Astronomy

An introduction to modern astronomy, with an emphasis on using astronomical observations to understand the stars, galaxies and the universe as a whole.

You will be introduced to the night sky and how to navigate around it using astronomical coordinates. The design, performance and use of visible and radio wavelength telescopes are discussed in detail, including imaging and spectroscopy. Visible and radio wavelength observations will be interpreted to determine the velocities, distances, masses, and the cosmological expansion of the Universe, Practical work is a key component of this unit, including an astronomical observing session and analysis of data from major observatories.