Solar System astronomy


Solar System astronomy, which could also be called local astronomy, includs studies of the Sun, planet, minor bodies, interplanetary medium, and solar system history.	Sapience Home Site Map About Sapience Science Astronomy Sun Solar planetary systems Minor bodies Interplanetary medium Solar system history

Solar System astronomy, which could also be called local astronomy, includs studies of the Sun, planet, minor bodies, interplanetary medium, and solar system history.

Solar system history

This must be largely deduced and calculated, and many of the details are somewhat speculative.

Sun

The sun, also known as the primary star of the solar system, is here examined in much closer detail than is possible for other stars.

Solar planetary systems

These fall into three groups: The inner planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars; the gas giants Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune; and dwarf planets, including Pluto.

These include comets, asteroids, and meteors. These are found in three principal regions: the main asteroid belt, between Mars and Jupiter; the Kuiper belt, beyond Neptune and in the region of Pluto; and the Oort cloud; the outer reaches of the solar system. There are too many to mention here, and have a variety of compositions.

Interplanetary medium

Interplanetary space is a better vacuum than can be achieved on earth. However, it is not entirely empty, and is occupied by particles of various sizes, from the size of sand grains down to subatomic particles. It includes principally solar radiation, the solar wind, and dust generated by comets and asteroid collisions.


History Although the sun, moon, and planets have been observed since prehistory, nothing is knowon of observations during prehistory. Antiquity including the 5th millennium BC, 4th millennium BC, 3rd millennium BC, 2nd millennium BC, and early 1st millennium BC can be connected. It developed in classical and medieval times including early classical, late classical, early medieval, and late medieval times.	Links to other sites: Not yet available.
It has expanded considerably in Modern times. The 16th century, 17th century, and 18th century can be connected. The 19th century including the early 19th century, early mid 19th century, mid 19th century, late mid 19th century, and late 19th century can be connected. The 20th century including the early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, and late 20th century can be connected. The early 21st century including the early 2000s, late 2000s, and early 2010s can be connected. Its future is obscure. Sociology Peoples of the world including nations and major groups of Western civilization, Asiatic peoples, African peoples, and American Indian peoples can be connected. Communities can be connected. Social structure and change including social change, social types, and social structure can be connected. Institutions including families, education, economics, government, and religion will also be useful. Culture including material culture, conceptual culture, and behavioral culture will be useful. Anthropology including social foundations, demography, physical anthropology, human ecology, human geography, and particular groups can be connected. Personal studies will be significant as the site develops. The human body, psychology, and biography can be connected. Other Science Planetary astronomy does not depend heavily on biology. Earth science is useful as a point of comparison and departure. Studies of cosmology and galactic astronomy are not especially significant, but stellar astronomy including the interstellar medium, stars, star clusters, and astrocartography is useful. Chemistry is a vital and necessary part of planetary astronomy. Chemical systems including solid chemistry, liquid chemistry, gas and plasma chemistry, and inorganic and organic chemistry are also important. Chemical change including nuclear reactions, chemical reactions, and physical change can be connected. Chemical substances including elements, compounds, and mixtures are vital. Physics The structure of matter including subatomic physics and radiation, atomic physics, molecular physics, and bulk matter physics is also essential to it. Exotic matter is little known. Quantum physics and relativity including special and general relativity are also important. Electromagnetism including electrostatics, electric current, magnetism, and optics is vital in studies of solar system astronomy. Thermodynamics is also useful. Statistical mechanics involves more advanced studies, but classical thermodynamics and nonclassical thermodynamics can be used. Mechanics Gravitation and celestial mechanics including surface gravitation, particle celestial mechanics, rigid body celestial mechanics, and nonrigid celestial mechanics are also very important. Nonrigid mechanics including wave mechanics, fluid mechanics, and deformable body mechanics can be considered. Rigid body machanics including rigid body description and motion, rotational dynamics, statics, and dynamic systems is more directly useful. Particle mechanics including particle description, kinematics, kinetics, energetics, and particle systems may offer some basic ideas.

History

Although the sun, moon, and planets have been observed since prehistory, nothing is knowon of observations during prehistory. Antiquity including the 5th millennium BC, 4th millennium BC, 3rd millennium BC, 2nd millennium BC, and early 1st millennium BC can be connected. It developed in classical and medieval times including early classical, late classical, early medieval, and late medieval times.

Links to other sites: Not yet available.

It has expanded considerably in Modern times. The 16th century, 17th century, and 18th century can be connected. The 19th century including the early 19th century, early mid 19th century, mid 19th century, late mid 19th century, and late 19th century can be connected. The 20th century including the early 20th century, early mid 20th century, mid 20th century, late mid 20th century, and late 20th century can be connected. The early 21st century including the early 2000s, late 2000s, and early 2010s can be connected. Its future is obscure.

Sociology

Peoples of the world including nations and major groups of Western civilization, Asiatic peoples, African peoples, and American Indian peoples can be connected. Communities can be connected. Social structure and change including social change, social types, and social structure can be connected.

Institutions including families, education, economics, government, and religion will also be useful. Culture including material culture, conceptual culture, and behavioral culture will be useful. Anthropology including social foundations, demography, physical anthropology, human ecology, human geography, and particular groups can be connected. Personal studies will be significant as the site develops. The human body, psychology, and biography can be connected.

Other Science

Planetary astronomy does not depend heavily on biology. Earth science is useful as a point of comparison and departure. Studies of cosmology and galactic astronomy are not especially significant, but stellar astronomy including the interstellar medium, stars, star clusters, and astrocartography is useful.

Chemistry is a vital and necessary part of planetary astronomy. Chemical systems including solid chemistry, liquid chemistry, gas and plasma chemistry, and inorganic and organic chemistry are also important. Chemical change including nuclear reactions, chemical reactions, and physical change can be connected. Chemical substances including elements, compounds, and mixtures are vital.

Physics

The structure of matter including subatomic physics and radiation, atomic physics, molecular physics, and bulk matter physics is also essential to it. Exotic matter is little known. Quantum physics and relativity including special and general relativity are also important. Electromagnetism including electrostatics, electric current, magnetism, and optics is vital in studies of solar system astronomy. Thermodynamics is also useful. Statistical mechanics involves more advanced studies, but classical thermodynamics and nonclassical thermodynamics can be used.

Mechanics

Gravitation and celestial mechanics including surface gravitation, particle celestial mechanics, rigid body celestial mechanics, and nonrigid celestial mechanics are also very important. Nonrigid mechanics including wave mechanics, fluid mechanics, and deformable body mechanics can be considered. Rigid body machanics including rigid body description and motion, rotational dynamics, statics, and dynamic systems is more directly useful. Particle mechanics including particle description, kinematics, kinetics, energetics, and particle systems may offer some basic ideas.