Purpose:
Astronomy is the science that deals with the study of the heavens and the realms extending from the Earth’s atmosphere to the distant reaches of the universe. During this semester you will be required to memorize some definitions, some values of constants that will help to bring alive the amazing diversity of the planets, stars, and galaxies.
This course places an emphasis on how astronomers gather information about distant objects without leaving the Earth.
The goals in Honors Astronomy are to explore and gain better appreciation of this vast cosmic universe that is continuously expanding. The topics will include but are not limited to the following because of current research:
Measurements, Significant Figures, Order of Magnitude, Scaling Models, Scientific Method, Analysis and Interpretation of Cosmic data, Historical Perspectives, Law of Gravity, Structural description of the (a) Terrestrial planets – Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars; (b) the outer Frozen planets - Jupiter, Saturn Uranus and Neptune, (Pluto); (c) Insights of Meteors, Asteroids, Comets (d) Stars – Sun: (d) Stellar Evolution & Remnants – White Dwarfs, Neutron stars, Black Holes; (e) Milky Way Galaxy, Local Groups, Super Clusters Probes of Intergalactic Space- Quasars.
Astronomy is the science that deals with the study of the heavens and the realms extending from the Earth’s atmosphere to the distant reaches of the universe. During this semester you will be required to memorize some definitions, some values of constants that will help to bring alive the amazing diversity of the planets, stars, and galaxies.
This course places an emphasis on how astronomers gather information about distant objects without leaving the Earth.
The goals in Honors Astronomy are to explore and gain better appreciation of this vast cosmic universe that is continuously expanding. The topics will include but are not limited to the following because of current research:
Measurements, Significant Figures, Order of Magnitude, Scaling Models, Scientific Method, Analysis and Interpretation of Cosmic data, Historical Perspectives, Law of Gravity, Structural description of the (a) Terrestrial planets – Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars; (b) the outer Frozen planets - Jupiter, Saturn Uranus and Neptune, (Pluto); (c) Insights of Meteors, Asteroids, Comets (d) Stars – Sun: (d) Stellar Evolution & Remnants – White Dwarfs, Neutron stars, Black Holes; (e) Milky Way Galaxy, Local Groups, Super Clusters Probes of Intergalactic Space- Quasars.