GEOL 1312 -- Principles of Earth Science II Study Guide Midterm Exam 2 The midterm exam will be comprehensive and multiple-choice. This review sheet is a guideline only – there may be a few questions on the exam not specifically addressed here but covered in class, the assigned reading, or the homework. Things to help you study: Class notes Homework assignments Assigned reading Animations posted on the web This Study Guide Practice Exam General Astronomy Topics  Where are we in the universe?  Historical Astronomers: Ptolemy, Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler  Electromagnetic waves (light): how do we use light to look at universe?  Optical vs. radio telescopes Solar System  Basics about the planets: names, size, inner (rocky) vs. outer (gas) planets  Standard model – what is it?  How do the planets relate to one another? What do they have in common? Celestial Motions  Seasons – what causes them? Why does the northern hemisphere experience different seasons at different times of the year compared to the southern hemisphere?  Eclipses – solar, lunar The Moon  Exploration: important missions  Lunar samples: what can they tell us?  Rotation and orbit periods, how are they linked?  Why do we see the same side of the Moon?  Geography – highlands, maria, near side/far side differences  Craters - formation, characteristics, how do we use them to establish relative ages of regions?  Formation and evolution of the MoonMercury  Exploration: Mariner 10, Messenger  Magnetic field observations and possible origin of magnetic field Venus  Exploration: Magellan, when, types of data set (radar, topography, etc.)  Rotation, orbit (day vs. year)  Atmosphere (composition) and surface conditions (temperature, pressure)  Earth and Venus - similarities and differences in basic properties, processes  Venus surface features: volcanoes, craters  Craters: implications for surface age Mars  Exploration: Pathfinder, MERs  General geography (names of major features), north vs. south hemisphere differences  Moons  Olympus Mons, Tharsis, Valles Marineris – what are they?  Evidence for past water Jupiter  Exploration: Galileo, Voyager, etc.  Internal structure, molecular vs. metallic hydrogen  Magnetic field: source, size  Great Red Spot  Atmospheric features (clouds, belts)  Rings Jovian (Galilean) Satellites  Tidal heating: what is it, which moons are most impacted by it?  Magnetic field (which ones?)  Volcanism (which one?)  Possibility for life (which one?)  Surface ages (which ones are “old”, which are “young”?)  Important characteristics of each Saturn  Composition (like which other planet?)  Low density  Rings – names, overall composition, characteristics  Moons – are they all the same?  Titan – why are we interested in it? (what is special about it?)  Cassini-Huygens Mission (flybys + surface probe)Neptune, Uranus, Pluto  Compositions, density, reason for color  Discovery of each  Rings: how many, characteristics  Uranus’s odd rotation  Neptune’s active atmosphere: white spot, clouds  Magnetic fields?  Pluto: pros & cons for ‘planet’ status Space Junk  Asteroids  Comets 