• Semester 1 (Day)
• Semester 2 (External)

Synopsis

The  unit  consists of illustrated lectures, tutorials, plus observing
evenings at Mt. Kent Observatory outside Toowoomba. The lecture course
begins  with  astronomy's historical origins, and  the  telescopes  of
modern  astronomical science. The solar system is introduced, as  well
as the life cycles of stars. Discussion then ranges from the Milky Way
to  other  galaxies,  and the formation, structure  and  fate  of  the
Universe.

Topics  covered:  Observing the night sky; The history  of  Astronomy;
Astronomical techniques and telescopes; The solar system; The Sun; The
lives  of  the stars; The Milky Way and other galaxies; Cosmology  and
the Big Bang; The search for extraterrestrial life.