion Rate

100%

3.5% from Historical

A Rate

37.5%

29.07% from Historical

Class Size

-2.7% from Historical

Instructors (2025 Fall)

Sorted by ratings from Rate My Professors

Similar Courses

BASIC ASTROPHYSICS II

ASTRON 702

Basic particle and fluid dynamics of stellar and gaseous systems in astrophysics. Review of gravitational dynamics, 2-body relaxation, phase space, basic equations of fluid dynamics, waves, shocks, winds accretion, instabilities.

SEMINAR IN ASTROPHYSICS

ASTRON/PHYSICS 910

Current topics in astrophysics.

THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE

ASTRON 200

Modern astrophysics involves applying physical principles to understand astronomical phenomena. Includes the solar system, stars, nebulae, galaxies, and cosmology, with emphasis on origins and evolution. Some nighttime observation with telescopes required.

BASIC ASTROPHYSICS I

ASTRON 700

Thermodynamics, atomic and molecular spectra, ionization and excitation, line and continuum opacities. Synchrotron radiation, Compton scattering, X-ray spectra. Radiative transfer, simple model atmospheres, radiative and convective energy transport.

OUR EXPLORATION OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

ASTRON 104

Humanity is linked to the solar system in countless ways. Our view of the solar system, how planets form, and how planetary systems evolve has fundamentally changed with the discovery of countless exoplanets around other stars. Join us in exploring the modern view of the solar system and its relation to other planetary worlds. Includes the sky and celestial motions; ancient astronomy; the Copernican revolution; gravity, orbits, and interplanetary travel; formation of solar system; survey of sun, planets and moons; asteroids, meteors and comets; origin of life.