[Edit:
WARNING: Reading the following long post can be hazardous to your health!
I have arrived at this conclusion due to the lack of any, critical or just colorful, responses. Those who have read this have either been killed dead or are writhing in pain so much as to lack the ability to warn you - the next victim. So I feel morally bound to warn you since I am, of course, imune to its loathsome venom. 
]
Just for grins, I offer this little bit as a taste for our schooling appetite. It is meant to be a little different, especially since this is for an introductory course. There are links that are needed, but I would like your opinion first before even considering it as a course direction option. If you do like it, then I will complete this chapter on our planet, then offer it in the Astronomy forum for the full polish treatment from the local Ozonians before going to see the wizard and get this a goin’.
ok, roll 'em...
You and Your Planet: [We have to get a better title than this. Help.]
.....Our Atmosphere:
Ah, here you are! We’ve been waiting for you to come aboard. Please secure the hatch behind you as we can afford no air leak once in space. Because of your vast experience with XBOX simulations, we’ve elected you to be the pilot. Don’t be nervous and, yes, your controls will be XBOX standards. I’ll be your navigator and guide. So, take the pilot seat, now turn that key, push back the switch rocker cover, lift up on the toggle, ignore the alarm, and throw the switch. We’re off!
Ain’t it a beautiful day to be climbing up through the atmosphere? We’ve just left the lower layer of our atmosphere, the troposphere, and are now in the stratosphere. Level out here for a bit so I can tell you some stuff. There are some important events happening up here.
In 350 BC,
Aristotle wrote a book entitled
Meteorology. Meteorology, then and today, deals with atmospheric phenomena, so weathermen aren't necessarily meteor experts afterall.
Aristotle held that there were five elements that made up the universe – earth, water, air, fire, and the aether. He reasoned that each element had its place and because they are attracted toward a center, then a spherical Earth had to be the consequence. He supported this idea with two observations: the Earth’s shadow cast onto the moon during a lunar eclipse is round every time, and that the stars appear to move southward as a traveler moves northward. As you look out at the horizon notice the curvature of the earth. Yep, it’s a sphere; those that think otherwise, well their thinking is not…well rounded. Oh, you like puns? That is good. I’ll keep them to a minimum as some consider them punishment.
[ppg added] Since it is so late in the afternoon, turn to the west for a moment. Thanks. Do you notice that pinkish color running north and south? It is just above that darker region, isn't it? Yep. That darker region is the shadow of the Earth as it goes through the atmosphere and beyond. Notice, too, that it exhibits curvature because our planet is round. This phenomenon is known as the
Belt of Venus and all that you see here is visible from the ground, though from a mountain top the curvature is more obvious. Huh? You want to know why they call it the Belt of Venus when Venus has nothing to do with it? Hey, what do you think this is - a dialogue?
Our
atmosphere has changed in composition since its original days, billions of years ago. It is believed the Earth’s early atmosphere was mainly carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide – volcanoes contributing greatly to this - as much of the other molecules were broken apart by sunlight. Today our atmosphere consists mainly of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%). Would you believe argon is the next element at about 1%? Carbon dioxide is less than 0.05%.
Here in the stratosphere, oxygen plays an important role on our environment. Not only do we have to breathe it to survive, but it also protects us from the higher energy rays from the sun. When oxygen atoms collide, they can combine to form molecular oxygen. Diatomic is the term used when two atoms form. When three oxygen atoms combine it is known as ozone, which, no doubt, you’ve heard about. Oxygen is constantly combining with each other but, in the stratosphere, the sunlight is causing them to break apart, a process called photodecomposition. Below 30km altitude, however, the greater atmospheric density allows molecular oxygen to survive much longer. It is both the diatomic oxygen and ozone that protect us from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation which is known to cause skin cancer and other problems. This has become a bigger issue in recent years because there is evidence showing there is an
ozone depletion process happening for reasons not completely understood, though aerosols and other human contributions are likely culprits.
Of the three commonly known divisions of ultraviolet light, UVA, UVB, UVC, molecular oxygen protects us from the latter two which are the more dangerous. UVA is light that is a little more energetic than violet light. This light easily penetrates our atmosphere and our skin but does not do much damage. Diatomic oxygen is the one most helpful in stopping the worst – UVC. However, the sun produces more of the UVB light than the UVC and it is the ozone we rely on most to prevent UVB from reaching the surface. This is why so much interest is in monitoring it and figuring out ways to prevent its depletion.
I know you’re ready to climb into outer space in order to feel untethered by gravity’s grip, but there is one more thing of interest here in the atmosphere – color. Yep, this ain’t no black and white adventure; color we are blessed to see and colorful we be. Notice how the blue sky has become a deeper and richer blue. This color is light that has been affected also by atoms and molecules, mainly nitrogen and oxygen, in the atmosphere. However, in this case they are light rays, or photons if you like, that are being zinged, or scattered, into all directions.
Lord Rayleigh, following
John Tyndall’s work, was able to show that the higher energy rays (i.e. blue) from the sun would scatter much more than the lower energy rays (e.g. red). This means the sky looks blue because we see more of the scattered blue rays than the other, less energetic, ones. This produces the net result of the blue color.
This color aspect of light I mention to you because nearly all that is known about astronomy has come from the information astronomers have gleaned for light itself. Up until relatively recent history, only the light visible to our eye was useful to us. However, modern astronomy takes full advantage of nearly the entire range of light, from gamma rays to radio waves. As a result, we have a lot of cool places to travel.
Go ahead and nose up toward space. Notice how the temperature outside is getting warmer. Of course, as we are now entering the mesosphere, the temperature will begin to decrease with altitude. We are now higher than aircraft can go but lower than spacecraft can travel. As a result, it is often ignored and has even been called the ignorosphere by certain, more colorful, scientists. Who knew scientists could be humorous? You did? Oh, you have lurked on bautforum.com, no wonder you know scientists have a great sense of humor. I think they are both quite comical.
It is here in the mesosphere where most incoming meteors burn-up. They enter by the millions every day but their high speed encounter with this denser region creates enormous frictional heat that vaporizes them.
Speaking of high speed, we need to crank up the engines enough to get us eventually up to a speed around 17,500 mph (7.8 km/sec). At this speed we can coast around the Earth with an altitude of around 200 km without the need for engines. But we’re not there yet.
We are now entering the thermosphere where, once again, the temperature will climb as we climb, too. In fact, the temperatures here can reach 2000 deg. C. due to the sun’s radiation upon these molecules. No wonder it's called the thermosphere.
Great, we have arrived and can look down on the Earth as we talk about our planet. Some have said that spacecraft escape gravity, but this is incorrect. We are constantly falling toward Earth but we are going so fast that we fall only into more space and never actually to Earth. Of course, if we slow down, then down we go.
[Added: Meteorology sentences]