ASTR450/ASTR688O:
Celestial Mechanics and Orbital Dynamics, Spring 2000


ASTR450/ASTR688O Course Description

The solar system is a very dynamic place. The planets orbit the Sun along elliptical orbits but, on longer timescales, their orbits oscillate and precess -- some chaotically -- due to mutual gravitational perturbations. Asteroids are perturbed by resonant forces onto orbits which cross the Earth's orbit; occasionally these objects strike our planet with deadly consequences. Jupiter tosses some comets into the Sun and ejects others from the solar system. Planets can also capture comets as temporary moons; some escape again while others are less lucky (like Shoemaker-Levy 9 which crashed into Jupiter in 1994). Ocean tides raised by the Moon are increasing the Earth-Moon distance by 3.7cm/year, thereby causing the length of our day to slowly increase. The same effect has driven the moons of Jupiter into resonance with one another, generating enough heat to power Io's volcanos. In Celestial Mechanics (ASTR450/ASTR688O), we will study these and other important orbital phenomena. The course will emphasize analytical calculations, numerical simulations, and computer programming techniques. The prerequisite for ASTR450 is the consent of the instructor.

Some Topics that we will cover in this class:

Grading Policy:

ASTR450 is an upper level undergraduate class while ASTR688O is a graduate class. The two classes will share lectures, homework assignments, and the midterm and final exams. Because the homework assignments should be less difficult for graduate students, ASTR688O has an additional class project. Details of the project will be discussed in class. The grading for the two classes will be according to the following table.
Assignment
ASTR450
ASTR688O
Homework
35%
25%
Midterm
15%
10%
Final
35%
30%
Participation
15%
10%
Class Project
0%
25%


Return to ASTR450/ASTR688O Home Page

Last modified: Sun Jan 30 11:23:34 2000