FROM PLANETS TO THE COSMOS
Why should I take this Trinity Elective?
Astronomy is the study of everything beyond the Earth's atmosphere, including stars, planets, galaxies, and even the evolution and origin of the Universe itself. It is often referred to as the oldest of the natural sciences, and it continues to drive modern science with discoveries such as dark matter, dark energy, and the ongoing search for life beyond the Earth. This module will expose students to key events in the development of modern Astronomy and allow them to recognize that science is an evolving body of knowledge. Students will learn about the fundamentals and history of astronomical observations, and be able to understand the science behind beautiful astronomical images such as those shown above of star formation regions, supernovae, gravitational lensing of galaxies, and planets in the Solar System. Students will also learn about the discovery of thousands of new worlds around other stars, the expansion and origin of the Universe, as well as many other modern topics in astronomy.
What will I learn?
- You will learn about our place in the Universe, and be able to evaluate key evidence that supports or challenges our explanations for the physical nature of planets, stars, galaxies, and the cosmos;
- You will understand the importance of key events in the history of Astronomy and critically discuss why astrophysical science is a creative and evolving body of knowledge.
What will I do?
- Attend a series of lectures with world-leading astronomers from Trinity;
- Study lecture notes in advance and familiarize with the module content;
- Explore and engage with online material, and interact with an on-line framework for Astronomy (Mastering Astronomy);
- Develop a small group research project on a topic of your choice related to the course, and present it as a video or poster.
How will this be delivered?
- Approximately 22 hours of face-to-face lectures;
- Approximately 70 hours of student engagement with on-line material, including optional/refresher material to develop mathematical and physical understanding. These on-line supports will make use of resource material provided as e-learning support for the course text;
- Students will engage in a small group research project with their peers, studying a modern topic in Astronomy.
How will this be assessed?
- Online mid-course assessment (20% of final mark);
- Online end-of-course assessment (50 % of final mark);
- Small group project, where students will research a concept in modern Astronomy with 5-10 peers and present the results in video/poster format (30% of final mark).
Who can take this Trinity Elective?
- Any student eligible to take a Trinity Elective can select this Trinity Elective except for the students from the following programmes:
- Physical Sciences (Physics, Physics and Astrophysics, Nanoscience);
- Theoretical Physics;
- Chemical Sciences (Nanoscience).