2009 Course Handbook
PHYS178: Other Worlds: Planets and Planetary Systems
This unit explores our solar system and the newly-found planetary systems around other suns. We begin by examining the processes that have shaped the marvellous variety of worlds within our own solar system, from the scorched and buckled surface of Mercury to the geysers of frozen methane on Neptune's largest moon, Triton. From this we build an understanding of how our solar system formed and subsequently evolved to become the system that we inhabit today. We turn our attention to the on-going discovery of a startling variety of planets around other stars. These provide a new and challenging perspective on our place in the Universe that is modifying the scientific theories of how generic planetary systems are formed. The unit will highlight breaking news as the unit proceeds. The practical component of the unit includes observing the planets with the telescopes of the Macquarie University Observatory.
| Credit Points: | 3 |
| Contact Hours: | 3 |
| When Offered: | D2 - Day; Offered in the second half-year |
| Staff Contact: | Physics staff |
| Prerequisites: | |
| Corequisites: | |
| NCCWs: | |
| Unit Designations: | -- |
| Assessed As: | Graded |
| Offered By: |
Department of Physics and Engineering |
Timetable Information
For unit timetable information please visit the Timetables@Macquarie Website.