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Vortices are observed in the Earth's atmosphere and oceans and in the atmospheres of other planets. Examples are polar vortices in Earth, Mars and Titan's atmospheres, Spots on Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune, Gulf Stream rings, and eddies throughout the oceans. These vortices are often the most dominant feature of the regional circulation, and understanding their structure and evolution dynamics is necessary to understand the dynamics and transport of atmospheres and oceans. In this course we focus on the structure and dynamics of long-lived vortices, i.e., vortices that exist for longer than typical wave periods. The first section of the course will consist of lectures examining the fundamental dynamics of vortices in rapidly rotating, stratified fluids, while the second section will be seminars discussing more detailed aspects of specific vortices occurring in nature. It is suggested that you have taken 270.425 Earth and Planetary Fluids or another similar introductory fluids class.