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Best of All-Time Online Course

The Science of the Solar System

California Institute of Technology via Coursera

Overview

Class Central Tips
Learn about the science behind the current exploration of the solar system in this free class. Use principles from physics, chemistry, biology, and geology to understand the latest from Mars, comprehend the outer solar system, ponder planets outside our solar system, and search for habitability in our neighborhood and beyond. This course is generally taught at an advanced level assuming a prior knowledge of undergraduate math and physics, but the majority of the concepts and lectures can be understood without these prerequisites. The quizzes and final exam are designed to make you think critically about the material you have learned rather than to simply make you memorize facts. The class is expected to be challenging but rewarding.

Syllabus

Unit 1: Water on Mars (week 1)

Unit 1: Water on Mars (week 2)

Unit 1: Water on Mars (week 3)

Unit 2: The insides of giant planets (week 1)

Unit 2: The insides of giant planets (week 2)

Unit 3: Big questions from small bodies (week 1)

Unit 3: Big questions from small bodies (week 2)

Unit 4: Life in the solar system (week 1)

Unit 4: Life in the solar system and beyond (week 2)

Final exam

Taught by

Mike Brown

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Reviews

4.9 rating, based on 47 reviews

Start your review of The Science of the Solar System

  • Anonymous

    Anonymous completed this course.

    Mike is a great teacher, and his lectures were excellent. His enthusiasm for the material shows. The chance to learn from someone at this level is fantastic.

    He finally has convinced me that it was necessary to reclassify Pluto.

    Unfortunately, it was difficult to navigate the homework, especially without a book, and just your notes from the videos. I have never been the best note taker. It would have really helped if there had been an online book, or even a PDF with the important math & formulas, plus text to reinforce the lectures and the important concepts. Perhaps future students could build a Wiki to go with the class.
  • Keith Okan

    Keith Okan completed this course, spending 4 hours a week on it and found the course difficulty to be hard.

    This was my first astronomy course and I enjoyed it immensely. Prof. Brown gives the class depth and warmth. There is even some humorous moments. Although I didn't do well on the quizzes, I found the lectures very interesting. I had a difficult time waiting for the next set of videos to be released! I would highly recommend this course for anyone, even the beginner. There are some points that you may not understand, but there is lots of information that you will. In the end this course will at the very least spark interest in the night sky above. Thank you to Prof. Brown and his guest lecturers for putting this course together.
  • Joanne L Kennedy

    Joanne L Kennedy completed this course.

    Fantastic course, extremely well presented by Professor Mike Brown. Prof Brown is an inspirational educator who is passionate about his subject and very engaging.

    I found the course difficult in places due to my lack of understanding of physics, but I made it through and still managed to score 95%!

    If you are interested in finding out more about the Solar System with current updates added as new information is discovered, then take this course - you will not regret it - time well spent.
  • David Talbot

    David Talbot completed this course.

    A fantastic run through of the current state of scientific knowledge of the solar system. Don't expect the homework to be easy, even if the course is free it is a course from Cal Tech, one of the top schools on the planet and the questions are designed to make you think rather than just parrot a fact from the lectures in reply. Prof Brown even gave us the question sets he gave the on campus students to play with for fun.

    Prof is very engaged in the forums and there was loads to learnt on there as well.
  • Anonymous

    Anonymous completed this course.

    This class was like a good book. You turn the first page, and there is no return. Mike Brown made accessible to all a quite difficult subject. I have no scientific background, but yet managed to stick with it to the end. It was one of those memorable classes where the chemistry between participants and Prof was at the very top. I can't wait to attend this class again next year, just for the fun.

    What are you waiting for? Sign now, you will not regret it. Have fun!
  • Anonymous

    Anonymous completed this course.

    A very satisfying class. The lectures were accompanied but non required readings which went into lots more detail. Professor was quick to respond to online discussions and worked hard to make the quizzes challenging but fair. Of the four online classes I have taken this is the best so far. I learned much about our solar system and how it formed. A solid high school level of math and the sciences is reccomended.
  • Profile image for Eric Drechsel
    Eric Drechsel

    Eric Drechsel completed this course.

    If you are interested in the solar system and exoplanets, you will find this course fascinating. Mike Brown works at the front lines of planetary science, and is an engaging speaker who cares deeply about the subject. The video lectures are carefully edited and the pacing is excellent.
  • Anonymous

    Anonymous completed this course.

    This class has to be the BEST class I have ever taken- MOOC or otherwise! Instructor was engaging and really presented a great deal of difficult information in a manner that was easy to follow and learn. I would highly recommend this class to everyone- whether or not you are math inclined. I can't say enough good things about it!
  • Anonymous

    Anonymous completed this course.

    I found the lectures interesting and very enjoyable with very detailed explanation of various astronomical concepts. However, watch out for the homework (quizzes). They are challenging, not just asking you to provide an answer but to think about the question, often requiring you to think about the question and identify which one among several answers is not correct.
  • Anonymous

    Anonymous is taking this course right now.

    This is a great course, the density of information can seem too heavy sometimes, but definitely worth finishing! There is a lot to learn about planets and other bodies in our Solar System, so I would recommend it to everybody who is interested in that subject. Mike Brown is an excellent lecturer, and this course is definitely worth checking out.
  • Profile image for Em DaProf
    Em DaProf

    Em DaProf completed this course.

    This is a very interesting course and Mike Brown is AWESOME. He explains everything clearly and really makes you think. The homework and courses are very well paced. I didn't know much about the solar system before and I found myself wishing the course would go on and on. Thanks, Mike!
  • Olympia Ralli

    Olympia Ralli completed this course.

    This course give you the privilege to see the sky through the scientific way. You will learn all the latest data about our solar system from the inspired and expert prof Brown. Simply the best!!
  • Adrian C.

    Adrian C. completed this course.

    Nice course, supported by scientfic papers and observations. Mike is fun, easy to follow. It will take you from Mars to the fringes of the solar System, focusing at the end on the posibilities of life on another planets.
  • Sue Gee

    Sue Gee completed this course, spending 8 hours a week on it and found the course difficulty to be hard.

    Fast paced and in depth the course reveals a lot about Mars, Jupiter, small bodies in the solar system and planets around other stars. The focus is on how to study them - i.e. the science needed to understand them.
  • Anonymous

    Anonymous completed this course.

    I thought it was a nicely done class, with well-organized units. Some of the homework problems were a bit tricky in my opinion, but they highlighted the material.
  • Fátima Pereira

    Fátima Pereira is taking this course right now, spending 6 hours a week on it and found the course difficulty to be medium.

    It's brilliant!
    Good college level challenge. Solid scientific background and interesting information. Guest lecturers take us into their scientific work and share their enthusiasm with us.
  • Anonymous

    Anonymous completed this course.

    This is one of my favourites Mooc I have taken recently , Prof. brown is really a good teacher and very engaging, the course covers many fantastic topic. I fell in love with our solar system since
  • Don Denesiuk

    Don Denesiuk completed this course.

    More challenging than I ( non college graduate) thought it would be but very interesting. I consider myself a space enthusiast but I learned many new things I had never heard of before.
  • Nathaniel Zhu

    Nathaniel Zhu completed this course.

    I really enjoyed learning about the Solar System with Dr. Mike Brown. His lectures weren't too long or too short and they provided great information on the Science of the Solar System.
  • Anonymous

    Anonymous completed this course.

    I thoroughly recommend this class for anyone interested in the solar system. Mike Brown has made a light-hearted but thoroughly informative course which I found riveting from the start

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