Table of Contents

AST 401: Planets and Planetary Systems

1. Contents

# Title Week
1 Planetary system, Solar system, Planet
2 Exoplanets
3 Planetary surfaces
4 Planetary interiors
5 Planetary atmospheres
6 Planetary dynamics
7 Small objects in planetary systems
8 Origin of planetary systems
9 Life in planetary systems

2. Assignments

3. Keystone project

Analyzing public data from space telescopes to detect exoplanets.

Assessment

Assessment method Assessment tools Marks Subtotal Total
Continuous assessment Attendance 10% 40% 100%
Punctuality 10%
Quizzes 10%
Assignments 10%
Summative assessment Midterm viva 20% 60%
Final viva 20%
Keystone project 20%

4. Textbooks

  1. Stephen Eales, Planets and Planetary Systems, Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.
  2. Lissauer and de Pater, Fundamental Planetary Science, Cambridge UP, 2019.
  3. Frontiers of Astrobiology, edited by C. Impey et al., Cambridge University Press, 2012.
  4. Donald Goldsmith, Exoplanets: Hidden Worlds and the Quest for Extraterrestrial Life, Harvard University Press, 2018.