An introduction and review of the basic notation and physical units we will be
using throughout this course. In particular, we will be using the
Metric (SI) system for lengths, masses, times, and temperatures, and
special astronomical units for distances (AU and Light Years) and masses
(Earth Masses and Solar Masses) appropriate when discussing
interplaneta ... Show More
Sep 2009
Lecture 3: Imagining Other Worlds
What is the cultural history of our imaginings of other worlds and their possible inhabitants? I will draw examples from history, philosophy, literature, cinema, and popular culture. In the end, our imaginings about other worlds inform us more about ourselves, our hopes and our f ... Show More
40m 9s
Mar 2006
Lecture 44: Life, the Universe, and Everything (Life Part II)
How can we search for extraterrestrial intelligence, and what are we looking for? This second part of a 2-part lecture picks up where we left off yesterday by examining SETI, the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence, and reviews what we might look for and how. We will use thi ... Show More
45m 56s
Sep 2007
Lecture 02: Astronomical Numbers
What are our units of measure in astronomy? To begin our exploration of astronomy, we first need to develop a common language for notating large numbers, and introduce the basic units of length, mass, and time that we will use throughout the quarter. This lecture is a quick revie ... Show More
43m 58s
Sep 2007
Welcome to Astronomy 161 for Autumn Quarter 2007
Welcome to the Astronomy 161 Lecture Podcasts. This is a brief message from me explaining the podcasts, and welcoming new and old listeners. University. Lectures will begin on Wednesday, 2007 Sept 19, and run through Friday, 2007 Nov 30. New lectures will appear shortly before 6p ... Show More
7m 35s