AST1101 Astronomy 1

Course Description

This course is an introduction to astronomy - the study of the cosmos. Astronomy is the oldest science - and has played an important role in the cultures of our ancestors across the planet. It has provided the tools by which ancient peoples navigated the globe, and the calendar by which they lived and directed their lives.

This course provides a historical background to the study of astronomy, and introduces the different techniques and tools used by astronomers to study the universe - showing how we have come to understand our place in the cosmos. The course is particularly relevant to students wishing to learn or teach astronomy, physics or Earth sciences. The course is open to all and offers an accessible introduction to how science explains our place in the universe. The course will provide an important basis for students to understand the scientific method - particularly as applied to the observational sciences of astronomy and astrophysics.

Topics

1. The History of Astronomy 

2. Indigenous Astronomy 

3. Observing the Universe - Telescopes 

4. The Celestial Sphere 

5. The Astronomy of the Earth 

6. How do things move in the sky? 

7. How do things move in space? 

8. How bright? How far? 

9. The Scale of the Universe 

10. The Future of Astronomy