1. ASTR 330: The Solar System Lecture 1: Introduction to Course Dates and Times Curriculum Rules Grading Discussion Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006

2. ASTR 330: The Solar System About Me Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Class Instructor: Dr Conor Nixon Office: CSS 0225 (Old Building) Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 2-3 pm Phone: (UMD) 301-405-1521 (NASA) 301-286-6757 E-mail: nixon@astro.umd.edunixon@astro.umd.edu I am a planetary scientist in the Astronomy Department of the University of Maryland. I work at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center on the Cassini mission to Saturn, conducting research into planetary atmospheres.

3. ASTR 330: The Solar System More Introductions… Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Class Teaching Assistant: KwangHo Park Office: CSS 0224 (Old Building) Hours: TBD Phone: (UMD) 301-405-1551 E-mail: kpark@astro.umd.edukpark@astro.umd.edu KwangHo is a graduate student in the Department of Astronomy. His research is based around numerical modelling of cosmological properties.

4. ASTR 330: The Solar System About you… Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Who are you: - Computer Scientists? - Humanities? - Social Scientists? - Other? Please fill out the yellow forms about yourselves and return by start of next class.

5. ASTR 330: The Solar System The Course Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 This is a fun course! In this class, you will learn more about the most exciting aspects of planetary and space sciences, in a mostly non- mathematical framework! Pre-requisites: ASTR 100 or ASTR 101 and CORE Distributive Studies Requirement in Mathematics and Sciences. The course is designed for juniors and seniors who are not majoring in the physical sciences.

6. ASTR 330: The Solar System Learning Objectives Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 During this semester, we will try to answer fundamental questions about the Solar System, including 1. How did the solar system form? 2. What types of objects are in the Solar System? 3. How have the planets evolved since formation? 4. What causes the planets to differ from one another and the Earth? 5. Is ours the only Solar System, or are there other planetary systems around other stars?

7. ASTR 330: The Solar System Fields of Study Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Our inquiry will include many different disciplines: Astronomy – measuring the positions, movements, sizes and distances to planets, moons, stars etc. Physics – including heat and light (radiation), gravity and orbits. Chemistry – reaction processes which occur in planetary atmospheres and rocks. Geology – types of Moon rocks and meteorites; and surfaces terrains of planets and moons, including erosion, weathering, and cratering. History – who discovered what when, and how has our view evolved over time? and more: meteorology, biology …

8. ASTR 330: The Solar System We will encounter strange places… Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Diverse new worlds with: Fiery volcanos Colliding sheets of ice Massive storm systems Huge craters

9. ASTR 330: The Solar System We will encounter famous people… Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Great figures from history: Archimedes Galileo Newton Einstein

10. ASTR 330: The Solar System Information sources Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Class text: The Planetary System (3 rd Edition) by Morrison and Owen Class web-site: http://www.astro.umd.edu/~nixon/ASTR330fall06

11. ASTR 330: The Solar System Work Expectations Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Lectures – you should attend all lectures! The lectures will contain important additional information not found in the book. Lectures will also disseminate homeworks, updates on date changes (if any) and hints for exam subjects! Textbook – read the textbook before and after class! The book contains additional information not found in the lectures. Read before class to gain an appreciation of the forthcoming material. Read after each class to reinforce learning. Let me know ASAP about supply problems.

12. ASTR 330: The Solar System Work Strategies Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Use the internet as a valuable learning resource, but never copy directly from a web site, and add a reference to ones you source facts from. The class textbook is your primary text, but you should also read around the subject matter: in other textbooks, popular science books, and astronomy magazines. Always reference these sources. Studying together and discussing class material, ideas and assignments with classmates is good practice. However, when you come to actually write the assignment, it should be 100% your own work. You should aim to keep up with the class pace. If you find yourself falling behind the schedule, come and discuss your problems with me earlier rather than later.

13. ASTR 330: The Solar System Dates and Classes Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006

14. ASTR 330: The Solar System Homework Assignments Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 There will be six homework assignments: HW1: distributed September 5 th, collected September 12 th. HW2: distributed September 19 th, collected September 26 th. HW3: distributed October 10 th, collected October 17 th. HW4: distributed October 24 th, collected October 31 st. HW5: distributed November 14 th, collected November 21 st. HW6: distributed November 28 th, collected December 5 th. Each assignment will contribute 5% of the total grade. Homeworks must be handed in on or before the collection date, or will not be considered for credit, unless you have documented evidence of serious and prolonged illness.

15. ASTR 330: The Solar System Homework Protocol Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Please type (preferred) or write your homeworks neatly, and hand to me in class. Add sketch diagrams where appropriate. I strongly prefer hard-copies (paper), with the date and signature of the student. I will also accept e-mailed assignments (plain text only) only if the deadline is imminent and you cannot make the next class. Use your own words. Copying verbatim from a book, copying from a friend, or allowing others to copy from you is academic dishonesty and will be referred to the University authorities. If you use any sources other than the course textbook, including web sites, add an acknowledgement in your writing. Short quotes from historical figures may be surrounded in double quotes, but these should be used sparingly.

16. ASTR 330: The Solar System Exams Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 There will be 2 mid-term exams and 1 final exam. Mid-term exams (75 mins): each will contribute 20% of the total course grade. The first mid-term will examine all material from the beginning of the course to date, and the second mid-term will examine material learned after the first exam. Consisting of mostly essay questions and some short-answer questions. Final exam (120 mins): is 30% of the total course grade. Will examine all material from the whole course. The final exam will include problem-solving questions as well as essays. Exams will cover material from BOTH lectures AND textbook.

17. ASTR 330: The Solar System Exam details Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Dates, times and places: Mid-term 1: Thursday October 5 th, 12:30-1:45 pm, Room CSS 2428 Mid-term 2: Tuesday November 7 th, 12:30-1:45 pm, Room CSS 2428. Final exam: Tuesday December 19 th, 1:30-3:30 pm, Room CSS 2428. Make-up exams: Make-ups will only be permitted in extreme circumstances, such as serious illness or death in the family. You should contact me (phone message or e-mail) before the exam is missed giving your reason, and then submit a written excuse with documentation immediately upon your return to normal classes. Inform me ASAP if religious observance conflicts with exam dates.

18. ASTR 330: The Solar System Exam conduct Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Closed-book, no notes or calculators allowed. Bring your own pens and pencils and ruler. Don’t use correction fluid. No talking or other communicating between students once the papers are distributed until they are collected. Cheating will be not be tolerated. If you are seen/heard to be cheating you may be asked to leave the exam room, and the case immediately referred to the Head of Classes in the Astronomy Department. You will lose all credit for the exam and your case may be referred to the University level.

19. ASTR 330: The Solar System Get Creative! Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 You are encouraged to write a semester paper on any topic relating to the class syllabus, for extra credit of 0-5%. Your overall grade cannot exceed 100%! The topic should be chosen, and approved by me by November 14 th, and the finished paper submitted by December 5 th. Non-approved or late submissions will not be considered. The paper should conform to: less than 1000 words or 4 text pages, but up to 2 additional pages for figures and diagrams is allowed. You are unlikely to gain any credit for figures or diagrams which you did not draw yourself.

20. ASTR 330: The Solar System Scoring The Extra-Credit Paper Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 The paper will be scored 0-50, with 50 points corresponding to 5 additional percent added to your final grade, subject to the 100% limit. The scoring is as follows: 0-10 for choice of subject matter, including originality, 0-30 for content, and 0-10 for style, including language and presentation; for a total possible 50.

21. ASTR 330: The Solar System Credit Summary Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 300 = 30%Homeworks 200 = 20%Mid-term Exam 1 200 = 20%Mid-term Exam 2 300 = 30%Final Exam ---------- 1000 =100%Total (50 = 5%Optional Extra Credit Paper)

22. ASTR 330: The Solar System Grading Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 I will use a standard system of assigning letter grades: GRADE PERCENTAGE A90-100% B80-89% C68-79% D55-67% F0-54% Everyone can do well: if everyone scores over 80% in the course, then everyone gets a B or A. I may make some adjustment to the % needed to attain a particular grade based on class averages, but only to make it easier to attain a particular grade, not harder.

23. ASTR 330: The Solar System Academic Honesty Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Academic dishonesty includes: CHEATING – “intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or study aids in any academic exercise”. FABRICATION – “intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise”. FACILITATING – “intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to violate any provision of this Code”. PLAGIARISM – “intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own in any academic exercise”. Anedotes

24. ASTR 330: The Solar System Honor Pledge Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 The Honor Pledge is a statement undergraduate and graduate students are asked to write by hand and sign on examinations, papers, and other academic assignments not specifically exempted by the instructor. The Pledge reads: “I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this assignment/examination.”

25. ASTR 330: The Solar System Introductory discussion Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Form groups of 3-4 with your neighbors and consider the following questions (5 minutes): How many planets are there in the solar system? Which was the last to be discovered, by whom and when?

26. ASTR 330: The Solar System Introductory discussion Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Did you say: Pluto? (Clyde Tombaugh, 1930) Neptune? (Adams/Le Verrier, 1846) UB 313 “Xena”? (Brown/Trujillo/Rabinowitz, 2003)

27. ASTR 330: The Solar System Introductory discussion Dr Conor Nixon Fall 2006 Is the number of planets, or the definition of a planet, an important question, or a semantic distraction from real science?