I'm rewriting this post as, to be fair to OU, the course doesn't officially start until the 12th of May, so I'm being a tad harsh on them,
The course unofficially started on the 08th of May with the rather awful website that I posted about previously. Now, today (09th), they've updated the site to be far more helpful with actual activities using the Aladin (Java based) software and some questions and video files. Hell, there's even a forum for us S177 folks now! Hoorah!
How is it going so far?
ReplyDeleteI am thinking about doing this module in October, your thoughts about it would be interesting.
Lynda
It's a good course, but don't expect to just be told which planet is which and where it is. This course is all about space curvature, gas, light and so much more. By the end of it you'll know how to calculate the distance from the Earth to the Moon using a stick and some coins. :D
DeleteIf you like I can email you the table of contents from the book to let you see what's in the course.
That would be very helpful thank you, although I think my mind is made up.
ReplyDeleteThe book contents are:
DeleteChapter 1 The Universe today
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Scale of the Universe
1.3 Orbits and gravity
1.4 Our neighbourhood
1.5 The Sun and stars
1.6 Galaxies
1.7 ‘We are stardust’
End-of-chapter questions
Chapter 2 Measuring the Universe
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The nature of light
2.3 Measuring temperatures
2.4 Measuring size with angles
2.5 Measuring distances
End-of-chapter questions
Chapter 3 The Universe at large
3.1 Introduction
3.2 The Milky Way and its neighbours
3.3 The Local Group and galaxy clusters
3.4 Dark matter
3.5 The Big Bang and the expanding Universe
3.6 The large-scale structure of the Universe
3.7 Approaching the edge
End-of-chapter questions
Chapter 4 The edge of the Universe
4.1 Introduction
4.2 The surface of last scattering
4.3 The observable Universe and the horizon problem
4.4 The curvature of space and the flatness problem
4.5 Inflation
4.6 Optional section: what’s the Universe expanding into?
4.7 The fate of the Universe
4.8 What are all visible things made of?
4.9 The first fifteen minutes of the Universe
End-of-chapter questions
Chapter 5 The structure and life of stars
5.1 Our nearest star: the Sun
5.2 The Sun as a star
5.3 Patterns in the stars: the HR diagram
5.4 Energy generation in stars
5.5 The nuclear reactions that power stars
5.6 Stellar masses
End-of-chapter questions
Chapter 6 The cosmic cycle: the death and birth of stars
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Life after the main sequence in Sun-like stars
6.3 The final stages in the life of Sun-like stars
6.4 The post-main sequence life of massive stars
6.5 The final countdown...
6.6 The final remnants of stars
6.7 The cosmic cycle and the next generation of stars
End-of-chapter questions
Chapter 7 Planetary systems
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Survey of the Solar System
7.3 Planets
7.4 Small Solar System bodies
7.5 A brief history of the Solar System
7.6 The search for extrasolar planets
7.7 Properties of extrasolar planetary systems
End-of-chapter questions
Chapter 8 Life in the Universe
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Requirements for life
8.3 Where might we find life in the Solar System?
8.4 Life in other planetary systems?
8.5 Is there intelligent life out there?
End-of-chapter questions
Questions: answers and comments
Comments on activities
Acknowledgments
Module team
Index
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ReplyDeleteWow! Thank you, it looks very interesting, an introduction to quite a few areas by the look of it. :)
ReplyDelete