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AstroTech: The Science and Technology behind Astronomical Discovery

Approx. 6 hours to complete

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Course Summary

Explore the technology behind astronomy, and how it helps us understand the universe. Learn about telescopes, spacecraft, and other cutting-edge tools astronomers use to gather data and make discoveries.

Key Learning Points

Learn about the latest technology used by astronomers to study the universe
Explore the history of astronomy technology and how it has evolved over time
Discover how telescopes, spacecraft, and other tools help us understand the cosmos

Learning Outcomes

Understand the technology behind astronomy and the tools used by astronomers
Learn about the history of astronomy technology and how it has evolved over time
Gain insight into how telescopes, spacecraft, and other tools help us understand the universe

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic understanding of astronomy
Interest in technology and its role in astronomy

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced
Video Lectures

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Exploring the Universe with the Hubble Space Telescope
Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life

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Description

"How do they know that?"

Modern astronomy has made some astonishing discoveries - how stars burn and how black holes form; galaxies from the edge of the universe and killer rocks right next door; where the elements come from and how the expanding universe is accelerating. But how do we know all that? The truth is that astronomy would be impossible without technology, and every advance in astronomy is really an advance in technology. But the technology by itself is not enough. We have to apply it critically with a knowledge of physics to unlock the secrets of the Universe. Each week we will cover a different aspect of Astronomical technology, matching each piece of technology to a highlight science result. We will explain how the technology works, how it has allowed us to collect astronomical data, and, with some basic physics, how we interpret the data to make scientific discoveries. The class will consist of video lectures, weekly quizzes, and discussion forums. Each week there will be five videos, totalling approximately 40 minutes. They will be in a regular pattern - a short introduction, an example science story, an explanation of the key technology area, a look at how the technology is used in practice, and finally a look at what the future may hold.

Outline

Science and Technology
W1 Part 1 - Our Knowledge of the Universe
W1 Part 2 - Revolutions in Astronomy
W1 Part 3 - Why Astronomy is Hard
W1 Part 4 - The Horse and Cart
Week 1 quiz

Telescopes and Stars
W2 Part 1 - Picturing the Universe
W2 Part 2 - The Sun - is every star like it?
W2 Part 3 - How Telescopes Work
W2 Part 4 - We are Stardust
W2 Part 5 - Even Bigger Telescopes?
Week 2 quiz

Space and Black Holes
W3 Part 1 - Our Enemy the Atmosphere
W3 Part 2 - Hunting for Black Holes
W3 Part 3 - Rockets, Spacecraft, and Orbits
W3 Part 4 - Hunting for Black Holes Part II
W3 Part 5 - Can Space Missions get Cheaper?
W3 Bonus video - A Sense of Scale
Geostationary Orbits
Week 3 quiz

Detectors and the First Galaxies
W4 Part 1 - Catching the Light from the Stars
W4 Part 2 - Galaxies since the Dawn of Time
W4 Part 3a - Light, Matter, and CCDs
W4 Part 3b - Infrared Detectors
W4 Part 4 - Galaxies since the Dawn of Time Part II
W4 Part 5 - Another Revolution in Detector Technology?
Week 4 quiz

Computers and Killer Rocks
W5 Part 1 - Computers Everywhere
W5 Part 2 - Killer Rocks
W5 Part 3 - Computers, Databases, and the Internet
W5 Part 4 - Killer Rocks Part II
W5 Part 5 - Hitting the Buffers?
Welcome to Week 5
Big numbers: Megaparsecs, Petabytes, and all that Jazz
Additional Information for Week 5
Week 5 quiz

Spectroscopy and Dark Energy
W6 P1 - Light, Atoms, and Motion
W6 P2 - The Accelerating Universe and Dark Energy
W6 P3 - How Spectrographs Work
W6 P4 - Dark Energy Part II
W6 P5 - A Perfect Spectrograph?
Week 6 quiz

Summary of User Reviews

Learn about astronomy technology with this online course on Coursera. Students love the engaging videos and interactive lessons.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

engaging videos and interactive lessons

Pros from User Reviews

Excellent instructors who are knowledgeable and passionate
Great content that is well-organized and easy to understand
Engaging videos and interactive lessons that keep students interested
Course is well-paced and provides a good balance of theory and practical applications

Cons from User Reviews

Some students feel the course is too basic and not challenging enough
Not enough opportunities for hands-on learning or experimentation
Some technical issues with the online platform can be frustrating
Course may not be suitable for those without a strong background in astronomy or physics