Astronomy 1010-H
Planetary Astronomy
Fall_2015
Day-29
Course Announcements
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How is the sunset/sunrise observing going?
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SW-chapter 8 posted: due Wed. Nov. 4
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Exam-3 Wed. Nov. 4: Ch. 6, 7, 8
I will collect the L-T books on Monday, Nov. 23
Dark Night Observing (last 2 of semester):
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Thursday Nov. 5
Monday Nov. 9
1st Quarter Obs. (last one of semester): Thurs. Nov. 19
Reports Due: Monday Nov. 23 – AT CLASS TIME!
Take more astronomy!
Registration for the Spring semester starts soon so think
about taking more astronomy.
ASTR-1010/1011: Planetary Astro & lab (Tell your friends)
ASTR-1020/1021: Stellar Astronomy & lab (Reg. + Honors)
ASTR-2020: Problems in Stellar Astronomy
ASTR-3010: History of Astronomy
ASTR-3040: Intro. To AstroBiology
PHYS-2468: Intro. To Physics Research
ASTR-3030/3031: Instrumentation & Techniques
 Volcanism is related to tectonism and is a
sign of geologic activity.
 The movement of the tectonic plates
generates a lot of thermal energy from
friction.
 This energy combines with heat from
convection cells in the mantle to heat
portions of the lower crust and upper
mantle as magma.
 Volcanoes form (mostly) at hot spots and
plate boundaries.
 Very fluid lava forms shield volcanoes.
 Thick lava forms composite volcanoes.
 The Moon does not
have any volcanoes,
but lava flows
smoothed out parts of
its surface.
 Mercury also has
smooth surfaces from
past volcanism, and a
few inactive volcanoes
have been identified.
 The volcanoes on Mars are the largest
mountains in the Solar System, and are
shield volcanoes (largest = Olympus Mons).
 Venus has the largest amount of volcanoes in
the Solar System.
 Erosion includes
processes that wear
down the high spots
and fill in the low.
 On Earth, wind and
water strongly erode
features.
 Wind also modifies
the surfaces of
Venus and Mars,
especially on Mars
with its loose dust.
Water
 While Earth is the
only planet with liquid
water, there is much
evidence that Mars
was once wetter than
it is today.
 Canyons, dry
riverbeds, layered
rock.
Water
 Large deposits of subsurface ice have been
detected beneath Mars’ surface, deep under craters
as well as just beneath the soil.
 Water ice could exist on Mercury and was observed
on the Moon after NASA crashed a vehicle into a
crater.
Water
 Impacts have far-reaching consequences.
 The mass extinction of the dinosaurs marked in
the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary could be
evidence of a very large impact.
Recent Collisions
Earth’s Surface
Torino Scale
Impact Energies
and these are the small ones
Earth’s Changing Surface
Lecture Tutorial pg. 101
 Work with a partner!
 Read the instructions and questions carefully.
 Discuss the concepts and your answers with one
another. Take time to understand it now!!!!
 Come to a consensus answer you both agree on and
write complete thoughts into your LT.
 If you get stuck or are not sure of your answer, ask
another group.
Concept Quiz
A Bigger Earth
You discover an Earth-like planet around
another star, but the planet has twice the
mass of Earth. What would you not
expect to see?
A.
B.
C.
D.
a highly cratered surface
an atmosphere
volcanoes and tectonic plates
erosion and weathering
Exam – 3 To Here