Elementary Astronomy

These topics in Elementary Astronomy are for courses at the University of Louisville. Click a topic to follow the link.

• Sections to study in Pathways to Astronomy, 3rd Edition

• Sections to study in Pathways to Astronomy, 2nd Edition

• News Highlights

Week 1 -- January 9-15

• Constellations

Week 2 -- January 16 - 22

• The Sun Keeps Us Warm

Week 3 -- January 23 - 29

• Telescopes

• Solar System Real Estate

Week 4 -- January 30 - Februrary 5

• The Moon

Week 5 -- Februrary 6 - 12

• Mars

• Saturn and Extrasolar Planets

Week 6 -- Februrary 13 - 19

• Comets and Meteors

Week 7 -- Februrary 20 - 26

• Periodic Table of the Elements
• We Can See the Universe

Week 8 -- Februrary 27 - March 4

• Subatomic Particles
• Birth of Stars
• Death of Stars

Week 9 -- March 5 - March 11

• How to Measure Distances in the Universe

Week 10 -- March 12 - March 18

• Spring Vacation Week

Week 11 -- March 19 - March 25

• Scale of the Universe
• The Universe is Expanding
• Back to the Beginning of Time

Week 12 -- March 26 - April 1

• Galaxies Near and Far

Week 13 -- April 2 - April 8

• Special Relativity
• General Relativity

Week 14 -- April 9 - April 15

• Things Beyond our Understanding - Dark Matter and Dark Energy
• Interview with Brian Greene about Fabric of the Cosmos
• Watch part of Fabric of the Cosmos on PBS and NOVA on line
• Interview with Nobel Laureate Saul Perlmutter discussing supernovae
• Recommended Lecture: Lawrence M. Krauss - A Universe from Nothing

Week 15 -- April 16 - April 22

• [http://www.amazon.com/Universe-Nothing-There-Something-Rather/dp/145162445X Good reading: Lawrence Krauss's new book The Universe from Nothing (see link to an earlier lecture above)
• Delightful reading about A Short History of Nearly Everything, a book by Bill Bryson

Students enrolled in distance education sections should use this site.