| Date | Topic | Reading (Ch #) | Homework |
| W Sep 6 | Introduction to class, universe, & sky | 1 | |
| F Sep 8 | Solar cycles & seasons | 2.1 | |
| W Sep 13 | Lunar cycles & eclipses | 2.2 | #1 due (5am Th) |
| F Sep 15 | Planetary motions; Greek astronomy | 2.3, 3.1 | |
| W Sep 20 | Copernicus, Tycho, & Kepler | 3.1 | #2 due (5am Th) |
| F Sep 22 | Galileo & Newton | 3.1, 3.2 | |
| W Sep 27 | Gravity & orbits | 3.3 | #3 due (5am Th) |
| F Sep 29 | Light | Ch5-tools | |
| W Oct 4 | Telescopes | Ch3-tools | #4 due (5am Th) |
| F Oct 6 | Overview of the solar system | 4.1 | |
| W Oct 11 | Conservation laws | Ch4-tools | #5 due (5am Th) |
| F Oct 13 | Solar system formation | 4.2 | |
| W Oct 18 | Solar system formation | 4.2, 4.3 | #6 due (5am Th) |
| F Oct 20 | The Earth, the Moon, & Mercury | 5.1 | |
| W Oct 25 | Midterm: 12:00 - 1:20 PM, Scott Hall 123 | Covers through HW #6 | |
| F Oct 27 | Earth, Venus, & Mars | 5.1 | |
| W Nov 1 | Mars | 5.1, 5.2 | #7 due (5am Th) |
| F Nov 3 | Evolution of terrestrial atmospheres | 5.2, 5.3 | |
| W Nov 8 | Jovian planets: interiors & atmospheres | 6.1 | #8 due (5am Th) |
| F Nov 10 | Jovian planets: rings & moon systems | 6.1 | |
| W Nov 15 | Moons, Pluto, & TNOs | 6.2 | #9 due (5am Th) |
| F Nov 17 | Comets & asteroids | 6.2 | |
| W Nov 22 | Meteors & impacts (FRI SCHEDULE) | 6.2, 6.3 | |
| F Nov 24 | Thanksgiving Break: NO CLASS | ||
| W Nov 29 | Extrasolar planets: detection | 7.1 | #10 due (5am Th) |
| F Dec 1 | Extrasolar planets: properties | 7.2 | |
| W Dec 6 | Revising the nebular theory | 7.3 | #11 due (5am Th) |
| F Dec 8 | Life elsewhere in the solar system? | 15.1 | |
| W Dec 13 | Life on extrasolar planets? | first 3 pages of 15.2 | #12 due (5am Th) |
| T Dec 19 | Final Exam, 9:30 - 11:00 AM, Scott Hall 135 | Covers HW #7 - #12 |
Revised December 1, 2017