1. AY 3:Introduction to Astronomy: The Solar System
general info: corsica3.ucsc.edu/~lin/AY3

2. Textbook: The Cosmic Perspective. The Solar System
Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, Voit, Addison-Wesley
Clicker: will be used in every class. Available in
Baytree bookstore or with iphone. Need to register.
Instructor: Doug LIN )
Office hours: 3-4pm Mondays, 11-12pm Thursdays
337 Interdisciplinary Science building
TA 1: Lin JIN )
Office hours: 4:50-5:50pm Tue., 12:50-1:50pm Thursdays.
Baskin Engineering 224
TA2: Jinbo ZHU )
Office hours: 1-2pm Tuesdays, 3-4pm Wednesdays
Engineering

3. Learning Support Service Tutor: Brandon L Day)
LSS, account registration and sign up required.
Mon 3:45-4:45, Tue 4:15-5:15pm, Thur 4:15-5:15pm
Class times: 6-7:45pm Tuesdays and Thursdays
Class location: Thieman 3
Section time:
2-3:10pm Thursdays, Lin JIN Engineering 2-194
4:00-5:10 pm Thursday, Lin JIN Oaks 106
9:30-10:40am Wed Jinbo ZHU, NatSciAnnex 101
11am-12:10pm Wed Jinbo ZHU, NatSciAnnex 101
Homeworks: Assigned on Thursday, due a week later

4. Midterm exam: 6-7:45pm Thursday Feb 4th, Thieman 3
Final exam: 4-7pm Monday March 14th, Thieman 3
Accumulative Evalution: Homework (15%),
quiz (15%), midterm exam (30%), final exam (40%)
Participation in BOTH exams is necessary to pass.
Mathematical analysis is required for this course.
Study guide, useful formulae, past exams are online.
Review sections will be held before the exams.

5. Philosophy Main topics
Understanding the process of scientific methodology.
To learn some astronomy with regard to the roots of planets,
stars, & life.
To satisfy the general education and math requirements.
Main topics
Space-time structure in the Universe
Forces of Nature
Properties and utilization of light
Formation of planets
Structure and atmosphere of terrestrial planets
Gas giant planets and their satellites
Interplanetary matter
Geological & biological evolution on Earth
9. Extrasolar planets

6. Lecture 1: an overview Our place in the Universe

7. Home sweet home: the Earth

8. Once habitable environments
Condition which harbors life
Liquid water!
Ocean below
the ice surface
on Europa
Salt deposit on Marsian rocks:
dried up lake.
The Planetary habitat: our Solar System

9. Worlds beyond imagination
100 billion stars

10. powers of ten

11. Vast range of length scales
1 Astronomical unit = distance from
the Earth to the Sun =150,000,000km
1 light year = speed of light x 1 yr
= 9,460,000,000,000 km

12. Life cycle of stars From gas to stars to gas
Red giants
Planetary
nebula
Young stars
Main sequence
Interstellar medium
supernoave

13. Nucleo synthesis powers the Sun
The pp chain
Genesis of complex elements

14. Chemical abundance Triple a reaction CNO cycle Solar abundance
Amount of complex elements in
Typical stars today

15. Heavy elements in massive stars
supernovae
Stellar winds
Radioactive isotope
production

16. Star and planet formation
Condensation of dust and formation of planets
Formation of the solar system: 4.6 Gyr ago

17. Link between space & time
Light travel time: 10 hours
10 billion years

18. Chemical abundance in stars heavy element contamination
Gamma ray bursts

19. Large structure of the universe cosmic expansion
Big bang &
age of the
universe:12 Gyr

20. Cycle of time

21. Anthropic Principle
Astrophysical and cosmological theorists run the risk of error in the interpretation of astronomical and cosmological information unless due account is taken of the biological restraints under which the information was acquired (Strong Anthropic Principle)
Biological theorists also run the risk of error in the interpretation of the evolutionary records unless they take due heed of the astrophysical restraints under which evolution took place. (Weak Anthropic Principle).
Brandon Carter
1983
39/45

22. Probability of life: Necessary conditions
Chemical elements
Sources of energy from stellar luminosity
Organic molecules in the interstellar medium
Life emerged on earth within 1 Gyr
Life survived major disasters
Life can be transported elsewhere

23. Quest: to search for the origin and proliferation of life in the Universe