FRS 118: Imagining Other Planets (Robert H. Rawson ’66
Freshman Seminar)
David Spergel 113 Peyton Hall 8-3589 dns@astro.princeton.edu
Adam Burrows 105 Peyton Hall 8-3590 aburrows@astro.princeton.edu
Student email exploder: FRS118_S2011@Princeton.EDU
MW 1:30 -2:50 PM Forbes College 121
Over the past two decades, astronomers have discovered more than 500 planets around
nearby stars. In this seminar, we will explore how these planets are being discovered, the
prospects for characterizing these planets, and explore the properties of these new worlds.
The goal of the course is to introduce students to the new field of exoplanets and to use
exoplanets as an opportunity to learn “back of the envelope” physics and astronomy.
Reading List:
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James Kasting, How to Find a Habitable Planet (HP)
L. Weinstein and J.A. Adam, Guesstimation (G)
Neil F Comins, What if the Earth had Two Moons? (E2M)
Useful websites:
o http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/
o http://exoplanet.eu/
o http://www.astrobiology.com/extrasolar.html
o http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/
o http://www.princeton.edu/astrobiology/
Grading:
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Class Participation 25%
Final Paper + Presentation 35%
First Paper + Presentation: 20%
Homeworks: 20%
Requirements:
o First paper + presentation: prepare a ten minute presentation to the NAS
decadal survey 2020 review advocating a new mission to characterize
extrasolar planets; and write a five page supporting paper describing the
mission and its scientific capabilities.
o Final paper + presentation: Invent a planet and write a 10 page paper
describing its properties and habitability.
o Five problem sets (first problem set available after first lecture)
o In class guesstimation problems
o Attendance
Schedule (subject to change):
PLEASE READ THE SUGGESTED READINGS BEFORE CLASS
How We Find Planets?
o Jan 31: Introductions; Overview of Extrasolar Planets; Introduction to
Estimation
o Reading: Guestimation (G) Chapter 1-3; How to Find a Habitable
Planet (HP), Chapter 1
o Homework 1 Available
o Feb 2 Kepler’s Laws; Radial Velocity Searches for Planets
o Reading: G: Chapter 6; HP: Chapter 11
o Feb 7 Planetary Transits + Introduction to Telescopes
o Reading: HP Chapter 12
o Feb 9 Imaging Other Planets
o Reading HP Chapter 13
o Homework 1 Due
o Week of Feb 9: Telescope viewing at Peyton (weather permitting)
o Feb 14 Visit to Kasdin Laboratory/ SEEDS visit
o Student presentation topics assigned. Some useful links here.
o Feb 16 (DNS out of town): Stars I
Stars
o Feb 21 (DNS out of town): Stars II
o G Chap 8 +9
o Feb 23 Stellar and planetary spectra
o What if the Earth Had Two Moons (E2M)? Chapter 6
o Feb 28 Planetary Atmospheres
o HP Chapter 14 + 15
o Mar 2 First Paper due (Student Presentations I)
o Mar 7 (Student Presentations II)
Rocky Planets
o Mar 9 Tides and Moons:
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E2M: Chapter 1+2
o Mar 14/16 Midterm Break
o Mar 21 Formation History of the Earth and the Origin of Water
o HP: Chap 2
o E2M: Chap 3
o Homework 2 Due
o Mar 23 History of Earth’s Climate
o HP Chap 3 + 4
o G Chap 10
o Mar 28 Glaciation + Carbon Cycles
o HP Chap 5
o E2M: Chap 4
o Homework 3 Due
o Mar 30 Venus
o HP Chap 6
o Apr 4 Mars
o HP Chap 7
Life: Earth and Beyond
o Apr 6: History of Life on Earth
o Apr 11 Origin of Life + Other Biologies
o Homework 4 Due
o Apr 13 Habitable Zones
o HP Chap 8 + 9
o Week of April 11 Visit to Hecht Lab
Cosmology
o Apr 18: Our Galaxy
o E2M Chap 6
o Apr 20: History of the Universe
o E2M Chap 5
o Homework 5 Due
Final Presentations
o Apr 25 Student Presentations I
o Apr 27 Student Presentations II
o May 2 Visit to Goddard Space Flight Center?
o May 4 Student Presentations III
o May 9 Final Paper Due