Astronomy 1010-H
Planetary Astronomy
Fall_2015
Day-33
Course Announcements
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How is the sunset/sunrise observing going?
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SW-chapter 9 due: Wed. Nov. 18
SW-chapter 10 due: Mon. Nov. 23
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I will collect the L-T books on Monday, Nov. 23
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1st Quarter Obs. (last one of semester): Thurs. Nov. 19
Reports Due: Monday Nov. 23 – AT CLASS TIME!
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You-tube
CONNECTIONS 9.2
 Convection along with Earth’s water cycle creates
violent weather patterns on Earth, including
thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
 Dust devils can also be created on Mars.
 Lightning on Venus and the giant planets.
 Parts of Earth
are heated differently.
 Convection distributes
surface heating.
 Hadley circulation
transports heat
between equator and
poles.
 Global winds carry
heat from hot to cool
regions.
 On Earth, Venus, and
Mars, the circulation
depends on heating
pattern and rotation
period.
 The Coriolis effect
breaks the larger
convection cells into
smaller ones.
 Climate is the average
state of an atmosphere.
 Can be affected by
astronomical,
geological, and
biological mechanisms.
 Astronomical: changes
in the Sun’s energy
output, change in a
planet’s obliquity, and
more.
 Geological: volcanic
and tectonic activity.
 Biological:
photosynthesis by
bacteria and plants,
methane byproducts,
human activity.
 Paleoclimatology has yielded much
information about Earth’s climate change.
 Has found temperature and climate cycles,
including ice ages.
 Earth’s climate is very sensitive to changes
in temperature.
CONNECTIONS 9.1
 The temperature of a gas is a measure of the
average kinetic energy of its molecules.
 The motion of the gas molecules in an
atmosphere creates its pressure.
MATH TOOLS 9.1
 If the speed of a gas
molecule is less than a
planet’s escape speed, it
will be more easily
retained.
 The speed is
represented by the
temperature.
 If the gas speed is less
than 1/6 of the escape
speed, the planet will
keep its atmosphere.
PROCESS OF SCIENCE
 When presented with complex science (such
as climate change), it is important to analyze
the issue inclusively from different angles.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
and Neptune are the
giant planets.
Jupiter and Saturn:
mainly hydrogen and
helium.
5.2 AU from Sun,
and 9.6 AU from Sun.
Called gas giants.
 Uranus and Neptune:
smaller, have much
more water, water ice,
and other ices.
 19.2 AU from Sun,
and 30.0 AU from Sun.
 Called ice giants.