Before the lecture, learn or refresh your memory about the structure of the Solar system using the following online resources, or sources of your own.

Start by making sure you know what's included in our Solar system. Go through the main components at NASA's Solar system simulator, or checking what Wikipedia says about our system, and check that you've got the "big picture".

Next, spend 15 minutes with Solar System Scope; an alternative (more clarity, less visual fanciness: 3D Solar System Simulator). Try different options, turn it around, adjust the time settings, etc. Pay attention to the following things while you're trying it out:

  1. Notice that the model is not to scale initially. You can (and should!) change the relative sizes of the planets and the orbits from "Settings". With different settings different things become visible.
  2. Be sure to find all planets, and pay attention to the ways they are moving; we'll be needing this information at the lecture and afterwards.
    1. In particular: Do other planets and moons have phases as seen from the Earth?
    2. What about from the Sun?
    3. Is the model missing some essential solar system components?
  3. Increase the time and study how the planets and the moons move.
    1. Is there anything special about Mercury's orbit?
Think about these questions, because we'll be needing them at the lecture.
Viimeksi muutettu: perjantaina 18. joulukuuta 2020, 11.52