Introduction to Astronomy

Catalog description

This is an introductory science course for non-science majors covering topics of modern Astronomy. It highlights pivotal aspects in the history of Astronomy such as its distinction and further separation from Astrology. It lists the physical processes governing the origins of a star system and indicates the causes of the apparent motion of sky objects and cyclic sky events. The sources of periodical astronomical events such as phases of the moon, solar and lunar eclipses, meteor showers, and seasons are identified and related via the fundamental laws of physics. The astronomical tools of photometry and spectroscopy are introduced for their indispensable role in analysis towards the detection of planets around other stars, the investigation of dark matter and dark energy, and the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life. Additional topics include the origins of galaxies, large scale structure, and a full description of the Big Bang theory.