A virtual journey visiting the Sun, planets, their moons, and debris left over from the earliest times of the solar system’s formation. A detailed look at Pluto as the New Horizons spacecraft took very high resolution images of this elusive and controversial world after waiting 9 ½ years to reach it since launch in January, 2006. What a surprise it turned out to be, having more geologic activity than anyone thought possible. Solar System debris includes a look at comets, meteors and asteroids. Also, a brief introduction to our exoplanet survey.
1: Earth’s Place in the Universe
Using an orrery and other digitally graphic mechanical models of the solar system, galaxy and universe, positions and motions according to the heliocentric model are represented.
2: The Solar System
Comparative planetology with rocky worlds and gas giants, orbital dynamics, mass, size, moons, role of the sun.
3: Comets, meteors, asteroids and other solar system debris are addressed.
4: Search for extrasolar planets and the instruments used to discover them.
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