HET602-M01A01: Introduction to Exploring the Solar System

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Introduction to Exploring the Solar System

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Welcome to HET602, Exploring the Solar System. This Activity describes how to use this site to view the course material. To progress to the next slide press the NEXT button at the bottom of the slide.

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Summary
This Unit, HET602, uses a fully online content delivery system. In this Activity we will explain how to use the online system, and the special features that this system adds to the content. In particular we will explain: Navigating within the Activities, including keys and faster navigation viewing preferences downloading a PDF version of each Activity Structure of the Units
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How to avoid dropping out What to do when we get it wrong Information on this particular Unit, HET602

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Using Blackboard and the Viewer

To get to this Activity, you have most likely followed the Course Content link from within Blackboard, and your browser window looks something like this:

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You might nd this a useful way to access the course material, as it gives you direct access to all of the HET602 resources on Blackboard, such as this course content, the newsgroups and weekly announcements. You can also access this site (the Viewer) directly at http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cms/sao/HET602/, which will increase the screen space for viewing Activities. If you follow this link, you can see that the Viewer is exactly the same as the one in Blackboard, but without the surrounding Blackboard

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Using the HET602 index

You have already used the HET602 index to reach this Activity. The HET602 index lists all Modules and Activities in the Unit. You can select an Activity from the index list, and you may also click the + sign to reveal topics in each Activity. This allows you to quickly nd a page if you want to return to an Activity that you have not completed. If you ever become lost in the Activities and want to return to the HET602 index, then you can always click on the HET602 Home button at the bottom of each viewer page.

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HET602-M01A01: Introduction to Exploring the Solar System Activity index

Once you have selected an Activity from the HET602 index, youll reach the Activity index. Here, along with a brief description of the Activity youll be undertaking, there are a number of options on the right. Generally, you can just click on View in Order to display the rst page of the Activity in the browser, and then read on from there. However you may want to access a particular page from the index on the right. The index also unfolds into sub-topics by pressing the +s, so you can locate the page you want. You also have the option of downloading a PDF version of the entire Activity, which you can then print or use to work ofine. Each PDF is a relatively small le, usually less than 1.5 Mb.

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From this screen, you may also adjust your preferences for viewing the online material. These are described in detail in the following section.

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Slides

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Using the keys

The easiest way to navigate through the slides of an Activity is to use the keys. LEFT and RIGHT arrows on your keyboard move back and forward a page respectively, while HOME and END move to the rst and last pages. SPACEBAR also will advance one slide. Please note that, if you are viewing the content from within Blackboard, you may have to rst click in the neighbourhood of the slide to be able to use the keys.

HET602-M01A01: Introduction to Exploring the Solar System Using the controls

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At the bottom of the slides are the controls: All-Pages: this button will display all the slides sequentially in one long page. Page numbers will still delimit different slides. Full-Screen: this will open a new browser window and display the viewer full-screen. The full-screen window will not be embedded in Blackboard. Home: takes you to the HET602 index. Index: takes you to the index of the Activity which youre viewing (from where you can download the PDF). Forward & Back: move to the next and previous page in the presentation.
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HET602-M01A01: Introduction to Exploring the Solar System Viewer preferences

The online content viewing system has a number of congurable options. You may access this menu from each Activity index page by clicking on Preferences at the bottom of the index listing. Slide Size: because different users have different screen resolutions (and different bandwidths available), we offer both a low and high resolution version of the course content. This changes the size of the slide pane, and the sizes of all images displayed. Animation Display: some of our users with slow internet connections may not want large animations and movies to download automatically within the browser. Switching this off will provide a link to the animations instead. Autoloading: activating this option will cause the viewer to download all pages in an Activity when you access any page. The other pages will be stored in your browsers memory and will instantly display when you change pages.

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HET602-M01A01: Introduction to Exploring the Solar System PDF output

From the Activity index, we offer the option of downloading a PDF version of an entire Activity. To view the downloaded content, you will need a PDF viewer. Adobes PDF Reader is free and available for most platforms. The PDF will contain identical content to the online material, and can be used for printing or working ofine.

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HET602-M01A01: Introduction to Exploring the Solar System Links to extra material

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Throughout the Activities, you will notice there are keywords that can be clicked on for an extra explanation of astronomical terms. When there is a link within the text, that is dark blue in colour and becomes underlined when you hover your mouse over the link, then this is linked to the Swinburne Astronomy Online Encyclopaedia called Cosmos. An example of this type of link is in the paragraph below. Click on the highlighted term to see what a COSMOS explanation looks like. A new browser window will always open when you click on a COSMOS link, to avoid disrupting the Activity you are reading. A pulsar is a rapidly rotating neutron star. We nd pulsars throughout the Milky Way. In addition to Cosmos links, occasionally there are links to extra material within SAO itself. These links generally appear at the end of a slide, and will launch a new viewer window when you click on them. In this case, the link is highlighted in a lighter blue with no underline, to distinguish it from the Cosmos link. An example of a link to SAO material (in this case, the link is to this actual page) is: For more information on links follow this link. From time-to-time, there will also be links to external web pages. These will look similar to SAO links (light blue, no underline) and will also open in a new browser window.

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HET602-M01A01: Introduction to Exploring the Solar System Movies

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Two sorts of movies are incorporated in the online content: animated gifs and Quicktime movies. To view the Quicktime movies, you will need to have at least Quicktime 7.0 installed. To download the latest version of Quicktime, follow this link.

Click to Download. Media: dopplershift+0.mov Size: 0.700 Mb

Example of a Quicktime movie. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Example of an animated gif. Credit: Bronwyn Lloyd, Swinburne

University

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Structure of SAO Units

No single learning style suits everyone, and multiple passes at course content (each with a different instructional approach where possible) aids understanding. We believe that people are likely to learn best in our Units if they are: rst presented with an engaging overview of the course content (i.e. these Activities and, where appropriate, our custom-made animations), then access more detailed information presented from another viewpoint (e.g. the textbook), and then delve deeper into topics they are interested in (via the internet and a local library if desired).

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Newsgroup discussions
Passive learning usually results in limited understanding. Discussion with other students (as well as with the instructor) is an invaluable way to integrate new concepts into your world view. It also puts you in contact with others who have similar interests and motivates you to keep studying! Astronomy is quite close to the old idea of physical sciences as natural philosophy, and while we will spend a fair amount of time looking at practical details, there will be plenty of room for more general philosophical discussions too. For these reasons, newsgroup contributions are a major part of our units and form a signicant part of the assessment.
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Your instructors will contribute to the newsgroups regularly, but they wont necessarily answer all your queries about course content (at least at rst). That is because an important part of your assessment (see the assessment section later for more detail) is to regularly post queries about the course content, and also to regularly answer other peoples queries. This may sound like a cop out by the instructors! In fact, answering other peoples queries is an active learning technique designed to involve you in consolidating your own understanding of the course content. If a query stays unanswered for a long period of time, the instructor will step in and provide an answer at that stage.

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Astronomical images
Astronomy is also the closest equivalent to Fine Arts among the sciences! Well be providing you with plenty of magnicent astronomical images to learn from and also for sheer enjoyment.

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The Martian volcano Olympus Mons Credit: NASA - Viking 1

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Up-to-date content
There is a revolution taking place in astronomy - our understanding of the universe around us, although still very basic, is increasing at an unprecedented rate, fuelled by new data and images provided, for example, by the Hubble Space Telescope and the new generation of space probes such as the various Mars missions. We have tried to make our course content as up-to-date as possible, but we will supplement it by publishing relevant astronomy press releases and the postings of occasional guest contributors in the Unit newsgroups. The newsgroups are accessed via the Blackboard website.

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Credit: W. M. Keck Observatory

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Special interest groups

Some people wish to learn more about astronomy for general interest and enjoyment. Others have more specic reasons, such as professional development for school/college teachers and science museum/planetaria staff or to enhance their activities as amateur astronomers. For that reason we provide special interest (non-assessable) newsgroups for those interested in discussing amateur astronomy or educational approaches to the teaching of astronomy.

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X-ray image of the pulsar in the Crab Nebula Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO

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Assessment
Assessment can be a pain - but it can also motivate deep learning and provide feedback to both you and us, the instructors, on what has been mastered and what has not. We have designed the assessment for our Units to combine testing and feedback on your knowledge and understanding of specic sections of each Unit, as well as opportunities to put it all together - e.g. write essays combining what you have learnt from several parts of a Unit - and project work where you can concentrate on an aspect of a Unit which particularly interests you. There are no stressful end-of-semester examinations for Swinburne Astronomy Online - instead the assessment for each Unit will be selected from the following: newsgroup contributions, where you will be asked to regularly post queries or extension comments about the course content, and also reply to other peoples postings, an essay, where you will be required to synthesize what you have learnt from several Activities in the Unit, online testing, in which two short tests will provide feedback on your understanding of each part of the Unit, problem solving in the more advanced Units of the course, and a project, topic of your choice, which could involve amateur observing, internet research, or curriculum design involving the teaching of astronomy.

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How to avoid dropping out

Retention rates - the percentage of people who stay enrolled in a course until completion - are always an issue with distance education courses in general, and online courses are no exception. Many of you will be busy people, with full- or part-time employment, and/or other established interests and commitments, family responsibilities and lifestyle patterns which will be competing with this course for your available time. On the positive side, you have enrolled in this course because you have a specic interest in astronomy - its not just the next scheduled subject in some multiple-year undergraduate course. The busiest amongst you are probably already adept at juggling commitments, and will be able to t this in as just another commitment - as long as you schedule time regularly for the course, and dont just leave it to be done when everything else is out of the way! Everyone has busy times: try to anticipate them, where possible, and get a bit ahead in the course work if you know or suspect that a week or two are coming up where you wont have time to do any study.

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Study guide
On the Units Blackboard site youll nd a link to Study Guide, which contains a schedule of what to do in each two week interval of the semester - what Activities to work through, what postings to make to the newsgroups and what Assessment items are due. Try to keep to the Study Guide schedule: if you do, there will be no end-of-semester panic and youll have time to enjoy the work.

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HET602-M01A01: Introduction to Exploring the Solar System

Another very important factor in avoiding dropping out is communication. If you were attending a face-to-face lecture course, the instructor(s) might notice if you fail to turn up to scheduled classes or if you have a particular problem - but in an online course, . . . no one can hear you scream ... (unless theyve installed the appropriate plug-in!), so you have to contact your instructors, through the newsgroup or by email, if you have a problem or if weve got something wrong.

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Newsgroups are vital

Newsgroup contributions form part of your assessment, but they also have a vital role in helping you to avoid dropping out. At rst newsgroups may seem an articial way to communicate, but if you approach them with an open mind and contribute regularly youll probably discover, as many have found in online education, that they can provide a real sense of community.

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When we get it wrong

Technical Problems
Weve tried to design the Units to involve as few technical problems for you as possible - but inevitably, some will arise. Problems involving the Blackboard Learning System are covered by the Blackboard Help page at http://www.swinburne.edu.au/ads/support/index.html and if you are still having problems contact the University Helpdesk via servicedesk@swin.edu.au . For other technical questions, email the SAO helpdesk (helpdesk@astro.swin.edu.au) and well reply as soon as possible. Note that we cannot answer technical queries by phone (unless they involve not being able to contact us by email!)

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Bloopers
As each Unit involves of the order of 1500 slides, it is likely that a few mistakes will remain despite our beta testing. Please let us know if you come across mistakes, by following the Corrections and Comments link on the SAO Resources link on your Units Blackboard site. If the mistake is in an Activity, remember to quote the Activity name and number, and the slide number(s) concerned. The slide number can be found at the top right hand side of each page. Also, an advance comment about spelling: youll nd that we use Australian spelling of some words, not US spelling. So if, for example, you nd that we consistently use the spelling colour when you would have expected color, dont head for the bloopers section - its cultural!
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HET602-M01A01: Introduction to Exploring the Solar System

To leave no cliche unturned, you are our best means of promoting this course, so when we get it wrong, please tell us - when we get it right, please tell everybody!

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Siding Spring Observatory, Australia Credit: Australian National University

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About this Unit: Exploring the Solar System

This Unit, Exploring the Solar System, is an introductory-level astronomy unit on the properties and probable evolution of our Solar System which will draw heavily on results from space missions past and present. No background knowledge of astronomy or physics will be assumed and the emphasis will be on conceptual astronomy, not mathematical techniques.

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Credit: EIT - SOHO Consortium, ESA, NASA

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Module descriptions
Module 1: An introduction to the Unit made up of this Activity. Modules 2 - 4: discuss patterns and motions in the night sky and the orbits of planets and our Moon in the Solar System. Modules 5 - 7: introduce current thinking on the formation of the Solar System and the evolution of planets, and look at the properties and evolution of our Earth as a case study. Modules 8 - 9: look at properties and evolution of our Moon and Mercury, and similarities between the two. Modules 10 - 12: contrast the properties and probable evolution of three terrestrial neighbours, Venus, Earth and Mars, and discusses the conditions needed to support life (as we might recognize it). Modules 13 - 15: move out past the terrestrial planets, rst to the debris collectively known as the Asteroid Belt, then to investigate the gas giant Jovian planets, their zoo of natural satellites and ring systems. Modules 16 - 17: investigate the odd-one-out among the planets, Pluto and its companion Charon, their relatives in the Kuiper Belt, and the debris of the Solar System - comets and meteorites. Modules 18 - 19: complete the Unit with a review of the dominant member of the Solar System, the Sun: its properties, structure, nuclear energy source, solar activity and effects on Earth.

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High hopes
Although you will nd out many facts and details about our Solar System, our main emphasis (and the main emphasis of the Assessment) will be on the basic unifying themes - unifying concepts which make sense of many of those facts and details, as far as our current understanding of Solar System astronomy allows. We hope you nd this unit both enjoyable and challenging!

Credit: NASA
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People credits
This Unit has been put together through the hard work and dedication of the following people: Jon Booth Peter Caldwell Sarah Maddison Colin Love Geoff Mazzolini Debbie Sage Chris Brooks Bronwyn Halls Kurt Liffman Paul Maullin Margaret Mazzolini John Betts Artem Bourov Jordn Fenton Chris Hodson Adrian Brown Glen Mackie

and with the invaluable support of Prof. Matthew Bailes & the Swinburne Centre for Astrophysics & Supercomputing, the Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies, and Swinburne Academic Development & Support. We also thank our external Course Advisory Committee members: Prof Anne Green, Prof John Lattanzio, Prof Ray Norris, Dr Lisa Kewley, Dr John Reynolds, Dr Melanie Johnston-Hollitt & Dr Tanya Hill. Sarah Maddison, Astronomy Course Coordinator, Swinburne Centre for Astrophysics & Supercomputing c Swinburne University of Technology

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Summary
In this Activity, weve shown you how to use the online Viewer, which we hope you will nd convenient and simple to use, as well as presented an outline of the Unit content. In particular, remember to use keys for speedier navigation. In particular, SPACE or RIGHT arrow will advance a slide. download the PDF for ofine viewing. Now head back to HET602 Home to start the course!

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