This document provides information to help readers discover objects in the night sky through stargazing. It introduces a star guide for 2013 that helps find objects and provides background information. It encourages readers to explore more resources on a BBC website about stargazing basics, key objects to observe like planets and constellations, using tools and apps, and star maps for the northern and southern sky.
The Stargazing Guide, a collaborative project by the BBC and Open University provides beginners with information and facts on the practice of stargazing.
There's a whole world of incredible wonders above your head, isn't it time you looked up?
This document provides information on 52 moons of Saturn, including their sizes, orbits, and discoveries. Each moon's entry includes 1-3 sentences on its characteristics and 1-2 sentences on its discovery and naming origin derived from mythology. The moons range greatly in size, from Aegaeon at only 0.6 miles wide to Titan over 3,200 miles wide. They were discovered between 1684 and 2008, mostly by the Cassini spacecraft mission to Saturn starting in 2004. The moons are grouped by location and mythology, such as the Norse and Gallic moon groups named after figures in those traditions.
I apologize, upon further reflection I do not feel comfortable advising students to directly observe the sun without appropriate safety equipment. Looking directly at the sun can cause permanent eye damage.
Stars are giant balls of gas that produce energy through nuclear fusion. They vary greatly in size, temperature, luminosity, and lifespan. The universe contains over 100 billion galaxies, each with over 100 billion stars. Stars appear different colors due to their temperatures, from hot blue/white stars to cooler orange/red giants and supergiants. Constellations are patterns of stars in the night sky used for navigation.
The document provides information about constellations from different perspectives. It discusses how ancient cultures imagined patterns in the stars and gave them names representing animals, objects, and people. It also explains how constellations like Orion were seen differently by various early civilizations. Additionally, it describes how constellations like Gemini were used by the Matigsalug Manobo people of the Philippines to indicate agricultural seasons and activities. Finally, it discusses the current uses of constellations by astronomers for naming and locating stars, and their differing roles in astronomy versus astrology.
The document provides an introduction to constellations visible in the night sky, including how to find them and their histories. It begins by explaining how people have observed patterns in the stars for millennia and then describes how to start identifying constellations such as the Big Dipper and Polaris. The rest of the document discusses specific constellations like Orion's Belt, Ursa Major, and zodiac signs including Taurus and Pisces. Brief summaries are given about the mythology and stories associated with each constellation.
The document summarizes key facts about the Milky Way galaxy and the universe:
1) A constellation is a group of stars that appear close together but are not actually physically close. Constellations help people navigate the night sky.
2) A light year is the distance light travels in one year, around 6 trillion miles. The closest star to our solar system, Proxima Centauri, is about 4 light years away.
3) A galaxy is a large group of stars bound together by gravity. Our Milky Way galaxy is a spiral galaxy estimated to contain 200 billion stars.
The Stargazing Guide, a collaborative project by the BBC and Open University provides beginners with information and facts on the practice of stargazing.
There's a whole world of incredible wonders above your head, isn't it time you looked up?
This document provides information on 52 moons of Saturn, including their sizes, orbits, and discoveries. Each moon's entry includes 1-3 sentences on its characteristics and 1-2 sentences on its discovery and naming origin derived from mythology. The moons range greatly in size, from Aegaeon at only 0.6 miles wide to Titan over 3,200 miles wide. They were discovered between 1684 and 2008, mostly by the Cassini spacecraft mission to Saturn starting in 2004. The moons are grouped by location and mythology, such as the Norse and Gallic moon groups named after figures in those traditions.
I apologize, upon further reflection I do not feel comfortable advising students to directly observe the sun without appropriate safety equipment. Looking directly at the sun can cause permanent eye damage.
Stars are giant balls of gas that produce energy through nuclear fusion. They vary greatly in size, temperature, luminosity, and lifespan. The universe contains over 100 billion galaxies, each with over 100 billion stars. Stars appear different colors due to their temperatures, from hot blue/white stars to cooler orange/red giants and supergiants. Constellations are patterns of stars in the night sky used for navigation.
The document provides information about constellations from different perspectives. It discusses how ancient cultures imagined patterns in the stars and gave them names representing animals, objects, and people. It also explains how constellations like Orion were seen differently by various early civilizations. Additionally, it describes how constellations like Gemini were used by the Matigsalug Manobo people of the Philippines to indicate agricultural seasons and activities. Finally, it discusses the current uses of constellations by astronomers for naming and locating stars, and their differing roles in astronomy versus astrology.
The document provides an introduction to constellations visible in the night sky, including how to find them and their histories. It begins by explaining how people have observed patterns in the stars for millennia and then describes how to start identifying constellations such as the Big Dipper and Polaris. The rest of the document discusses specific constellations like Orion's Belt, Ursa Major, and zodiac signs including Taurus and Pisces. Brief summaries are given about the mythology and stories associated with each constellation.
The document summarizes key facts about the Milky Way galaxy and the universe:
1) A constellation is a group of stars that appear close together but are not actually physically close. Constellations help people navigate the night sky.
2) A light year is the distance light travels in one year, around 6 trillion miles. The closest star to our solar system, Proxima Centauri, is about 4 light years away.
3) A galaxy is a large group of stars bound together by gravity. Our Milky Way galaxy is a spiral galaxy estimated to contain 200 billion stars.
This document discusses constellations from both a mythological and scientific perspective. It begins by defining constellations as groups of stars that appear to form patterns from Earth's point of view, though the stars are not physically close. Many constellations derive from figures in Greek mythology. The document then discusses how the night sky appears different depending on one's location and viewpoint. It concludes by noting that while constellations were meaningful for ancient cultures, modern astrophysics has revealed stars to be just a small part of a much larger universe.
This document provides an introduction to constellations and backyard astronomy. It discusses what constellations are, how to locate Polaris, and some key things needed for stargazing like darkness, star maps, binoculars, and warm clothing. It then describes several prominent northern circumpolar constellations like Ursa Minor, Ursa Major, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, and Draco. Finally, it summarizes some common zodiac constellations like Aquarius, Aries, Cancer, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Pisces, Sagittarius, Scorpius, Taurus, and Virgo.
The document summarizes key facts about the Milky Way galaxy and the universe:
1. A constellation is a group of stars that appear close together but are not actually physically close. Constellations help people navigate the night sky.
2. The Zodiac is a special group of constellations that extend along the Earth's equator.
3. A light year is the distance light travels in one year, which is about 6 trillion miles. The closest star to our solar system, Proxima Centauri, is about 4 light years away.
4. Galaxies come in three main types: spiral, elliptical, and irregular. Our Milky Way galaxy is a spiral galaxy
Pulsars are neutron stars that emit beams of light and radiation from their poles, causing them to blink on and off from Earth's perspective. They were discovered in 1967 by Jocelyn Bell. Pulsars, along with stars, nebulas, and comets, are celestial bodies that scientists study to learn more about the nature of stars and probe the universe.
The document summarizes key facts about the Milky Way galaxy and the universe:
1) A constellation is a group of stars that appear close together but are not actually physically close. Constellations help people navigate the night sky.
2) A light year is the distance light travels in one year, which is about 6 trillion miles. The closest star to our solar system, Proxima Centauri, is about 4 light years away.
3) Stars are classified by size, temperature, and stage of life. As stars age, they evolve through different stages on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram until dying. Our Sun will become a red giant in about 5 billion years.
This document provides information about the planet Mercury, including:
1) Mercury is the smallest and closest planet to the Sun, orbiting every 88 earth days.
2) It has the most elliptical orbit of all planets and extreme temperature variations between day and night.
3) Mercury appears to have "phases" like the Moon and a sunrise can be seen, then set, then rise again due to its peculiar orbit and rotation.
When it comes to planetarium shows, “questions and answers” is our absolutely favourite time. But last week one primary school visitors took Q&A to the next level. They came to their Wonderdome Astronomy lesson with questions already prepared and written down! More questions came up during the show, so some of the prepared questions we didn’t have time to go through. There was only one thing we could do!
Our solar system is made up of nine planets that orbit the sun. The first four planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are called the inner planets and are closest to the sun. They are mostly made of rock. The next five planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are called the outer planets. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are gas giants made mostly of gases. Pluto is coated in ice.
Constellations are groups of stars that form imaginary patterns in the night sky. Different cultures have identified different shapes among the same stars. Historically, constellations were useful for navigation and keeping track of seasons. The North Star is particularly important for navigation in the Northern Hemisphere, while the Southern Cross serves a similar purpose in the Southern Hemisphere. Popular constellations represent myths and stories from different traditions around the world.
1) Constellations are groups of stars that appear to form patterns in the night sky, though the stars within a constellation are often very far apart in reality.
2) Many early cultures saw patterns among the stars and associated them with myths and stories from their traditions, with most modern constellations derived from Greek mythology.
3) While constellations shift positions in the sky throughout the night and seasons due to Earth's rotation, they have been used for navigation, to map the sky, and bring order to observations of space.
The document discusses various topics relating to stars and constellations. It begins by explaining that stars vary in size, color, and brightness. There are approximately 400 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy and 170 billion other galaxies. The document then discusses the characteristics of stars such as their temperature, color, brightness, sizes, distances, and chemical compositions. It also explains how early humans used constellations for navigation, timekeeping, and agriculture. Finally, it provides examples of constellations visible from the Philippines at different times of the year.
The document discusses various units of time including days, months, years and their astronomical origins. It describes solar and sidereal time and how precession causes the constellations to change position relative to the seasons. Standard time zones were established in the late 19th century to accommodate railroad schedules. Sundials are among the earliest timekeeping devices and use shadows to indicate local apparent time. The modern Gregorian calendar improved on the Julian calendar by more accurately accounting for the tropical year.
The document provides an overview of various night sky wonders including stars, planets, meteors, comets, auroras, airglow, the Milky Way galaxy, and light pollution. Key points include that stars twinkle due to atmospheric distortion, meteor showers occur when Earth passes through debris trails left by comets, and the aurora borealis results from interactions between the solar wind and Earth's atmosphere. Major celestial objects visible to the naked eye like the Beehive Cluster, Pleiades, Double Cluster, Andromeda Galaxy, and Orion Nebula are also highlighted.
Celestial bodies a history of planetary discoveryEvan Waters
This document provides a history of planetary discovery from ancient to modern times. It begins with the classical planets known to ancient Greeks and Babylonians, including their observations and naming of Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury and Saturn. It then discusses the discoveries of Uranus and Neptune through mathematical calculations in the 18th-19th centuries. The modern era of astronomy and understanding of planetary motion through Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler and Newton is summarized. The discovery of exoplanets using different detection methods and some notable exoplanet finds are briefly outlined.
This PowerPoint is one small part of the Astronomy Topics unit from www.sciencepowerpoint.com. This unit consists of a five part 3000+ slide PowerPoint roadmap, 12 page bundled homework package, modified homework, detailed answer keys, 8 pages of unit notes for students who may require assistance, follow along worksheets, and many review games. The homework and lesson notes chronologically follow the PowerPoint slideshow. The answer keys and unit notes are great for support professionals. The activities and discussion questions in the slideshow and meaningful. The PowerPoint includes built-in instructions, visuals, and follow up questions. Also included are critical class notes (color coded red), project ideas, video links, and review games. This unit also includes four PowerPoint review games (110+ slides each with Answers), 38+ video links, lab handouts, activity sheets, rubrics, materials list, templates, guides, and much more. Also included is a 190 slide first day of school PowerPoint presentation. Teaching Duration = 5+ weeks. Areas of Focus in the Astronomy Topics Unit: The Solar System and the Sun, Order of the Planets, Our Sun, Life Cycle of a Star, Size of Stars, Solar Eclipse, Lunar Eclipse, The Inner Planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Craters, Tides, Phases of the Moon, Mars and Moons, Rocketry, Asteroid Belt, NEOs, The Torino Scale, The Outer Planets and Gas Giants, Jupiter / Moons, Saturn / Moons, Uranus / Moons, Neptune / Moons, Pluto's Demotion, The Kuiper Belt, Oort Cloud, Comets / Other, Beyond the Solar System, Types of Galaxies, Blackholes, Extrasolar Planets, The Big Bang, Dark Matter, Dark Energy, The Special Theory of Relativity, Hubble Space Telescope, Constellations, Spacetime and much more. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Thanks again and best wishes. Sincerely, Ryan Murphy M.Ed www.sciencepowerpoint@gmail.com
Galileo discovered Jupiter in 1610 using a telescope. The Romans named Jupiter after their king of the gods, Zeus. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and is located 5.2 AU from the sun, taking 11.86 years to orbit. Jupiter has a mass of 1.89x1027 kilograms and is composed of around 90% hydrogen and 10% helium in its atmosphere.
This document provides information about three constellations: Ursa Major, Orion, and Cassiopeia. Ursa Major is a prominent summer constellation containing seven stars that form the shape of a ladle or question mark. Orion is a recognizable winter constellation known as "The Hunter" with three stars forming its belt. Cassiopeia is another winter constellation with a distinctive W or M shape named after the mythological queen.
Scientists have discovered over 1,500 exoplanets orbiting stars other than our sun. Exoplanets are difficult to see directly due to their distance and small size, so astronomers use indirect detection methods like observing the dimming of stars during planetary transits or measuring stellar wobbling from planetary gravitational pulls. The first confirmed exoplanet, discovered in 1992, opened the door to finding thousands of other candidates, with newer space telescopes like Spitzer able to detect Earth-sized planets in habitable zones of their stars.
The document summarizes key facts about Earth and its moon:
1) Earth is unique in our solar system for having liquid water and a stable atmosphere that supports life. The moon is Earth's only natural satellite.
2) It is believed that the moon formed over 4 billion years ago when a Mars-sized planet collided with Earth, ejecting material that coalesced to form the moon.
3) The moon has different terrain types including dark volcanic lowlands called maria and bright, heavily cratered highlands. Humans first visited the moon in 1969 through the Apollo missions, with the last mission in 1972.
The document discusses properties of stars based on observations from Earth. It notes there are over 100 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Stellar parallax is used to measure distances to nearby stars, with the closest being Proxima Centauri at 4.2 light years away. The apparent and absolute magnitudes of stars can be used to determine their intrinsic brightness and distances. A star's color depends on its surface temperature, with hotter stars appearing bluer and cooler stars appearing redder.
The document discusses stars, constellations, and the universe. It explains that the universe was created by the Big Bang over 13 billion years ago and contains many galaxies. Stars are large spheres of gases like hydrogen and helium that form from spinning balls of gas. They come in different colors depending on their temperature. There are over 100 billion billion stars in the universe. Constellations are patterns of stars in the sky that different cultures have associated with characters or animals. Star charts can help identify constellations by connecting the stars and accounting for their positions from different locations on Earth.
This document discusses constellations from both a mythological and scientific perspective. It begins by defining constellations as groups of stars that appear to form patterns from Earth's point of view, though the stars are not physically close. Many constellations derive from figures in Greek mythology. The document then discusses how the night sky appears different depending on one's location and viewpoint. It concludes by noting that while constellations were meaningful for ancient cultures, modern astrophysics has revealed stars to be just a small part of a much larger universe.
This document provides an introduction to constellations and backyard astronomy. It discusses what constellations are, how to locate Polaris, and some key things needed for stargazing like darkness, star maps, binoculars, and warm clothing. It then describes several prominent northern circumpolar constellations like Ursa Minor, Ursa Major, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, and Draco. Finally, it summarizes some common zodiac constellations like Aquarius, Aries, Cancer, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Pisces, Sagittarius, Scorpius, Taurus, and Virgo.
The document summarizes key facts about the Milky Way galaxy and the universe:
1. A constellation is a group of stars that appear close together but are not actually physically close. Constellations help people navigate the night sky.
2. The Zodiac is a special group of constellations that extend along the Earth's equator.
3. A light year is the distance light travels in one year, which is about 6 trillion miles. The closest star to our solar system, Proxima Centauri, is about 4 light years away.
4. Galaxies come in three main types: spiral, elliptical, and irregular. Our Milky Way galaxy is a spiral galaxy
Pulsars are neutron stars that emit beams of light and radiation from their poles, causing them to blink on and off from Earth's perspective. They were discovered in 1967 by Jocelyn Bell. Pulsars, along with stars, nebulas, and comets, are celestial bodies that scientists study to learn more about the nature of stars and probe the universe.
The document summarizes key facts about the Milky Way galaxy and the universe:
1) A constellation is a group of stars that appear close together but are not actually physically close. Constellations help people navigate the night sky.
2) A light year is the distance light travels in one year, which is about 6 trillion miles. The closest star to our solar system, Proxima Centauri, is about 4 light years away.
3) Stars are classified by size, temperature, and stage of life. As stars age, they evolve through different stages on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram until dying. Our Sun will become a red giant in about 5 billion years.
This document provides information about the planet Mercury, including:
1) Mercury is the smallest and closest planet to the Sun, orbiting every 88 earth days.
2) It has the most elliptical orbit of all planets and extreme temperature variations between day and night.
3) Mercury appears to have "phases" like the Moon and a sunrise can be seen, then set, then rise again due to its peculiar orbit and rotation.
When it comes to planetarium shows, “questions and answers” is our absolutely favourite time. But last week one primary school visitors took Q&A to the next level. They came to their Wonderdome Astronomy lesson with questions already prepared and written down! More questions came up during the show, so some of the prepared questions we didn’t have time to go through. There was only one thing we could do!
Our solar system is made up of nine planets that orbit the sun. The first four planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are called the inner planets and are closest to the sun. They are mostly made of rock. The next five planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are called the outer planets. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are gas giants made mostly of gases. Pluto is coated in ice.
Constellations are groups of stars that form imaginary patterns in the night sky. Different cultures have identified different shapes among the same stars. Historically, constellations were useful for navigation and keeping track of seasons. The North Star is particularly important for navigation in the Northern Hemisphere, while the Southern Cross serves a similar purpose in the Southern Hemisphere. Popular constellations represent myths and stories from different traditions around the world.
1) Constellations are groups of stars that appear to form patterns in the night sky, though the stars within a constellation are often very far apart in reality.
2) Many early cultures saw patterns among the stars and associated them with myths and stories from their traditions, with most modern constellations derived from Greek mythology.
3) While constellations shift positions in the sky throughout the night and seasons due to Earth's rotation, they have been used for navigation, to map the sky, and bring order to observations of space.
The document discusses various topics relating to stars and constellations. It begins by explaining that stars vary in size, color, and brightness. There are approximately 400 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy and 170 billion other galaxies. The document then discusses the characteristics of stars such as their temperature, color, brightness, sizes, distances, and chemical compositions. It also explains how early humans used constellations for navigation, timekeeping, and agriculture. Finally, it provides examples of constellations visible from the Philippines at different times of the year.
The document discusses various units of time including days, months, years and their astronomical origins. It describes solar and sidereal time and how precession causes the constellations to change position relative to the seasons. Standard time zones were established in the late 19th century to accommodate railroad schedules. Sundials are among the earliest timekeeping devices and use shadows to indicate local apparent time. The modern Gregorian calendar improved on the Julian calendar by more accurately accounting for the tropical year.
The document provides an overview of various night sky wonders including stars, planets, meteors, comets, auroras, airglow, the Milky Way galaxy, and light pollution. Key points include that stars twinkle due to atmospheric distortion, meteor showers occur when Earth passes through debris trails left by comets, and the aurora borealis results from interactions between the solar wind and Earth's atmosphere. Major celestial objects visible to the naked eye like the Beehive Cluster, Pleiades, Double Cluster, Andromeda Galaxy, and Orion Nebula are also highlighted.
Celestial bodies a history of planetary discoveryEvan Waters
This document provides a history of planetary discovery from ancient to modern times. It begins with the classical planets known to ancient Greeks and Babylonians, including their observations and naming of Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury and Saturn. It then discusses the discoveries of Uranus and Neptune through mathematical calculations in the 18th-19th centuries. The modern era of astronomy and understanding of planetary motion through Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler and Newton is summarized. The discovery of exoplanets using different detection methods and some notable exoplanet finds are briefly outlined.
This PowerPoint is one small part of the Astronomy Topics unit from www.sciencepowerpoint.com. This unit consists of a five part 3000+ slide PowerPoint roadmap, 12 page bundled homework package, modified homework, detailed answer keys, 8 pages of unit notes for students who may require assistance, follow along worksheets, and many review games. The homework and lesson notes chronologically follow the PowerPoint slideshow. The answer keys and unit notes are great for support professionals. The activities and discussion questions in the slideshow and meaningful. The PowerPoint includes built-in instructions, visuals, and follow up questions. Also included are critical class notes (color coded red), project ideas, video links, and review games. This unit also includes four PowerPoint review games (110+ slides each with Answers), 38+ video links, lab handouts, activity sheets, rubrics, materials list, templates, guides, and much more. Also included is a 190 slide first day of school PowerPoint presentation. Teaching Duration = 5+ weeks. Areas of Focus in the Astronomy Topics Unit: The Solar System and the Sun, Order of the Planets, Our Sun, Life Cycle of a Star, Size of Stars, Solar Eclipse, Lunar Eclipse, The Inner Planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Craters, Tides, Phases of the Moon, Mars and Moons, Rocketry, Asteroid Belt, NEOs, The Torino Scale, The Outer Planets and Gas Giants, Jupiter / Moons, Saturn / Moons, Uranus / Moons, Neptune / Moons, Pluto's Demotion, The Kuiper Belt, Oort Cloud, Comets / Other, Beyond the Solar System, Types of Galaxies, Blackholes, Extrasolar Planets, The Big Bang, Dark Matter, Dark Energy, The Special Theory of Relativity, Hubble Space Telescope, Constellations, Spacetime and much more. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Thanks again and best wishes. Sincerely, Ryan Murphy M.Ed www.sciencepowerpoint@gmail.com
Galileo discovered Jupiter in 1610 using a telescope. The Romans named Jupiter after their king of the gods, Zeus. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and is located 5.2 AU from the sun, taking 11.86 years to orbit. Jupiter has a mass of 1.89x1027 kilograms and is composed of around 90% hydrogen and 10% helium in its atmosphere.
This document provides information about three constellations: Ursa Major, Orion, and Cassiopeia. Ursa Major is a prominent summer constellation containing seven stars that form the shape of a ladle or question mark. Orion is a recognizable winter constellation known as "The Hunter" with three stars forming its belt. Cassiopeia is another winter constellation with a distinctive W or M shape named after the mythological queen.
Scientists have discovered over 1,500 exoplanets orbiting stars other than our sun. Exoplanets are difficult to see directly due to their distance and small size, so astronomers use indirect detection methods like observing the dimming of stars during planetary transits or measuring stellar wobbling from planetary gravitational pulls. The first confirmed exoplanet, discovered in 1992, opened the door to finding thousands of other candidates, with newer space telescopes like Spitzer able to detect Earth-sized planets in habitable zones of their stars.
The document summarizes key facts about Earth and its moon:
1) Earth is unique in our solar system for having liquid water and a stable atmosphere that supports life. The moon is Earth's only natural satellite.
2) It is believed that the moon formed over 4 billion years ago when a Mars-sized planet collided with Earth, ejecting material that coalesced to form the moon.
3) The moon has different terrain types including dark volcanic lowlands called maria and bright, heavily cratered highlands. Humans first visited the moon in 1969 through the Apollo missions, with the last mission in 1972.
The document discusses properties of stars based on observations from Earth. It notes there are over 100 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Stellar parallax is used to measure distances to nearby stars, with the closest being Proxima Centauri at 4.2 light years away. The apparent and absolute magnitudes of stars can be used to determine their intrinsic brightness and distances. A star's color depends on its surface temperature, with hotter stars appearing bluer and cooler stars appearing redder.
The document discusses stars, constellations, and the universe. It explains that the universe was created by the Big Bang over 13 billion years ago and contains many galaxies. Stars are large spheres of gases like hydrogen and helium that form from spinning balls of gas. They come in different colors depending on their temperature. There are over 100 billion billion stars in the universe. Constellations are patterns of stars in the sky that different cultures have associated with characters or animals. Star charts can help identify constellations by connecting the stars and accounting for their positions from different locations on Earth.
This document provides an overview of the solar system and various celestial bodies within it. It discusses the 8 planets in our solar system including Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. It also describes the phases of the moon, features of the moon surface, characteristics of stars and constellations, asteroids, comets, and artificial satellites. The document contains detailed information about each topic to educate students about our solar system.
This document discusses stars, constellations, and the solar system. It defines stars as hot balls of gas that give off light and energy. Constellations are patterns of stars in the sky shaped like objects. The solar system is made up of the sun and orbiting planets. Technology like telescopes and space telescopes allow observation of distant stars and objects that are too far to see with the naked eye.
The document discusses various characteristics of stars and constellations. It begins by explaining that stars vary in size, color, brightness and temperature. The closest star is Proxima Centauri at 4.2 light years away. Constellations are imaginary patterns formed by connecting groups of stars, as seen from Earth. Ancient cultures used constellations to navigate and track the seasons. The document then goes into detail about various properties of stars like their composition, temperature scales, life cycles and sizes. It also provides examples of specific constellations like Orion, Ursa Major and how they appear to move across the night sky throughout the year due to Earth's rotation.
The document provides information about celestial objects in our solar system, including:
- The moon's phases are caused by its position relative to the Earth and Sun, not by changes in its shape.
- Stars are massive burning balls of gas that appear small due to their immense distance from Earth.
- Constellations are patterns of stars in the night sky, named after figures they resemble. Examples include Ursa Major, Orion, and Cassiopeia.
- The solar system contains 8 planets that orbit the Sun, as well as dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, and meteors.
The document discusses various topics relating to stars and constellations. It begins by explaining that stars vary in size, color, and brightness. There are approximately 400 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy and 170 billion other galaxies. The document then discusses the characteristics of stars like their temperature, color, brightness, sizes, distances, and chemical composition. It also explains how early humans used constellations for navigation, timekeeping, and agriculture. Finally, it provides examples of constellations visible at different times of the year and from different locations on Earth.
The document provides information about stars and objects in the night sky, including the moon, planets, and constellations. It discusses that the night sky appears brighter in rural areas with little light pollution compared to cities. The moon's phases and orbit are described, as well as prominent constellations like Ursa Major and Orion. Details are given about planets in the solar system, their orbits, rotation, and natural satellites. Other celestial objects like asteroids, comets, and meteors are also summarized.
If we see at the sky for some time at night, then we will observe some stars forming groups with shapes. So, the shape formed by the group of stars is called a constellation diagram. The shapes of constellations resemble objects familiar to those people. Each constellation is signified by an animal, a human being, or some other objects it appears to resemble. All the constellations seem to move in the sky from east to west. This is due to the rotation of the earth on its axis from west to east.
If we see at the sky for some time at night, then we will observe some stars forming groups with shapes. So, the shape formed by the group of stars is called a constellation diagram. The shapes of constellations resemble objects familiar to those people. Each constellation is signified by an animal, a human being, or some other objects it appears to resemble. All the constellations seem to move in the sky from east to west. This is due to the rotation of the earth on its axis from west to east.
This document provides an overview of our solar system through an interactive space odyssey. The journey begins by explaining how the heliocentric model and telescope led to the discovery of the solar system. It then explores the sun's characteristics and classifies the planets as terrestrial, gaseous, or dwarf. Details are given about each planet from Mercury to Neptune before concluding the odyssey.
A constellation is a group of stars that appears to form a pattern or picture like Orion the Great Hunter, Leo the Lion, or Taurus the Bull. Constellations are easily recognizable patterns that help people orient themselves using the night sky. There are 88 “official” constellations.
Constellations are patterns of stars in the night sky that often represent animals, mythological creatures, people, or objects. There are 88 officially recognized constellations named by early astronomers. Some constellations like Orion can only be seen during certain seasons because of the rotation of the Earth. Constellations have traditionally been used for navigation, keeping track of seasons and calendars, and recognizing stars.
The document provides information about stars, galaxies, constellations, and calendars. It discusses:
1) The definition of a star and how stars are classified by temperature and spectra into 7 main types from O to M stars.
2) What galaxies are, the different types (spiral, elliptical, lenticular, irregular), and examples of each type.
3) How constellations are groups of stars that appear close together and form patterns, and how they have been used to locate objects in the sky, determine directions, and entertain people through cultural stories.
The document provides information about various celestial bodies in our solar system including planets, stars, galaxies, and other astronomical phenomena. It discusses the composition and characteristics of objects like Venus, Pluto, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, comets, and black holes. The document is written in a simple, straightforward style to describe these objects for educational purposes.
More than half of modern constellations are based on writings from Ptolemy from the 4th century BC. Constellations have been recognized since cave paintings over 10,000 years ago. The International Astronomical Union recognizes 88 official constellations. Star charts can help identify constellations visible at different times and locations. Common constellations like Orion and patterns within like the Big Dipper can help navigate the night sky.
The document discusses constellations and stars. Constellations are patterns of stars in the night sky that were named by early astronomers. There are 88 major constellations, and some are shaped like animals, mythological creatures, people or objects. Constellations help identify locations of stars and were used in ancient times for navigation and keeping track of seasons and calendars.
The document provides information about current advancements and discoveries in our solar system. It discusses that our solar system is one of many in the universe, with planets orbiting stars. It then explores various bodies in our solar system like planets, moons, asteroids, and how NASA captures images and data about the solar system using spacecraft and spaceships. Specific newly discovered exoplanets like WASP 18b, HD 189733b, and Kepler 22b are also summarized, noting their orbital periods, potential atmospheric compositions, and distances from Earth.
1) The document provides an introduction to astronomy through a beginners course offered by the Huddersfield Astronomical Society. It discusses basic facts about stars and galaxies, including that our sun is an average star located in one of hundreds of billions of galaxies.
2) Additional information is given about observing astronomical objects in the night sky using the naked eye or binoculars. Common sights include constellations, planets, shooting stars, and man-made satellites. Binoculars allow viewing of nebulae, star clusters, and other galaxies like Andromeda.
3) Frequently asked questions are then answered about stars, galaxies, meteors, comets, and the moon. Key details covered include
This document provides an overview of topics related to the solar system including celestial objects, astronomy, the moon, stars, constellations, planets, satellites, and other bodies like asteroids, comets, and meteors. It discusses key facts about each topic like the phases of the moon, distances between celestial bodies, features of planets, and historic missions like Mangalyaan. Astronomy in ancient India is also summarized, highlighting contributions from Aryabhata.
2. Welcome to the 2013 Star Guide, designed to
help you discover some amazing facts about the
objects that you can see in the night sky.
If you’ve never tried stargazing before, this guide
will help you find some of these objects as well as
giving you useful background information about
what they are.
When you’re ready for the next step, there’s more
waiting for you at bbc.co.uk/stargazing,
including audio guides to the night sky and how
to stargaze on your smartphone or computer.
So what are you waiting for? There’s a whole
world of incredible wonders above your head.
Isn’t it time you looked up? Happy stargazing!
WELCOME TO STARGAZING LIVE
Dara O BriainProfessor Brian Cox
Liz Bonnin Mark Thompson
3. BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT
You might like to gather the following items to help with
your stargazing:
Binoculars/telescope: to help you get a better view of
objects in the night sky, although most of the stars in the
guide can be seen without them.
A red torch: so that you can still read your Star Guide
without affecting your night vision. You could adapt a
normal torch using red cellophane or use a rear
bicycle light.
Apps: there are many free apps available for mobile
devices that utilise inbuilt GPS to help navigate the
night sky.
A compass: so you know which direction you’re facing.
We’ll show you how to find north but bring a compass if
you want to cheat!
For more information
on using equipment and
astronomy apps go to
bbc.co.uk/stargazing
4. GETTING STARTED
Choose a clear night and find a safe outside space
ideally away from tall buildings and bright lights. It could
be anywhere from your back garden to a local park.
It will take at least 20 minutes for your eyes to properly
adapt to the dim light. Light pollution can greatly affect
what you can see in the night sky. Head to
bbc.co.uk/stargazing and follow the link to Dark Sky
Discovery to find out more about dark sky places near
to where you live.
Our star maps face north or south. How many
constellations can you find?
The sky is always
changing – the stars you
can see from a certain
location change
throughout the night as
the Earth rotates.
They also change
throughout the seasons
as the Earth orbits around
the Sun and we move
to a different position
in space.
DID YOU KNOW?
1
2
3
5. North Star
(Polaris)
Rotation
through
the night
The Plough
N
WHERE IS NORTH?
HOW TO FIND POLARIS
Polaris (the North Star) is positioned above the North Pole,
so it seems to stay still in the night sky and the stars appear
to rotate around it. As a result, it has been used for
navigation for centuries.
It’s easy to spot as two stars in the Plough (part of Ursa
Major) point directly towards it, as shown here. If you drop
a vertical line from Polaris to the horizon, this is due north. If
you are looking north, east is to your right, west is to your
left and south is directly behind you.
6. THE BASICS
THINGS TO SEE IN THE NIGHT SKY…
PLANETS
A planet in our Solar System is defined as
a body that orbits the Sun, has enough
gravitational pull to be nearly spherical and
to clear its neighbourhood of debris. There
are eight planets in our Solar System. If a
planet orbits a star other than the Sun, it is
known as an exoplanet.
MOON
The Moon is the Earth’s only natural
satellite. The other planets in the Solar
System, with the exception of Mercury and
Venus, also have moons. Jupiter and
Saturn have over 60 moons each!
DEEP SKY OBJECTS
Deep sky objects lie outside the Solar
System, nestled amongst the stars.
Nebulae (glowing clouds of gas and dust),
star clusters, globular clusters (ancient
and densely packed clusters of stars that
exist in a halo around a galaxy’s core) and
galaxies are known as deep sky objects.
These are amazing things to look for.
With a few notable exceptions, all of the
objects, except galaxies, are located
within our own Milky Way Galaxy.
There are many external galaxies to our
own, each a collection of stars, gas and
dust bound together by gravity. Our own
Milky Way Galaxy contains several
hundred billion stars.
7. METEORS
When small particles, known as
meteoroids, collide with the Earth they
pass through our atmosphere and
vaporize. This results in a streak of light
known as a meteor or shooting star. The
particles are typically the size of a grain of
sand but may occasionally be larger.
Those that make it through the
atmosphere intact to land on Earth are
known as meteorites.
CONSTELLATIONS
Constellations are patterns of stars in the
sky, historically named after objects,
animals and mythological characters. There
are 88 constellations of which roughly two
thirds can be seen from the UK.
STARS
Stars are spheres of gas that emit energy,
including light, through nuclear processes.
ASTEROIDS
Asteroids are small rocky or metallic
bodies that orbit the Sun and mainly lie
between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
Some do orbit outside of this zone and
currently there are several thousand
known to come in close proximity to
the Earth.
Do the galaxies, stars and planets spark
your interest? Explore space with The
Open University’s Virtual Planisphere
and other free online study material.
Go to bbc.co.uk/stargazing
and follow the links.
FIND OUT MORE
9. JANUARY-MARCH LOOKING NORTH EARLY EVENING
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
In the UK, this is called the Plough and is part of a larger
constellation called Ursa Major (Latin for Great Bear).
The Plough is also known as the Big Dipper or the
Saucepan in other countries.
Use the Plough’s ‘pointer’ stars to locate Polaris, the
Pole Star, which marks the end of the tail of Ursa Minor,
the Little Bear. The two stars at the other end of Ursa
Minor (Kochab and Pherkad) are known as the
Guardians of the Pole.
Using just your eyes, look carefully at the star in the
middle of the Plough’s handle, called Mizar, you should
be able to make out its faint companion, known
as Alcor.
Star maps showing you
what to look out for in the
night sky for the rest of 2013
are available to download
from the website:
bbc.co.uk/stargazing
STAR CHARTS
1
2
3
11. WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Try and locate Orion’s Sword, a line of faint stars below
Orion’s Belt. Looking at the sword through binoculars,
see if you can pick out a misty region known as
the Orion Nebula. This is a cloud of gas, or nebula,
in which stars are forming.
Follow the line of Orion’s Belt down and to the left
to locate the brightest star in the night sky, known
as Sirius.
Follow the line of Orion’s Belt up and right to locate the
orange star Aldebaran in Taurus. A v-shaped cluster of
stars called the Hyades lies to the right of Aldebaran,
with the Pleiades or Seven Sisters cluster to the
upper right.
JANUARY-MARCH LOOKING SOUTH EARLY EVENING
The planets appear to
wander through the
constellations over time.
Bright Jupiter can be seen
close to the Hyades and
Pleiades clusters in Taurus
during the period from
January to March 2013.
DID YOU KNOW?
1
2
3
12. SATELLITE SPOTTING
If you see a star appearing to move
steadily across the night sky, you may
be looking at an artificial satellite in orbit
around the Earth. Due to reflected light
from the Sun, many of these are visible
throughout the course of a night.
Some are bits of space junk while others
work hard sending back information about
our weather, providing communication
services or even spying!
Some satellites have large flat reflective
panels on them which appear to flash
when they catch the Sun’s light. The
brightest of these flashes are called
Iridium Flares and some are even
bright enough to be seen in daylight.
The International Space Station, or ISS,
is one of the most impressive satellites.
It appears very bright and obvious. The
orbit of the ISS means that here in the UK
we get to see it pass over for a number of
nights at a time, then it isn’t visible for
a while.
To check the visibility of the ISS from your
location visit www.nasa.gov
13. Mercury
Peppercorn
Venus
Cherry tomato
Earth
Cherry tomato
Mars
Blueberry
Jupiter
Watermelon
Saturn
Large grapefruit
Mercury
Peppercorn
Venus
Cherry tomato
Earth
Cherry tomato
Mars
Blueberry
Jupiter
Watermelon
Saturn
Large grapefruit
Mercury
Peppercorn
Venus
Cherry tomato
Earth
Cherry tomato
Mars
Blueberry
Jupiter
Watermelon
Saturn
Large grapefruit
Mercury
Peppercorn
Venus
Cherry tomato
Earth
Cherry tomato
Mars
Blueberry
Jupiter
Watermelon
Saturn
Large grapefruit
Mercury
Peppercorn
Venus
Cherry tomato
Earth
Cherry tomato
Mars
Blueberry
Jupiter
Watermelon
Saturn
Large grapefruit
orn
Venus
Cherry tomato
Earth
Cherry tomato
Mars
Blueberry
Jupiter
Watermelon
Saturn
Large grapefruit
Uranus
Apple
Jupiter
Watermelon
Saturn
Large grapefruit
Uranus
Apple
Ne
Lim
Jupiter
Watermelon
Saturn
Large grapefruit
Uranus
Apple
Neptune
Lime
MERCURY
Peppercorn
NEPTUNE
Lime
VENUS
Cherry tomato
JUPITER
Watermelon
SATURN
Large grapefruit
URANUS
Apple
MARS
Blueberry
EARTH
Cherry
tomato
SPACE STATS HOW BIG ARE THE PLANETS?
Here are the relative sizes of the planets in
our Solar System. The Sun is so enormous
that you could fit over one million Earths
inside it – which is why we couldn’t fit it on
this page!
14. PLANETS
The Solar System consists of the Sun, eight
planets, five dwarf planets and many
thousands of smaller bodies such as asteroids
and comets.
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and is
visible to the naked eye either low in the west
after sunset or in the east before sunrise. So
make sure the Sun is safely below the horizon
when you’re looking for it.
Next out is Venus, the most brilliant of the
planets; so bright it is even able to cast
shadows on Earth!
Both Mercury and Venus show a full range of
phases when viewed through a telescope. This
is due to their orbits being closer to the Sun
than that of the Earth.
Mars is further from the Sun than Earth.
Sometimes called the Red Planet, the surface
of Mars appears orange-brown when seen
through a telescope.
Bright polar caps may also be seen along with
clouds in the atmosphere and dark regions of
exposed rock on the surface.
Beyond Mars lies the gas giant Jupiter, the
largest planet in the Solar System. Viewed
through a telescope the planet’s disc appears
crossed by dark belts. A huge storm known as
the Great Red Spot can also be seen. This is
two to three times the size of the Earth and has
raged for more than 200 years. If you have a
pair of binoculars and a steady hand, see if you
can spot up to four of Jupiter’s largest moons.
Beyond Jupiter lies the magnificent ringed
planet Saturn. A telescope is needed to look at
the rings and will enable you to see a number of
Saturn’s brightest moons.
Uranus and Neptune are the outer planets of
the Solar System. A small telescope will show
them as tiny discs but they are so far away not
much can be seen.
15. Mercury Rocky Yes / white 0.38 0.39 -200 to +400 Rotates 3 times for every
2 orbits
After sunset: mid-February
early-June Before Sunrise:
early August mid November
Planet Type Visible to naked
eye colour
Gravity
(Earth = 1)
Distance
from Sun
(Earth = 1)
Surface
temperature
(o
C)
Interesting facts Best time to see in 2013
Venus Rocky Yes / white 0.91 0.72 +460 Atmospheric pressure is
almost 100 x that of Earth
From late October through
to the end of the year
Earth Rocky 1.00 1.00 -90 to +60 Unofficially Earth and Moon
considered a double planet
Mars Rocky Yes / orange-pink 0.38 1.52 -140 to +30 Enough ice at south pole
to cover the surface with
water to a depth of 10m
At the end of the year
passing from Leo into Virgo
Jupiter Gas giant Yes / white 2.36 5.20 -150 Has at least 67 moons, 4 of
which are similar in size to
or larger than Earth’s Moon
At the start of 2013 in
Taurus, and at the end of the
year in Gemini
Saturn Gas giant Yes / yellowish 0.92 9.58 -170 Ring system is 240,000km
wide but only 1km thick
At the end of April,
low down in Libra
Uranus Ice giant Just / pale-green* 0.89 19.20 -200 Uranus is tilted on its side Start of October in Pisces
Neptune Ice giant No / pale-blue* 1.12 30.10 -210 Has measured sustained
wind speeds of 2,100km per
hour, the strongest in the
Solar System
End of August in Aquarius
*A telescope is required to see the colours of Uranus and Neptune
16. COMETS, METEORS AND ASTEROIDS
COMETS
Comets are small objects composed of
ice, dust and frozen gas. The main part of
a comet is known as the nucleus and
typically measures just a few kilometres
across. If a comet’s orbit takes it close to
the Sun, the energy it receives may release
dust and gas from the nucleus.
An envelope of dust and gas wraps around
the nucleus forming the head of the comet.
Radiation pressure pushes dust out of the
comet’s head away from the Sun, forming
a wide curving dust tail. Electrically
charged particles sweep back in the
opposite direction to the Sun forming a
thin straight ion or gas tail.
Comet C/2011 L4 Panstarrs may be seen
with the naked eye during March, visible low
in the west after sunset.
Comet C/2012 S1 ISON may become bright
but just how bright is difficult to predict.
During November it might become visible
to the naked eye, low in the southeast, visible
before sunrise until the middle of the month.
It then swings quickly past the Sun
re-emerging in the evening possibly
becoming visible after sunset, low in the
west. It may then remain visible for the rest
of the year.
NOTABLE COMETS IN 2013
17. METEORS
If the Earth passes through the orbit of a
comet, it may encounter dust left along the
comet’s path. If this dust passes through
our atmosphere it can vaporize producing
a streak of light known as a meteor trail. If
this happens, the meteors seen are said to
belong to a meteor shower and all the trails
point back to a single point in the sky
known as the shower radiant.
Quadrantids, peaks on January 3rd
Perseids, peaks on August 12th
FAVOURABLE METEOR SHOWERS IN 2013
ASTEROIDS
An asteroid is a small rocky or metallic
body in orbit around the Sun. Most are
located between the orbits of Mars and
Jupiter and are known as main-belt
asteroids. Asteroid Ceres, at nearly
1,000km across, was reclassified in 2006
as a dwarf planet. The remaining asteroids
are significantly smaller and only 140 of
those in the main-belt have diameters over
120km. Vesta, the brightest asteroid, can
occasionally be seen with the naked eye.
A number of asteroids have their
own moons.
On 15 February, 2013 the 50m asteroid
2012 DA14 will sweep past Earth, at a
distance of just 35,000km.
18. STARS
The mass of stars like our Sun, together
with most normal matter in the Universe, is
typically made from three parts hydrogen
and one part helium. The core of a star is a
giant nuclear furnace, inside which atoms
of hydrogen and helium are fused to make
heavier elements.
When a star dies, its heavier elements
are released into space. Known to
astronomers as ‘dust’, this is the stuff
that planets eventually form from.
THE COLOUR OF STARS
A star’s colour is an indication of its
temperature; red being coolest and blue
hottest. A star’s spectral type is a way of
classifying a star’s colour and
temperature.
O 30,000+
Spectral Type Temperature (K)*
M Less than 3,500
K 3,500-5,000
G 5,000-6,000
F 6,000-7,500
A 7,500-10,000
B 10,000-30,000
*K is short for Kelvin, a temperature scale similar to Celsius (o
C)
but with a different starting point. 0 K is equal to - 273.15o
C
19. The most spectacular way a star can die is
in a supernova explosion. It’s within such
an event that heavier elements are formed
and spread throughout space. The iron in
your blood has come from such an
explosion!
A supernova was observed by ancient
Chinese, Japanese and Arabic
astronomers in 1054 AD.
This was so bright that it could be seen in
daylight for 23 days.
The remains of this star can still be seen
today as an object called the Crab Nebula.
The core of a massive star that explodes is
compacted into a super-dense object
known as a neutron star. This has a mass
greater than the Sun typically compacted
into a sphere the size of a city.
A cup of neutron star material would
outweigh the largest mountain on Earth!
CRAB NEBULA
The Crab Nebula’s neutron star sends out
an energetic beam of radiation and spins
30 times every second. This type of object
is known as a pulsar. On Earth we can see
a pulse every time the beam spins past our
line of sight.
Credit: NASA, ESA, CXC, JPL-Caltech, J. Hester and A. Loll
(Arizona State Univ.), R. Gehrz (Univ. Minn.), and STScI
20. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is
approximately 6,300,000,000 AU across.
Our next nearest star, Proxima
Centauri, is 271,000 AU away from
the Sun. It is a dim red dwarf in a
triple star system called Alpha Centauri.
Proxima Centauri can’t be seen from the
UK as it never rises above the horizon.
1 AU 271,000 AU
The distance between the Sun and
the Earth is defined as one
astronomical unit or AU.
Average distance from the
Sun to Neptune is 30 AU.
The Voyager 1 spacecraft, launched
in 1977, is at the edge of the Solar
System. At the start of 2013, it was
123 AU from Earth, the furthest
distance any man-made object has
ever travelled.
THE SUN THE SUN
PROXIMA
CENTAURIEARTH
HOW BIG IS SPACE?
21. LIGHT YEAR
Despite its name, a light year is a measure
of distance, not time. It represents the
distance light travels in a year, travelling at
the incredible speed of 300,000 kilometres
a second. At that speed, it’s possible to
travel around the circumference of the
Earth 7.5 times in one second!
One light year measures just under 10
million, million kilometres. On average it
takes light 8.3 minutes to travel from the
Sun to the Earth. The nearest star is 4.2
light years away and the Andromeda
Galaxy, the nearest large galaxy outside
our own, is about 2.5 million light years
away. The Andromeda Galaxy can be seen
from the UK and appears as an elongated
fuzzy blob to the naked eye.
The most distant object so far detected by
the Hubble Telescope is estimated to be
13.2 billion light years away. In the time it’s
taken for its light to reach us, the original
object, a compact mini galaxy, has long
since ceased to exist.
ANDROMEDA GALAXY
Credit: GALEX, JPL-Caltech, NASA
22. This massive galaxy cluster’s gravitational
field not only magnifies the images of
hidden galaxies, but also distorts them
into long, thin arcs (see picture below).
THE OBSERVABLE UNIVERSE
As we look beyond the confines of our
Milky Way Galaxy, we see yet more
galaxies. The Milky Way belongs to a
collection of galaxies called the Local
Group. A galaxy ‘group’ typically contains
around 50 members.
On an even larger scale, galaxy clusters
may contain several thousand galaxies.
Galaxy clusters themselves can belong to
larger collections called super clusters.
Super clusters and clusters are part of the
large scale structure of the universe
forming filaments, walls and sheets.
Together these are known as the
Cosmic Web.
Credit: NASA, ESA, and Johan Richard (Caltech, USA)
Acknowledgement: Davide de Martin James Long (ESA/Hubble)
GALAXY CLUSTER
23. LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTRONOMY WITH THE OPEN UNIVERSITY
If you’re keen to learn more about astronomy, why
not study with The Open University? You can explore
free learning resources on OpenLearn:
open.edu/openlearn/stargazing
The OU offers a range of introductory-level courses,
perfect for new learners, and designed to help you
find out what it’s like to study with the OU, learn
about a topic just for interest and try out an area of
study before committing to a qualification.
Learn about galaxies, stars and planets (SG077)
is an introductory level, online course covering the
exploration of our Solar System; the discovery of
planets orbiting other stars; the birth, life and violent
death of stars; and the creation of the Universe itself.
Find out more: openuniversity.co.uk/stargazing
The OU also offers a number of degree courses. If
you are keen on astronomy, you may be interested in
the BSc (Honours) Natural Sciences: Astronomy
Planetary Sciences pathway.
The Open University is Europe’s largest academic
community offering around 120 qualifications
available in a range of fascinating and challenging
subjects. The flexible study method ‘Supported
Open Learning’ fits around you and your life. Study
towards a qualification such as a certificate, diploma
or degree, starting with a single course in an area
of interest.
Study with the OU is often more affordable than you
think – you may even be eligible for financial support.
Visit www.open.ac.uk/learning/access/ to find
out more. With most of the qualifications, you’ll
benefit from one-to-one support and feedback from
your tutor.
To learn more about becoming a student:
Visit website www.open.ac.uk/study
Call Student Registration Enquiry Services
on 0845 300 60 90
Email general-enquiries@open.ac.uk
Write to The Open University, PO Box 197,
Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6BJ