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Overview of the Solar System: Background for Discussion of Mars and Saturn

This lecture provides an overview of the solar system, focusing on the mathematical structure of the universe and the use of scientific notation. It explores the size scales in the solar system and discusses key facts about the Sun, as well as the Earth, Mars, and Saturn.

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Overview of the Solar System: Background for Discussion of Mars and Saturn

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  1. Lecture 2: Overview of the solar system: Background for discussion of Mars and Saturn • Mathematics in astronomy: the essence of physical sciences like astronomy is the mathematical structure of the universe. This is a Hellenistic idea. • A useful tool: scientific notation in expressing very large and very small numbers

  2. Scientific Notation: A shorthand for expressing very large or very small numbers • 1640 = 1.64 X 1000; 1000=10X10X10 = 103; 1640 = 1.64 X 103 , OR 1.64E+03. • 6,280,000 = 6.28X1,000,000; 1,000,000=10X10X10X10X10X10 =106 ; 6,280,000 = 6.28X106 = 6.28E+06 • Little numbers too; 0.0015 = 1.5/1000 = 1.5X(1/1000) = 1.5X(1/(10X10X10)) = 1.5X(1/103) = 1.5X10-3 =1.5E-03

  3. An Overview of the Solar System

  4. Size scales in the solar system • Basic unit: 1 meter • 1 kilometer = 1000 meters = 0.6214 miles • Diameter of Earth: 12756 kilometers (~ LA to Sydney) • Closest object in space: Moon, 384,000 km average distance • Most prominent object is astronomy: Sun, 149.6 million kilometers; 1 Astronomical Unit demo

  5. The Sun

  6. Facts about the Sun • Distance: 149.6 million kilometers = 1.496E+11 meters = 1 astronomical unit • Radius = 695,990 kilometers = 6.960E+08 meters (109 times radius of Earth) • If Earth were scaled to 1 foot globe size, the Sun would extend from goal line to 30 yard line at Kinnick stadium • The Sun, not the planets (including Earth) is the dominant object in the solar system

  7. The Terrestrial Planets

  8. The Jovian Planets

  9. The Earth and Mars

  10. But… the Earth and Saturn

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