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A Modern View of the Universe
The universe is vast beyond imagination—so immense that even the speed of light takes billions of years to cross its greatest stretches. Modern astronomy gives us a glimpse into this cosmic scale, revealing a universe nearly 14 billion years old, filled with galaxies that formed shortly after the Big Bang and continue to move apart as space itself expands.
Compared to this timescale, a human lifetime is barely a blink—less than a second on the cosmic clock. Earth, our home, is constantly in motion: spinning on its axis, orbiting the Sun, and hurtling around the center of our galaxy at over 500,000 miles per hour. Meanwhile, galaxies themselves drift and dance through the cosmos, drawn by gravity, colliding and reshaping over millions of years. Understanding where we are in all this motion and history is the first step in grasping our place in the universe—and how astonishingly connected we are to everything in it.
Watch the Science Lesson
RECORDING WILL BE POSTED 09/10/2025
Do the Assignments
Homework
Each week, you'll be assigned a set of discussion questions, quantitative problems, and quiz questions. Begin with the discussion questions to make sure you're understanding the material presented in class. Then move into the homework problems, skipping any that are challenging or you’re not sure how to start (saving them for after you’ve worked on other problems first.) Continue working on these problems each day until you’ve completed the set.
Space Podcast
Each week, students choose a space-related podcast episode to listen to and write a short summary in their journal. These reflections help students stay connected to current science news while developing their ability to explain scientific concepts in their own words. (Suggested podcasts are in the Astronomy Info Packet.)
Astronomer Spotlight
This week, you are to pick an astronomer, research their work and lives, and using the format in the Astronomy Course Packet (an example is on page 22), fill out the five categories for this person:
- Discoveries & Contributions
- Challenges & Obstacles
- Impact on Astronomy
- Fun, Little-Known Facts
- In Conclusion
Next week, students will submit a 5-minute talk and a poster about a notable astronomer (past or present), highlighting their discoveries, impact on science, and personal journey. This project includes both a visual component (printed or hand-written poster) and a brief presentation. Refer to Course Information for format and also the Grading Rubric.
Lab Project Activity
Below you'll find a link to download your lab project for this week, along with step-by-step instructional videos that walk you through it.
Supplemental Videos
The videos below are additional explanations of topics discussed in class. The first two videos were shown and are courtesy of Morn1415. The second two videos are introductory content about our Solar System.
Introduction to the Solar System
The video below is a recording from an live astronomy class last March that walks you through the entire solar system. If you're new to astronomy, this is a great bonus video to watch to get yourself oriented! The second video explains how to read a corkscrew graph for Jupiter's moons.