The Solar System
MIT OpenCourseWare's introduction to planetary science, built around spacecraft data rather than heavy mathematics. Lessons cover the overall architecture of the solar system, planetary orbits and rings, theories of planetary formation, meteorites, asteroids, and comets, and the surfaces, interiors, and atmospheres of the planets. A closing section considers the conditions for life elsewhere in the solar system. The course includes lecture notes, readings, and assignments from MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, freely available for self-study with no enrollment or certificate fee. It suits anyone wanting a conceptual grounding in planetary science before tackling more mathematical treatments of orbital mechanics or astrophysics.