PHYC 2451

Solar System Astronomy

Lec 01 and Tut T01 selected

An introduction to solar system astronomy and the night sky for science students. The historical development of astronomy, and celestial coordinate systems are discussed, with focus on the planets and satellites of our solar system. Planetarium sessions are included, as are opportunities to observe the night sky through small telescopes.

Sections

Lecture
Tutorial

From the syllabus

From the Fall 2025 syllabus by Philip Bennett. Open the PDF

Grading

25%Midterm examIn class
25%Final examIn class
12%Multiple-choice quizzes (3)Over the term
10%Norton Smartwork exercises (5)Pre- and post-activities
16%Lab assignmentUses Stellarium
6%In-class quizzes (6)During selected lectures
6%Course participationObservation nights and planetarium show

Textbooks

  • Learning Astronomy by Doing Astronomy, 2nd ed., Stacy Palen and Ana M. Larson
  • Exploring the Solar System, 2nd ed., Peter Bond

Course rules

Missed exams
Give written advance notice for illness or another justified absence; an unannounced absence may not be rescheduled.
Late assignments
Late work generally receives a per-lecture penalty unless justified to the instructor before the deadline.
Assignment deadlines
Assignments are generally not accepted more than one to two weeks after the deadline without prior permission.
Exams
Exams are open book; calculators and course materials are allowed, and devices may only access local files or course pages.
Assignments
Students may collaborate, but submitted drawings, observations, calculations, and writing must be their own.

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