ASTR 20H - Honors The Solar System

3 units
3 hours lecture
Recommended Preparation: eligibility for ENGL 1A
Credit, degree applicable
Transfer CSU, UC

This honors course, intended for students in the Honors Transfer Program, is an introduction to the major planets and the smaller members of the solar system such as moons, asteroids, Kuiper Belt Objects, and comets. Theories of the origin and histories of the planets are presented. The early history of astronomy and the Copernican Revolution are discussed. Sky phenomena such as constellations, the seasons, eclipses, and planetary motions are demonstrated in the planetarium. The possibility of life elsewhere in the solar system is examined. Students in the honors sections are required to research and write comprehensively about the origin of the solar system.

Note: Students may take either ASTR 20 or Astronomy 20H. Duplicate credit will not be awarded for ASTR 20 and Astronomy 20H.