Astronomy 104 - ALIEN WORLDS

This course explores the study and search for extraterrestrial worlds. We will study in detail our own solar system, the formation and evolution of planets, planets outside of our solar system (known as exoplanets), and the architecture of planetary systems. We will investigate the detection techniques developed by astronomers to discover and characterize exoplanets. We will explore what makes a planet habitable, the possibility for extraterrestrial life, and the potential for the discovery of extraterrestrial life in the future. We will also explore how science works emphasizing that science is a dynamic process and not just a set of facts.