how challenging is an astronomy course

by Caleb Bayer 4 min read

Astronomy in high school is roughly as difficult as a high school physics class. That's fairly hard for most of us, but also far easier than a college astronomy class! For one thing, high school astronomy usually has simple prerequisites like algebra, trigonometry, and perhaps basic chemistry.

Full Answer

Where can I learn astronomy online?

Edx offers both individual courses and advanced programs designed to help you learn about astronomy in an engaging and effective online learning environment complete with video tutorials, quizzes and more. Additionally, edX offers the option to pursue verified certificates in astronomy courses.

What is astronomy?

What is Astronomy? Astronomy is the branch of natural science that studies the elements of the universe including galaxies, planets, the Solar System, celestial objects, stars, comets, outer space phenomena and more.

What are the different sub-disciplines of astronomy?

Major sub-disciplines of astronomy include astrophysics, physical cosmology, solar astronomy, planetary science and stellar astronomy. Get an introduction to astronomy with online courses from major universities and institutions worldwide.

How to get a certificate in astronomy on LinkedIn?

Additionally, edX offers the option to pursue verified certificates in astronomy courses. The certificate lists edX and the name of the university or institution offering the course and can be uploaded to your LinkedIn profile. It is proof for employers and others that you have successfully completed the course.

How to get an easy A in astronomy?

If all you want is to get an easy ‘A’, you should try to find a teacher who doesn’t really care whether you learn anything. Finding one or the other is easier than it used to be. Just go to a ‘rate-your-teacher’ site. The best teachers will usually have mostly poor reviews, because a lot of students don’t like the fact that they don’t make the class easier, but will have a few glowing reviews from students whose eyes were opened to the wonders of the Universe (that was the typical response to my classes, so though the best students still send me letters thanking me for the experience, I had a very low rating). The worst teachers will have a lot of good reviews, many of which will concentrate on how ‘hot’ they look, how ‘cool’ they are, or how ‘entertaining’ their lectures were. Try to get in a class with the ones praised for how thorough their lectures are if you really want to learn a lot, but expect the class to be a lot of work. Try to get in a class with the ones praised for their entertainment value if you don’t care whether you learn anything, and just want to get some science units.

What do people worry about in astronomy?

A lot of people seem to be worried about how much “math” they’ll encounter in an astronomy course; I hear a lot of “I don’t get

What was the first real astronomy class?

General Astronomy This was the first “real” astronomy class for astronomy majors. The textbook was Chandrasekhar’s Radiative Transfer. I dropped after the first class. It was very clear that, despite already having a BS in math, I had no where near the physics background to pass the class.

What classes do you take before astronomy?

In my university, before students take even 1 astronomy class, we go through 1 year of real analysis, linear algebra and python programming. Then we do Astronomy side by side General Physics 1 (classical mechanics and thermodynamics).

What do you need to know to become an astronomer?

If you’re interested in a career in astronomy or astrophysics, then you’re going to need a good background in mathematics and physics. There’s no way around that. If you’re looking at enrichment courses, then basic mathematics should be sufficient. In any case, though. learning takes effort. A good teacher can encourage students and help them through the rough spots, but any worthwhile course takes work.

Is astronomy an easy science class?

If you’re looking for an easy ‘A’ science class, astronomy may not be it.

Is astronomy a liberal arts class?

Since most students who take astronomy classes are liberal arts students doing so only to get units, the classes tend to be much harder than they expect, if taught with the intention of actually teaching them something about the subject.

What is an introductory astronomy course?

This introductory astronomy course is for college students who are curious about the universe. Topics covered include the historical foundations of astronomy, the tools and techniques used by modern astronomers, the sun, planets, moons, and minor bodies of our solar system, and the processes by which it formed.

What is the first intro to astronomy?

The first one is about celestial sphere and solar system. The second one is mostly about everything else (stars, galaxies, evolution of the universe etc). Obviously I cannot know how your classes will be like, but I will tell you my experience. The intro1 astronomy is pretty easy. A lot easier than the second intro.

How many years of college do you need for AP?

Most kids now days enter college with most of their freshman courses already credited because they took AP classes in high school, both of my daughters did, so if you are taking a full load year round, 2 years is reasonable. I'm not sure why you need *insurance*.

Why don't you assume a class is easy?

Don't assume a class is easy just because the prerequisites are . The prereqs are just to make sure you don't join the class without being able to start day 1. It says nothing about how hard the class will be on the last day of the semester

Is intro 1 astronomy easy?

The intro1 astronomy is pretty easy. A lot easier than the second intro. Intro Psych was also relatively easy. There were a lot of material to learn and a lot more exercise for Psych. I enjoyed it a lot though. So I guess both of them should not be so hard to get an A. Nov 17, 2009.

Is gravity easy to understand?

The basics (gravitation, orbits, etc.) may bore you, but they should be pretty easy. If you get into the more interesting things like nuclear reactions in stars, relativity, black holes, and things like that, you'll probably be interested enough to want to do the work to understand the material enough to get an A.

Is it hard to learn astronomy?

No individual topic in the astronomy course will be difficult, but there could be many topics covered and many facts to assimilate. If you feel comfortable with this in a summer course, you should be fine.

Life on Earth

1. Planet Earth: “Planet Earth” is about, well, just that. Students will study what makes our planet unique: the formation and evolution of the Earth, plate tectonic structure, how geological processes like earthquakes occur, and more.

Introductory Astronomy

3. Astronomy – State of the Art: This highly-rated course, taught by instructors from Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona, covers everything a beginner needs to know about astronomy and the universe — from telescopes to the unity of life.

Astrophysics and Intermediate Astronomy

8. Relativity and Astrophysics: Challenging common sense notions of space and time, this course from Cornell University explores Einstein’s theory of relativity and illuminates aspects challenging aspects about the way our universe operates.

Dark Energy and Dark Matter

12. The Discovery of the Higgs Boson: Physicists from the University of Edinburgh explore the newest discovery in the world of particles: the Higgs Boson. Combining physics, astronomy and cosmology, the professors aim to provide “a new description of the universe.”

Astrobiology and The Search for Other Life

14. Astrobiology and The Search For Extraterrestial Life: The first MOOC to explore the age-old question: “Is there life on other planets?” Combining fields of study like biology, chemistry and geosciences, this course asks if the evolution of life is an “inevitable” and “common” process throughout our cosmos. Highly rated by our users!

How to get an easy A in astronomy?

If all you want is to get an easy ‘A’, you should try to find a teacher who doesn’t really care whether you learn anything. Finding one or the other is easier than it used to be. Just go to a ‘rate-your-teacher’ site. The best teachers will usually have mostly poor reviews, because a lot of students don’t like the fact that they don’t make the class easier, but will have a few glowing reviews from students whose eyes were opened to the wonders of the Universe (that was the typical response to my classes, so though the best students still send me letters thanking me for the experience, I had a very low rating). The worst teachers will have a lot of good reviews, many of which will concentrate on how ‘hot’ they look, how ‘cool’ they are, or how ‘entertaining’ their lectures were. Try to get in a class with the ones praised for how thorough their lectures are if you really want to learn a lot, but expect the class to be a lot of work. Try to get in a class with the ones praised for their entertainment value if you don’t care whether you learn anything, and just want to get some science units.

How many hours of astronomy lectures per week?

These would typically have three hours of classroom lectures per week, and regular night labs in an observatory, or a dark part of campus with portable telescopes. Make sure your personal time schedule can accommodate both lecture and lab. Because of the nature of astronomy, observation sessions may not be rescheduled.

What are the topics in astrophysics?

Your topics will include Newtonian mechanics, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, electrodynamics, relativity, fluid dynamics, plasma physics, etc.

How many semesters of calculus is required for 204?

204 requires one semester of calculus-based physics and two semesters of calculus. It has a lot of math: within the first week, I usually introduce spherical trigonometry [1]. It also has a lab course that goes with it. It is a lot more like a physics course than 103 is.

What are the major categories of objects in astronomy?

Then the professor would go over the major categories of astronomical objects: planets and planetesimals, stars and star clusters, nebulae (and the interstellar medium), and galaxies.

Is astronomy math intensive?

It is common for colleges to offer introductory astronomy courses that are not math intensive. These are especially for students who don't have a strong math background. Browse your college catalog, or reach out to a nearby community college to find one.

Is astronomy a 100 level course?

The simple “100–level” college astronomy survey courses are often fairly easy, although they may not exactly be a “piece of cake”. Indeed, I had to help one of UNL’s football players on his observation project for that survey course when I was still an undergraduate in Physics. Still, they don’t require extensive mathematical training, and many people enjoy them, as it can often satisfy their interest in astronomy. However, those 200-level and above astronomy and astrophysics courses intended for majors in the subject can be somewhat difficult, as they require both multiple higher level mathematics courses (calculus and differential equations) as well as two or three semesters of 200-level and above undergraduate Physics courses to be able to handle the physics involved.

How long is the Astronomy course at Arizona State University?

Introduction to Solar Systems Astronomy from Arizona State University is an 8-week course that teaches the origins, structure, content and evolution of the solar system. Make virtual visits to the Mars Space Flight Facility at ASU and the Lunar Exploration Museum and learn about the meteorite impact site in Northern Arizona known as Meteor Crater. This course is available for college credit from ASU and may satisfy general education requirements at other institutions.

What is the branch of science that studies the elements of the universe?

Astronomy is the branch of natural science that studies the elements of the universe including galaxies, planets, the Solar System, celestial objects, stars, comets, outer space phenomena and more.

What is Edx astronomy?

Edx offers both individual courses and advanced programs designed to help you learn about astronomy in an enga ging and effective online learning environment complete with video tutorials, quizzes and more. Additionally, edX offers the option to pursue verified certificates in astronomy courses.

Yall need to talk to people

I know COVID kind of ruined everyone's social skills, but half the posts now are "My roommate just climbed into my bed and shit himself. How should I approach this?" or the illustrious "Just got to college 30 minutes ago and don't have 50 friends, is something wrong with me?"

If you can get a college roommate that uses baking as an outlet for aggression for aggression or stress there is nothing quite like eating a ridiculously good passive aggressive croissant on a Wednesday morning

Because your roommate had a fight with his Project group because they wanted to have to half ass a project and he needs an a for the class to get in to some graduate program so instead he instead he ends up baking like a maniac for a week while the project is being worked on and you end up finding various plates of croissants and what look like possibly spinach puffs randomly stuck around the apartment for a week and a 1/2 or so and they fill about half the refrigerator in the kitchen they're good but there's no way all 6 of you can eat that much no matter how much you try so you end up having a party thaving a party that Friday night to get rid of all the spinach Puffs in the fridge..

Schools are not taking covid seriously

I wear my mask because I don’t wanna get sick again. They pack us into tiny rooms with 5 million students and 2 are wearing masks.

Anybody else loosing weight?

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