Space Physics: The Solar System, the Sun and Stars, the Universe
How physics explains everything from a nearby planet to the edge of the observable Universe
Big Idea: The same physics you learned on Earth — gravity, motion, light and energy — also governs planets, the Sun and distant galaxies. Gravity holds the Solar System together and shapes the whole cosmos; nuclear fusion powers the stars; and light carries almost all the information we ever receive from space. Astronomy is simply physics applied to very large distances and very long times.
By the end you will be able to:
- describe the starry sky and the instruments used to observe it;
- contrast the geocentric and heliocentric systems and state Kepler's laws;
- list the members of the Solar System and compare terrestrial and giant planets;
- explain how the Sun and other stars shine, and classify stars by temperature and luminosity;
- outline the structure and evolution of the Universe, including galaxies, Hubble's law and the Big Bang.