Astronomy 161 - Introduction to Solar System Astronomy

Lecture 18: The Apple and the Moon - Newtonian Gravitation

What is Gravity? Starting with the properties of falling bodies first formulated by Galileo, Newton applied his three laws of motion to the problem of Universal Gravitati

Lecture 17: On the Shoulders of Giants: Isaac Newton and the Laws of Motion

Copernicus, Kepler, Tycho, and Galileo together gave us a new way of looking at the motions in the heavens, but they could not explain why the planets move they way the d

Lecture 16: The Starry Messenger - Galileo and the Telescope

Tycho reached the limits of what could be done with the naked eye. A new technology was required to extend our vision: the telescope. This lecture introduces Galileo Gali

Lecture 15: The Watershed - Tycho and Kepler

In the generation following Copernicus, the question of planetary motions was picked up by two remarkable astronomers: Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. Tycho was a Danish

Lecture 14b: Copernicus from Au2006

Because my voice recorder malfunctioned 15 minutes into my Lecture on Copernicus on 2007 October 9, I've added this recording of my Copernicus lecture from Autumn Quarter

Lecture 14: The Revolutions of Nicolaus Copernicus

In 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus revived Aristarchus' Heliocentric System in an attempt to rid Ptolemy's geocentric system of the un-Aristotelian idea of the Equant. He desir

Lecture 13: The Harmony of the Spheres - Greek Astronomy

What are the origins of the Geocentric and Heliocentric models put foward to explain planetary motion? This lecture begins a new unit that will chart the rise of our mode

Lecture 12: The Wanderers

How do the planets move across the sky? This lecture discusses the motions of the 5 naked-eye planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) as seen from the Earth.

Lecture 11: The Calendar

How do we make calendars? This lecture explores the astronomical origins of our calendars. We start by discussing lunar and solar calendars and their hybrids in history a

Lecture 10: Telling Time

What time is it? Telling time is the oldest practical application of astronomy. Today's lecture is the first of a 2-part lecture on the astronomical origins of our method

Lecture 09: Eclipses of the Sun and Moon

Among the most amazing sights in the sky, eclipses of the Sun and Moon have long fascinated us. This lecture describes the eclipses of the Sun and Moon, their types, and

Lecture 08: The Phases of the Moon

What are the Phases of the Moon? This lecture introduces the Moon and describes the monthly cycle of phases. Topics include synchronous rotation, apogee and perigee, the

Lecture 07: The Four Seasons

Why do we have different seasons? This lecture explores the consequences of the tilt of the Earth's rotation axis relative to its orbital plane combined with the apparent

Lecture 06: Daily and Annual Motions

Why do celestial objects appear to rise and set every day? How does this depend on where you are on the Earth, or the time of year? In today's lecture we we set the heav

Lecture 05: Mapping Earth & Sky

Where are we? Where is someplace else? And how do I get there from here? These are questions we need to answer both on the Earth and in the sky to assign a location to a

Lecture 04: Measuring the Earth

What is the shape and size of the Earth? This lecture traces historical ideas about the shape of the Earth, from ancient ideas of a Flat-Earth to Aristotle's compelling d

Lecture 03: The Starry Night

What are the constellations? We will review the most basic feature of the night sky, the 6000 visible stars sprinkled about the sky, and introduce the idea of constellati

Lecture 02: Astronomical Numbers

What are our units of measure in astronomy? To begin our exploration of astronomy, we first need to develop a common language for notating large numbers, and introduce th

Lecture 01: Introduction to Astronomy 161

What is Astronomy? What is Science? What is the course all about? Brief introductory remarks after going over course mechanics on the first day of Astronomy 161 for Autum

Welcome to Astronomy 161 for Autumn Quarter 2007

Welcome to the Astronomy 161 Lecture Podcasts. This is a brief message from me explaining the podcasts, and welcoming new and old listeners. University. Lectures will beg