In 2015 humanity will, for the first time, get up-close views of Pluto from a spacecraft flying by this distant and controversial world. The Mars Curiosity rover will begin its exploration of Mt. Sharp, the mountain whose base was submerged in water in the red planet’s distant past. Another spacecraft will fly by the largest asteroid, Ceres, and give us detailed images of its ancient surface. Prepare for all the excitement by taking Astronomy 10A (“Planets for Tourists”) at Foothill College this quarter.
Astronomy 10A is an introductory course for non-science majors, requiring no background in science or math. We introduce the basic ideas with analogies, examples from real life, the latest color images, and touches of humor. We take a “tourist” perspective on the planets, looking at the most interesting features and attractions. You’ll see how our system and other planetary systems are organized (without getting bogged down in technical detail.) The instructor, Andrew Fraknoi, who was California Professor of the Year in 2007, specializes in explaining scientific ideas in everyday language.
Among the questions we discuss in the course are:
• What killed half the creatures on Earth 65 million years ago and could the same thing kill us?
• Where in the solar system might we find liquid water besides Earth? (It may surprise you!)
• How realistic was the movie Contact in portraying the scientific search for life elsewhere?
• Is our family of planets typical of what’s around other stars, or are we exceptional?
• What did we discover when we landed on Titan, the only moon with a thick atmosphere?
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The course is offered at Foothill College both in the day (Mon, Tues, and Thursday, from 12 noon to 1:25 pm) and in the evening (Tues and Thurs, from 6:00 to 8:20 pm) in room 5015. An optional but recommended hands-on lab class (Astronomy 10L) accompanies each course.
To enroll, please go to the college web site at: http://www.foothill.edu/admissions.php
or just come to the first class Jan 5 or 6, 2015 in room 5015