Spring 2010 Astronomy 110 MWF 9:30 &mdash 10:20

6. GAS GIANTS & WATER WORLDS

The Solar System contains two planetary behemoths and two planets which are merely enormous by our standards. Jupiter and Saturn have hundreds of times the Earth's mass; both radiate more energy than they receive from the Sun, and this outflow of energy powers dramatic activity in their interiors and atmospheres. Uranus and Neptune, each about 15 times the Earth's mass, are less active. All four planets have satellite systems and rings shaped by subtle dynamical effects over trillions of orbits.

Reading

Please read all subsections of each section below.

8.1 A Different Kind of Planet
8.2 A Wealth of Worlds: Satellites of Ice and Rock
8.3 Jovian Planet Rings

Online

  1. Complete the Gas Giants & Water Worlds assignment, due on Monday, 22 Feb 2010 at 9:00 am.

  2. Review the lecture slides.
Joshua E. Barnes      (barnes at ifa.hawaii.edu)
Updated: 15 February 2010
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