ASTR 407, Jan-Apr 2026

ASTR 407/507, Jan-Apr 2026

Instructor and Course Summary

Professor Brett Gladman, Physics and Astronomy, Hennings 300B --> His web page
TA : Justine Obidowski . See course handout for contact information.

OFFICE HOURS
Tuesdays 13:30-14:30, Henn 300B, Prof Gladman
Wednesdays 15:30-16:30, Henn 300B, Prof Gladman
Thursdays 12:00-13:00, Henn 310, TA Justine Obidowski

Readings

The date listed is the class date, before which you should have completed the listed reading.

Jan 5 : No pre-readings. See Assignments in Canvas to download Assignment 1, handed out today.
Jan 7 : Pages 25-31 (to end 2.1.6). By Fri Jan 9: Chpt 1 to end of 1.4.5
Jan 9 : Chpt 1 material above if not read already. No new Chpt 2 material.

Jan 12 : Sections 2.3 and 2.4 (we will return to section 2.2)
Jan 14 : Sec 2.2 - 2.2.3 (inclusive).
Jan 16 : Sec 2.8 (all parts, to end pg. 57)

Jan 19: Chpt 4 to end of 4.1.3.
Jan 21: Section 4.2 and 4.3
Jan 23: All parts of section 2.5

Jan 26 : No new readings
Jan 28 : all of Section 2.6
Jan 28 : all of Section 2.7

Feb 2 : No new readings.
Feb 4 : Sections 11.1-11.3
Feb 6 : Sections 11.4-11.6

Feb 9 : Secs 11.7, 15.1, 15.3
Feb 11 : 15.2, 15.5.2
Feb 13 : 15.4 and rest of 15.5

MIDTERM BREAK

Feb 23 : No new readings assigned
Feb 25 : 15.8, 15.10
Feb 27 : 15.12

Mar 2 : MIDTERM EXAM, in classroom 13:00-13:50
Mar 4 : no additional readings
Mar 6 : 15.6, 15.7, 8.1.3, 8.2.2, 8.3.2

Mar 9: Chpt 12 to end 12.2, 15.8
Mar 11: Secs 12.3 and 12.4, skiping 12.3.5 and 12.3.8
Mar 13: Chpt 14 to end of 14.1.8

Mar 16: Sect 14.5
Mar 18: no new readings
Mar 20: 3.2. 14.3 to end 14.3.3, 14.3.8.

Mar 23: Chpt 5 to end 5.2
Mar 25: 4.5.2 to end 4.6.1., 5.7 to end of Chpt 5
Mar 27: Section 5.8 (all subsections)

Mar 30: 6.2 (review), 6.4 to end of page 177.
Apr 1: 6.3.2, 6.4.4, all of 9.1, 9.2 to end of 9.2.3.
Apr 3: Holiday

Apr 6: Holiday
Apr 8: All of 9.3, 9.4 to end of 9.4.5.
Apr 10: TBD.

A 13-week survey course in comparative planetary science.

TOPIC OUTLINE

-Dynamics
-Planetary Shapes and gravity fields
-Tidal interactions
-Meteoritical and other constraints on planetary formation
-Cosmochemisty
-Protoplanetary disks and planet formation processes
-Solar System small bodies
	- Observational techniques
	- Size distributions
-Planetary atmospheres
	- physical structure
	- radiative equilibrium
-Impact cratering
	- processes and chronology
-Extrasolar planets
	- Detection
	- Properties
	- Populations

Textbook.

REQUIRED: Fundamental Planetary Science, Updated Edition (2019), by J. Lissauer and I. de Pater
Information about textbook acquisition was sent out as a Canvas "Assignment" in early December. See the course Canvas page.