This course is an introduction to astronomy, primarily aimed at non-science majors. Students study the night sky, our solar system, stars, galaxies, black holes, the Big Bang and cosmology. The course also covers the development of astronomy as a science, from Earth's earliest civilizations through scientists such as Galileo, Newton, and Einstein. The emphasis throughout is on conceptual understanding of how we came to know what we know about the Universe. The accompanying laboratory will provide practical activities to reinforce the concepts introduced in class. In addition, the lab will provide an opportunity for enlightened star-gazing as students learn how to use telescopes to locate and identify various objects in the night sky.
Semester Offered