Astr 1050     Fri., Dec. 9, 2005

Solar System topics for the exam:

Chapter 16: Origin of the Solar System

Patterns in Motion

Solar Nebula Model

Extra-Solar Planets

Characteristics of “Planets”

Slide 8

Evidence of Assembly Process?    Craters

Craters evident on almost all small “planets”

Chapter 17: Terrestrial Planets

“Comparative Planetology”

Timeline

Earth’s Atmosphere: Greenhouse Effect

The Moon and Mercury

Examples of craters on the moon

Effects of late impacts

Moon: Giant Impact Hypothesis

Venus

Expect Venus to be similar to Earth?
(It isn’t!)

Surface Relief of Venus from Radar

Volcanoes

Lava Channels

Slide 24

Lots of Martian Science Fiction

Mars and the Pattern of Geologic Activity
and Atmospheric Loss

Which planets can retain which gasses?

Mars atmosphere today

Mars dust storm

Sand Dunes on Mars

Water ice clouds

Ancient River Channels?
(note channels older than some craters – by superposition)

Recent liquid water?
(water seeping out of underground “aquifer” ?)

Layered Deposits

Chapter 18: Worlds of the Outer Solar System

Jovian Planets

Ice+Rock Core    H+He “Atmosphere”

Jupiter as seen by Cassini

Aurora on Jupiter

Comparison of Jovian Planets

Saturn as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope

Rings are individual particles all orbiting separately

Comparison of Rings

Jupiter as a miniature solar system

Io, Europa break rules about activity

Tidal heating explains activity

Possible H2O ocean on Europa

Comparison of Satellites

Titan

Ch. 19:  Meteorites, Asteroids, Comets

Asteroids

The larger asteroids

Phobos & Deimos:  Two “misplaced” asteroids?

Types of Meteorites

Meteors vs. Meteorites

Large Meteor over the Tetons (1972)

The Leonids  2001

Meteor Showers and Comets

Comets:         Hale-Bopp in April 1997

Hale-Bopp clearly shows components

Comet characteristics

Importance of comets

Pluto and Charon