Description (podcaster-provided):
Astronomy 161, Introduction to the Solar System, is the first quarter ofThemes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Solar System Astronomy • Planetary Motion • Celestial Phenomena • Historical Models • Exoplanets • Telescopes • Timekeeping • Newtonian Physics • Comets, Asteroids, Meteoroids • Light and Matter InteractionThis podcast, titled "Astronomy 161 - Introduction to Solar System Astronomy," comprises a series of audio lectures that were conducted by Professor Richard Pogge at The Ohio State University. Aimed at non-science majors, the podcast serves as an introductory course into the realm of solar system astronomy.
The content of the podcast is broad, covering fundamental scientific concepts necessary for understanding the cosmos, such as the metric system, astronomical units, and basic physics related to mass and weight. It delves into celestial phenomena, explaining the night sky constellations, phases of the moon, and the mechanics of solar and lunar eclipses. The podcast also explores the methodologies behind time-keeping, including calendars, and the measurement of Earth's rotation and revolution.
Recurring topics include the motion and characteristics of planets, such as the observable patterns of planetary movements and the revolutionary ideas regarding heliocentric and geocentric models. The discussions extend to key historical figures in astronomy, including Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton, thereby tracing the development of scientific thought in understanding planetary motion and gravity.
Listeners are introduced to the elemental principles of light and matter, the technologies used to observe celestial bodies, and the complex inner workings of the Earth's structure and atmosphere. The podcast also contrasts the Earth with its closest celestial neighbors to highlight the distinctive and shared features of terrestrial planets.
As it progresses, the podcast expands its scope to the gas giants and their moons, rings, and environmental phenomena, as well as topics like asteroids, comets, and the debated classification of Pluto. The series concludes by addressing exoplanets, planets orbiting other stars, raising pertinent questions about the universe's capacity to harbor life beyond Earth. This podcast serves as a detailed guide through the fundamental and advanced topics of solar system astronomy, interspersed with historical context and current discoveries.
Episodes: |
Welcome to Astronomy 161 2006-Sep-18 |
Lecture 2: Astronomical Numbers 2006-Sep-21 |
Lecture 3: The Starry Night 2006-Sep-22 |
Lecture 4: Measuring the Earth 2006-Sep-25 |
Lecture 5: Mapping Earth and Sky 2006-Sep-26 |
Lecture 6: Daily and Annual Motions 2006-Sep-27 |
Lecture 7: The Four Seasons 2006-Sep-28 |
Lecture 8: Phases of the Moon 2006-Sep-29 |
Lecture 9: Eclipses of the Sun and Moon 2006-Oct-02 |
Lecture 10: Telling Time 2006-Oct-03 |
Lecture 11: The Calendar 2006-Oct-04 |
Lecture 12: The Wanderers - Planetary Motions 2006-Oct-05 |
Lecture 13: Greek Astronomy 2006-Oct-09 |
Lecture 14: The Revolutions of Nicolaus Copernicus 2006-Oct-10 |
Lecture 15: The Watershed: Tycho and Kepler 2006-Oct-11 |
Lecture 16: Galileo and the Telescope 2006-Oct-12 |
Lecture 17: On the Shoulders of Giants: Isaac Newton and the
Laws of Motion 2006-Oct-13 |
Lecture 18: The Apple and the Moon - Newtonian Gravity 2006-Oct-16 |
Lecture 19: Orbits 2006-Oct-17 |
Lecture 20: Tides 2006-Oct-18 |
Lecture 21: The Rotation and Revolution of the Earth 2006-Oct-19 |
Lecture 22: Light the Messenger 2006-Oct-23 |
Lecture 23: Worlds Within: Atoms 2006-Oct-24 |
Lecture 24: Matter and Light 2006-Oct-25 |
Lecture 25: Measuring Light - Spectroscopy 2006-Oct-26 |
Lecture 26: Telescopes 2006-Oct-27 |
Lecture 27: Deep Time - The Age of the Earth 2006-Oct-30 |
Lecture 28: Inside the Earth 2006-Oct-31 |
Lecture 29: The Earth's Atmosphere 2006-Nov-01 |
Lecture 30: The Moon 2006-Nov-02 |
Lecture 31: The Family of the Sun 2006-Nov-06 |
Lecture 32: The Origin of the Solar System 2006-Nov-07 |
Lecture 33: Battered Mercury 2006-Nov-08 |
Lecture 34: Venus Unveiled 2006-Nov-09 |
Lecture 35: The Deserts of Mars 2006-Nov-13 |
Lecture 36: Worlds in Comparison - The Terrestrial Planets 2006-Nov-14 |
Lecture 37: Jupiter and Saturn 2006-Nov-15 |
Lecture 38: Uranus and Neptune 2006-Nov-16 |
Lecture 39: The Moons of Jupiter 2006-Nov-20 |
Lecture 40: The Saturn System 2006-Nov-21 |
Lecture 41: Planetary Rings 2006-Nov-22 |
Lecture 42: Asteroids and Meteoroids 2006-Nov-27 |
Lecture 43: Icy Worlds of the Outer Solar System 2006-Nov-28 |
Lecture 44: Comets 2006-Nov-29 |
Lecture 45: Is Pluto a Planet? 2006-Nov-30 |
Lecture 46: ExoPlanets - Planets around Other Stars 2006-Dec-01 |
Astronomy 141 Podcast Teaser 2009-Dec-06 |