Section Links
Introduction
Background Physics: Motions and Forces / Background Physics: Light and Matter
The Sky / The Rotation of the Planets / Orbital Motions
Planets / "Moons" (Satellites)
Asteroids and Comets / Origin of the Solar System
The Sun / Stars and Stellar Systems / Stellar Evolution
Galaxies and the Universe
Appendices

Introduction
Preface / The Use of Mathematics In My Lecture Classes
False Colors in Astronomical Photographs
Our Place In Space

The Sky
The Appearance of the Sky
Nightfall
Stars and Constellations / Star Names / The Changeable Constellations
Atmospheric Effects
Twinkling / Atmospheric Refraction / Atmospheric Dispersion
The Color of the Sky (Atmospheric Scattering)
The Dome of the Sky
The Celestial Sphere / The Moon Illusion / Astronomical Coordinates
The Motion of the Sky
The Motion of the Sky / Polar Animation
The Motion of the Sky at Different Latitudes / Stars Setting at the Equator
Timekeeping and the Calendar
Timekeeping / The Calendar
The Wanderers
The Wanderers
The Motion of the Moon
The Motion of the Sun
The Motion of the Planets
Phases and Eclipses
The Phases of the Moon
Eclipses / Lunar Eclipses / Solar Eclipses

The Rotation of the Planets
The Rotation of the Earth
The Rotation of the Earth / Day and Night / Climatic Zones / Coriolis Effects
Rotation Period and Day Length
Rotation of the Other Planets
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
The Seasons
The Seasons
Seasons on the Other Planets (tilt diagram)
Planetary Temperature Factors

Background Physics: Motion and Forces
Notes on Motion / Newton's Laws of Motion  /  Inertial & Non-Inertial Reference Frames  /  Fictitious Forces
A Matter of Some Gravity  /  Gravitational Interactions of the Earth and Moon  /  Lagrange Points

Orbital Motions
Planetary Orbits (also see Orbital Regularities)
The Ptolemaic Cosmos / The Copernican Revolution
Planetary Aspects / Retrograde Motion  /  Planetary Transits
Tycho Brahe's Astronomical Accomplishments / Biography of Tycho Brahe
Kepler / Galileo / The Phases of Venus  /  The Discovery of Planet Earth / Galilean Relativity
Ellipses and Other Conic Sections
Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion / Kepler's First Law / Kepler's Second Law / Kepler's Third Law
Cassini Measures the Orbit of the Sun / Bradley's Discovery of Stellar Aberration
Orbital Effects on Planetary Weather

Planets
Planetary Data Table / Printable (PDF) Version of Table / Using the Planetary Data Table

Mercury / Rotation  / The "Weather" on Mercury / The "Atmosphere" of Mercury Venus  / The Phases of Venus / Venera Landers on Venus / Topographic Map of Venus The Earth / The Structure of the Earth / The Magnetic Field of the Earth The Structure of the Earth's Atmosphere / Auroras / Aurorae Mars Maps of Mars: MOLA Topographic Maps: North Pole / South Pole / 70 South to 70 North / First HiRISE Images Martian Craters and Volcanoes / Polar regions of Mars Erosional Features on Mars / Wind Effects on Mars On the Surface of Mars: Pathfinder Landing Site / Spirit Landing Site / Mars' "Empty Quarter" Phoenix Polar Landing Site The Structure of Mars / The History of Mars / Oppositions of Mars / The Seasons on Mars Jupiter Saturn / The Rings of Saturn / The Structure of Saturn Uranus / The Discovery of the Outer Planets Neptune Pluto / The Rotation of Pluto Eris and Dysnomia (KBO / Dwarf Planet 2003 UB313)

Understanding Planetary Interiors
Minerals
The Structure of the Terrestrial Planets / The Structure of the Jovian Planets
Internal Pressures of the Planets / Accurately Calculating Internal Pressures
Planetary Magnetism & Internal Temperatures / Metallic Hydrogen (brief notes)

Understanding Planetary Atmospheres
The Structure of Planetary Atmospheres / The "Surfaces" of the Jovian Planets
Atmospheric Effects on Planetary Temperatures
The Retention/Loss of Planetary Atmospheres (Incomplete)

Satellites

The Moon  /  Men on the Moon  /  A Colorful Moon  /  Moonquakes Maps of the Moon Color-Coded Topographic Maps: Nearside / Farside / "West" Side / "East" Side / North Side / South Side Shaded Relief Maps: Nearside / Farside / Poles The Moons/Satellites of Mars The Moons of Jupiter The Galilean Satellites: Io / Europa / Ganymede / Callisto The Moons/Satellites of Saturn: Titan, Mimas, Tethys, Telesto, Calypso, Dione, Helene, Rhea, Enceladus, Iapetus, Hyperion, Atlas, Janus, Epimetheus, Pan, Pandora, Prometheus, Phoebe, S2000 S1 to S12, S2005 S1 The Moons/Satellites of Uranus: Miranda, Ariel, Titania, Umbriel, Oberon, Smaller Moons/Satellites of Uranus The Moons/Satellites of Neptune: Triton, Proteus, Nereid The Moons/Satellites of Pluto Eris and Dysnomia

Asteroids, Comets and Interplanetary Debris
Pictures of Asteroids / Asteroid Size and Mass Distribution / Asteroids and Meteorites
The Trojan Asteroids / The Rediscovery of Hermes
Comets / The Breakup of Comet P73/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 / Comet P17/Holmes
Meteors, Meteoroids and Meteorites / Animation of the 2005 Perseid Meteor Shower / Meteor Craters / Meteorites

The Origin and Evolution of The Solar System
The Origin of the Solar System / The Episode of Planetary Bombardment / Orbital Regularities
The Origin of the Comets
The Origin of the Moon
The Melting and Differentiation of the Planets
The Formation and Evolution of Planetary Atmospheres

Background Physics: Light and Matter
Classical Descriptions of Light / Electromagnetism / Absorption, Emission, and Continuous Spectra / Black Body Radiation
Planck, Bohr and Einstein -- Quantum Physics and Relativity
Radioactivity / Thermonuclear Fusion / Neutrinos

The Sun
Summary of Solar Properties
Pictures of the Solar Atmosphere / The Sunspot Cycle / Coronal Mass Ejections
The Rotation of the Sun / X-Ray Images of the Sun
The Solar Atmosphere and Surface

The Solar Interior
Heat Flow in the Solar Interior: Changes in Brightness, Temperature, Pressure and Density
Energy Production in the Core
Heat Flow in the Solar Interior: The Flow of Radiation / The Radiative Zone
Black Body Radiation
Heat Flow In Stars: General Principles / The Radiative Core (Zone) / The Convective Envelope (Zone)

Stars and Stellar Systems
Stellar Properties (includes The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram)
Stellar Motions / Radial Velocities / Proper Motion / Variable Stars
Open ("Galactic") Star Clusters / Globular Clusters
Emission Nebulae / Absorption Nebulae
Stellar Birthplaces / The Rosette Nebula / The Tarantula Nebula

Stellar Evolution

Summary of Stellar Formation From Interstellar Clouds to Protostellar Clouds From Protostellar Clouds to Protostars Review of Heat Flow Inside Stars / From Protostars to the Main Sequence The Main Sequence (Under construction) The Mass-Luminosity Diagram and the Lifetime of Main Sequence Stars Stellar Death / The Late Main Sequence Life of the Sun Planetary Nebulae and White Dwarfs Mass Transfer in Binary Star Systems Black Holes

Galaxies and The Universe
Our Galaxy and Its Satellites / The Local Group / The Andromeda Galaxy / Detail of M31 by the Subaru Telescope
M81 and M82: A Cosmic Train Wreck / Pictures of Other Galaxies
Clusters of Galaxies / The Universe of Galaxies / The M31 Deep Field / GOODS Fornax Deep Image
Dark Matter in Galaxies / Dark Matter in the Universe
The Expansion of the Universe / In The Beginning

Appendices
Glossary (A - M)  /  Glossary (N - Z)
Telescopes
Astronomical and Physical "Constants" / Picky, Picky
Quotations
Charles Messier's Catalog: Nebulae / Open Clusters / Globular Clusters / Galaxies