Lecture 33. Mysteries of the Sky

Lecture 33. Mysteries of the Sky

A. Class Business

  1. Again, review topics* and readings list*, both on main page

  2. Homework 6. due at end of this class --

      NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED:
      solutions before you're out the door!

  3. I will not be here during final. Your grader, Ijaz (pronounced "EE-jahz") will be!
      I have given trial versions of final to others, and they found no problems, so you should be okay!


B. Good Theory: Explains Observations, Makes Testable Predictions

  1. Newton's gravity: explains tides, orbits, etc., and predicts location of unknown planet, Neptune
  2. Einstein's general relativity: explains Mercury's precession, predicts bending of light






C. Extraterrestrial Life


D. Mysteries of the Sky -- in order of difficulty to solve

  1. neutrino masses
  2. solar cycle/coronal heating
  3. dark matter
  4. quasars
  5. big bang/cosmology
  6. E.T.'s